92002E1762

WRITTEN QUESTION E-1762/02

by Patricia McKenna (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(19 June 2002)

Subject: Promotion of hydrogen fuel derived from renewable energy sources and regional programmes

To progress a sustainable transport policy, which not only reduces city pollution and CO2 emissions, it is clearly necessary to support the use of alternative fuels, derived from renewable energy sources, through the regional / structural programmes of the EU. One promising fuel type is hydrogen, which also has the benefit of noise reduction when used in fuel cells. It can be derived from any form of electricity, as well as biomass, natural gas, and various chemical processes.

Is the Commission encouraging the use of hydrogen fuel as part of the EU's regional programmes, for example in funding public transport programmes? Given that the programmes emphasise renewable sources of energy for various reasons, does the Commission favour the use of hydrogen derived from renewable sources in the regional /structural programmes?

Answer given by Mr Barnier on behalf of the Commission

(31 July 2002)

The Structural Funds' regional programmes may include measures to expand use of renewable energy sources. In the energy section of the guidelines for programmes in the period 2000 to 2006(1) the Commission discusses these sources and calls on Member States to use Community funding to develop them. The priorities centre on investment to promote use of renewable energy sources, investment aid to reduce emissions of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and carbon dioxide (CO2), using energy audits and promoting efficient energy management in small and medium-sized entreprises as well as in towns and cities. In accordance with the subsidiarity principle, the national and regional managing authorities are responsible both for the selection of projects to be part-financed and for their implementation.

Use of hydrogen as a fuel represents a future alternative to hydrocarbons, particularly if the hydrogen comes from renewable energy sources. Currently the technologies for producing this fuel and the techniques for using it safely are still at the development stage, however. Considerable effort will be devoted to this under the Sixth Framework Programme for Research, and use of hydrogen could be promoted through pilot projects.

(1) Commission communication concerning the Structural Funds and their coordination with the Cohesion Fund guidelines for programmes in the period 2000 to 2006 (OJ C 267, 22.9.1999).