Germany to host World Conference on Hydrogen Energy in 2010

Preparations for Hydrogen Energy World Conference enter final phase

Between May 17 and 21 next year the German city of Essen will be the world capital of hydrogen energy for one week. The 18. World Hydrogen Energy Conference will be held in North Rhine-Westphalia, together with an exhibition. After the deadline for the submission of abstracts is over the preparations enter their final phase.

The echo to the Call for Papers was very encouraging. About 750 proposals arrived from industry, research, associations as well as organizations from about 50 countries around the world. During the next weeks the committee will decide in detail where in the program to put which paper. The final program will be published in October.

The key topics of the 18. WHEC will be:

Policy perspectives, initiatives and cooperations Hydrogen production technologies Fuel infrastructures Storages Fuel cell basics Stationary applications Transportation applications Existing and emerging markets Strategic and socioeconomic analysis Safety issues

Conference chairman Prof. Detlef Stolten underlined the tradition of the conference going back to 1976. The events were always an occasion to consider and discuss the scientific and technological status of hydrogen technologies as well as the political framework on a global scale.

The participants of next year's WHEC will be in a much better position to do this than in the past. Apart from oral and poster presentations the program includes a Student's Day, technical visits, social events and the possibility to drive hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles. The fuel cell as natural partner of hydrogen will get more attention than in previous years.
While earlier conferences had their focus clearly on research there will be more weight on application and markets. Another feature will be enhanced public relations. This becomes more and more important considering that the technology enters the public domain.

The government of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia supports the event on various levels because the economic and social significance of the field is obvious.

Along with the conference there will be an exhibition which at least in this size was not part of earlier WHECs either. Some 1500 visitors from all over the world will be informed about the status of hydrogen and fuel cell technology. Major national and international organizations will be represented on joint booths.