UK and Taiwan explore hydrogen and fuel cells cooperation
UK-Taiwan collaboration is growing fast in low carbon energy development, especially offshore wind.
The inaugural UK-Taiwan Hydrogen Forum has brought together over 100 UK and Taiwanese hydrogen and fuel cell companies to explore possible areas for collaboration.
The event took place virtually on 21st October with supports from Taiwan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Partnership and the Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association. Both associations also signed an MoU to improve bilateral engagement, support skills development, education and outreach activities, and coordinate industry-related information and events.
UK-Taiwan Hydrogen collaboration opportunities include the deployment of hydrogen on public road transportation and the production of green hydrogen from offshore wind.
The eleven UK and Taiwanese companies that presented at the forum:
- Alexander Dennis, manufacturer of next-generation hydrogen buses
- Arcola Energy, a specialist developer of hydrogen transportation infrastructure
- Asia Hydrogen Energy, developer of solid oxide fuel cell technology
- Ceres Power, developer of solid oxide fuel cell technology
- hiPower Green Technology, hydrogen R&D and services company
- Howden, the world’s leading provider of air and gas handling solutions
- Linde LienHwa Group, Taiwan’s largest industrial gas supplier
- M-Field Energy, industrial and residential fuel cell system provider
- Petrofac, integrated international energy services company
- TÜV Rheinland, provider of technical testing services
- YC Synergy, fuel cell and electric drive system provider
John Dennis, Representative of British Office Taipei, said, “Taiwan’s domestic fuel cell industry, which is already a vital part of global hydrogen supply chains, is increasingly strong and innovative.”
Lord Faulkner of Worcester, UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Taiwan, commented, “Today, low carbon hydrogen technologies remain at a relatively early stage of deployment. This makes international collaboration especially important, to help mitigate early-stage development risks and create larger shared markets for the deployment of low carbon hydrogen.”
YU Cheng-Wei, Director-General of Bureau of Energy, MOEA, noted, “MOEA has established a Hydrogen Energy Promotion Group to expand the promotion of the application and development of hydrogen energy.”
Nigel Holmes, CEO, Scottish Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association, explained that the MoU help us to share experience from the deployment of zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell buses in Aberdeen, the production and local use of hydrogen in Orkney, and the H100 Fife demonstration of hydrogen from offshore wind for heating and cooking, replacing carbon-intensive fossil fuels.
Dr Tso Chunto, VP of Taiwan Institute of Economic Research & Convener of Taiwan Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Partnership, added, “Through today’s UK- Taiwan Hydrogen Forum, could bring endless possibilities for more mutual collaborations.”
