There's a new group in town that is promoting and investing in hydrogen projects and infrastructure in order to help promote it as a clean fuel and as part of a solution to the climate change targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement. The Hydrogen Council is made up of executives from 13 major automakers, manufacturers, and energy companies including BMW, Daimler, Honda, Hyundai, and Toyota.
Along with energy company Royal Dutch Shell, gas company Air Liquide, and heavy equipment manufacturer Kawasaki, the group has announced plans to make $14 billion (Canadian) in investments over the next five years to help make hydrogen fuel a serious option in vehicles and in industry. Toyota Chair Takeshi Uchiyamada stated that the Hydrogen Council will "showcase hydrogen technology and its benefits to the world", and that they will "seek collaboration, cooperation and understanding from governments, industry and most importantly, the public" to help further the use of the fuel.
Toyota has been working to develop hydrogen fuelled vehicles since 1992 and they were the first to bring a fuel cell vehicle to market in 2002. The company has stated previously that they believe hydrogen power to be preferable to battery-electric vehicles because it can be refilled, and doesn't have the range issues of batteries. Honda and Hyundai currently also offer fuel cell powered cars in limited numbers. Hydrogen powered cars help to reduce climate change since they do not release carbon dioxide at point of use, with vehicles powered by the fuel exhausting only water. The hydrogen can be produced using methods that are carbon neutral and renewable, further reducing impact to the environment.
