International Conference, Tuesday, April 12, 2005
"Hydrogen + Fuel Cells on their way to commercialisation"

Icelandic New Energy Ltd., University of Iceland

Icelandic New Energy Ltd. is an SME which is a spin-off from research work at the University of Iceland, the Ministry of Industry in Iceland, energy companies and foreign partners. It is an innovation company with the main purpose of working on innovative projects that can/will lead the way to transform the conventional society (fossil fuel) to a hydrogen society. Its task is to lead new projects that will support using hydrogen as an alternative energy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and protection of depleting natural resources.

Thorsteinn I. Sigfusson
Member of the Board Icelandic New Energy Ltd., University of Iceland, Iceland

Professor Sigfusson is a unique academic/innovator/entrepreneur in Iceland who has been characterised as the main “switcher” in bringing university knowledge into industry with the resulting dozen high tech companies. His education is founded in the Copenhagen physics school and the PhD and Research Fellowship from the Cavendish Laboratory in Cambridge UK. He is the author/inventor of a number of patents and production licences. Among his services to society are a numerous high level positions in academia and industry. His main tasks lately have been the Chairmanship of Icelandic New Energy Ltd. the company responsible for the creation of the hydrogen economy in Iceland. Prof. Sigfusson was a key figure in turning the adademic knowledge from the University of Iceland into a spin-off company, Icelandic New Energy. The roadmap and vision of Icelandic New Energy which Prof. Sigfusson led, assumed a 50 year programme of transforming Iceland into a Hydrogen Economy. In this task three international companies joined forces with Iceland in order to create the spin-off. These were DaimlerChrysler, Shell Hydrogen and Norsk Hydro.

At the moment Prof. Sigfusson is cochair of the IPHE, International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy, Implementation and Liaison Committee, established by 15 nations in Washington DC in November 2003. He spends his time at present leading his spin-off companies and guiding graduate students at a number of universities world wide, giving keynote lectures on hydrogen and paving the way for the world hydrogen economy.

information: http://www.raunvis.hi.is/~this
Print Version (pdf)

EXPERIENCE WITH THE CREATION
OF THE WORLD´S FIRST HYDROGEN ECONOOMY

Professor Thorsteinn I. Sigfusson
Founding Board Member of Icelandic New Energy Ltd
And CoChair of International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy IPHE ILC

Abstract of talk given in Hannover:

Iceland enjoys the position of being the country of the world with the highest renewable proportion of its energy portfolio. Around 71% of its energy is derived from hydroelectric or geothermal resources.
On its way to renewability Iceland witnessed an energy infrastructure change twice in the past century during the harnessing of its renewable energy potential.
Kindled by this unique situation the Icelandic Government is aiming for making the renewable proportion much higher in the decades to come.
One of the actions taken in Iceland involves the utilisation of renewable energy vectors: using hydrogen as an energy carrier.
Based on the initial work of the University of Iceland, Icelanders started a public-private company in 1998, Icelandic New Energy, aiming to assist in the creation of the Hydrogen economy. This international spin-off company has been running three fuel cell busses in Reykjavik since 2003 and operating a hydrogen fuelling station since early that year. Icelandic New Energy is a public-private entity involving the Icelandic energy sector as well as three major international companies, DaimlerChrysler, Norsk Hydro and Shell Hydrogen.
The vast experience brought about by this pioneering work is the main theme of the talk. How can the lessons learned from projects like ECTOS, The Ecological City Transport System project, add to the learning experience of the world? The paper also asks what the world community can do to speed up the transition to a hydrogen economy and what will be the main hurdles and obstacles to overcome before realising the vision.
The needs are very much reflected in the scope and work area of the International Partnership for the Hydrogen Economy.

Download the presentation (pdf)