PLEA Network

19 September 2018, Reuters, EU countries agree to explore hydrogen as energy source. European Union energy ministers agreed on Tuesday to pool efforts to increase the use of hydrogen in transport and power as part of the bloc’s attempt to cut carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030. The non-binding initiative, seen by Reuters and endorsed by 25 EU nations, calls for governments to increase cooperation on research into the potential for hydrogen use in energy storage, transport, power and heating. “The acceleration of early implementation and wider application of sustainable hydrogen technology is able to contribute to the economic competitiveness of the Energy Union,” the document said. Agreed by energy ministers at an informal meeting in Linz, Austria, the document highlights the need for renewable energy, such as hydrogen, to reduce dependence on fossil fuels for which Europe is reliant on imports from Russia. Technologies fuelled by hydrogen, one of the world’s most abundant elements, have long held promise but uptake has been slow. Read more here