China
Research and Development
Various foundations and other organizations are involved in funding R&D on environmentally friendly ways of producing energy in China:
- The Chinese Academy of Science (CAS) announced in January 2002 that it intends to make China globally competitive in the field of hydrogen technology. It plans to invest up to 100 million yuan (US$ 12 million) in (polymer electrolyte membrane) PEM fuel-cell technology over a three-year period. Most of the money will go to the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics.
- In 1999, the U.S.-based David and Lucile Packard Foundation and the Energy Foundation launched the China Sustainable Energy Program, which funds Chinese non-government organizations and research institutes working on energy efficiency and renewable energy policies with US$ 5 million per year. The program is also supported by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
The National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) is an organization directly affiliated with the State Council for the management of the National Natural Science Fund. The NSFC supports basic research and has sponsored hydrogen storage projects at the University of Science and Technology of China and various institutes at CAS.
The U.S. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), with the support of the W. Alton Jones Foundation, has worked over the last three years with the Shanghai Economic Commission, Tongji University, the Energy Research Institute, and the South-North Institute to raise awareness in China regarding the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles. Furthermore, the NRDC has worked with the Taiwan Institute for Economic Research to facilitate collaboration between Canadian Palcan Fuel Cells of Vancouver and the cities of Shanghai and Taipei on the development of a fuel cell scooter.
The Department of Resources Conservation and Comprehensive Utilization, part of the State Economic and Trade Commission of the People’s Republic of China, is responsible for energy-savings efforts, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the promotion of the development of fuel cell technology in China.
- Promoted and funded by China MOST and Beijing Municipal Government, the construction of Beijing Hydrogen Park was initiated in 2004. The Beijing hydrogen refueling station for the demonstration of fuel cell bus commercialization in China was set up at Beijing Hydrogen Park in 2006. Beijing SinoHytec Ltd., BP, and Beijing Tongfang Co. Ltd. as the project stakeholders are cooperating to construct and operate the Beijing hydrogen refueling station.
- Under the support of China MOST and the Shanghai Municipal Government, Tongji University and Shanghai Fuel Cell Vehicle Powertrain Co. (SFCV) have made significant progress in the development of fuel cell vehicles. By 2005, Tongji and SFCV had successfully developed three generations of fuel cell powertrain system platforms (“Start 1,” “Start 2,” and “Start 3”) and 13 prototype fuel cell passenger cars. “Start 2” and “Start 3” took part in the 2004 Shanghai Bibendum Challenge and the 2006 Paris Bibendum Challenge, respectively. The “Start 3” won the first prize in fuel efficiency and pass-by noise test and was in the top 10% among all of the fuel cell vehicle participants in 2006. Since 2006, Tongji and SFCV have developed a new generation of fuel cell powertrain system platforms and built 30 fuel cell vehicles based on Shanghai Auto Industry Corporation’s (SAIC’s) “Roewe” and SVW “Lingyu” vehicles. Among those vehicles, 20 Lingyu fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) were successfully demonstrated in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
- Under the support of China MOST and the Shanghai Municipal Government, the first hydrogen refueling station, Anting Hydrogen Refueling Station, was built in 2007. Anting Hydrogen Refueling Station was co-built by Tongji University, Shanghai Aerospace Energy Co., and Shanghai Sunwise Energy System Co. Shell Hydrogen cooperated with Tongji University as technical consultant and funds part of the station demonstration. Linde provided engineering services for the construction of the station. The fuel cell vehicles refueled in this station were developed by Tongji University, and the station will be used as part of the Global Environment Facility/United Nations Development Programme/MOST (GEF/UNDP/MOST) Fuel Cell Bus Demonstration Program Phase II.