A Clean Future - too expensive for us?

The HyFLEET:CUTE Final Conferences falls at a time when financial issues are of major interest. Duncan MacLeod, Vice President of Shell Hydrogen, knows that the HyFLEET:CUTE Project has been a major success, with Shell participating in both the Amsterdam and Luxembourg operations. In his presentation at the Conference he will argue that the effort and investment have to be continued if hydrogen is to be successfully brought into the markets. Design and construction of efficient and sufficient infrastructure will be a major key to success in introducing hydrogen into everyday transportation.

"The HyFLEET:CUTE Final Conference is the platform for asking the tough questions and finding the creative answers." says MacLeod. While many industries have suffered in the past months, the imperatives created by climate change and energy security issues still have to be met. These will require continued investments into new fields - despite the financial crisis. "A global concensus is necessary for these global issues. It is important that ways are found to meet society's growing energy needs. As conventional supplies of energy struggle to keep up with demand hydrogen could play an important role in the energy mix. It will cost money, but we need to invest in our future."

MacLeod's speech will address how, in an increasingly CO2 constrained world with rising demand for mobility, there will be a range of different technologies that have to be part of the solution. At the same time diverse partnerships have to be strengthened and projects continued. MacLeod has been a member of the Advisory Council for the E.U. Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology Platform, the California Hydrogen Highway Network Advisory Panel, and the California Fuel Cell Partnership Steering Team and is in the board of Icelandic New Energy. With this very broad expert background he is well placed to give an expert view on hydrogen projects and the future role of hydrogen in our community.

"We need to learn by doing and apply the learning of our first generation successes to the next generation. It must be a joint effort across all sectors, underpinned by sustained investment - eventually without relying on subsidies. New business models have to be found and others convinced to join us. The clean mobility revolution has undoubtedly begun. Let's make sure we're all clear on how we would like it to end."

Duncan MacLeod hails from Scotland's Western Islands and studied economics and geography at Birmingham University in England. He will be discussing his thoughts with Patrick Schnell, Head of Sustainable Development and New Energies at TOTAL De and Markus Bachmeier, Head of Hydrogen Solutions and Advanced Customer Applications at Linde AG.

Join in at the HyFLEET:CUTE Final Conference in Hamburg, Germany on Tuesday, 17th & Wednesday 18th November 2009.