The need for new technologies to enable use of renewable energy as fuel for transport has been one of the hot topics this fall in the Danish, as well as European energy debate. Bio fuels are already in use in many countries, but in Denmark and Europe they will not alone be able to replace fossil fuels. A more long term supplement is needed, such as hydrogen produced by splitting water into hydrogen with the use of renewable electricity. The produced hydrogen can be stored as fuel onboard vehicles, where a fuel cell converts it into electricity through a silent and very efficient process, with water as the only exhaust.

Even though hydrogen only can be expected to have a large share of transport fuel after year 2025, the developments efforts has already begun. In Denmark all activities are coordinated by the national "hydrogen highway" network, called Hydrogen Link. The network consists of so called H2 HUB's that are placed in different cities in Denmark. Each H2 HUB functions as hub for different research, development and demonstration projects that secures the building of hydrogen filling stations and use of fuel cell vehicles.

At a recently held Hydrogen Link workshop status from the different H2 HUB cities was given by local representatives. Since the last workshop in May 2006 more than $5 million has been raised for different projects in H2 HUB cities. In the city of Hobro $3.3 million will be used to create new hydrogen industries, and some of the initiatives are to build a hydrogen production plan and a nearby filling station where a fuel cell vehicle will be brought to use. The cities of Holstebro, Ringkøbing & Hvide Sande have pooled efforts together and raised $2.2 million for a large pilot testing of seven fuel cell vehicles and construction of six filling units. In the Sydthy region the local research centre, Nordic Folkecentre, is planning a filling station upgrade of their existing wind-hydrogen production system, so that hydrogen can be delivered for demonstration vehicles. Similar pilot projects are under planning in several other H2 HUB cities, such as Aalborg, Aarhus, Herning, Roskilde and Copenhagen.

The purpose of the projects is to advance the use of hydrogen for transport, enabling a commercial introduction for niche application in short term, and road transport in long term. The Danish projects alone however are not enough, and work is ongoing to qualify Denmark to attract some of the €6.7 billion that are planned to be used for hydrogen development and demonstration onwards 2015 in the European Union. Hydrogen Link is part of the Scandinavian Hydrogen Highway Partnership which has been created to increase the chances of qualifying Norway, Sweden & Denmark to become a location for one for the so called Light House demonstration Projects (LHP) that EU is planning. The Hydrogen Link network has risen close to $0.5 million just to carry out the network and application process for an LHP in Denmark.

On a political level Hydrogen Link recently made a presentation for the national energy political committee, where the network gave some recommendations for supporting market frame conditions for hydrogen. One of the recommendations was to free hydrogen cars of taxes until 2015, similar to the decision that recently has been made in Norway. Finally it was recommended that a national "deployment" program is established that can support private purchase of total 10.000 hydrogen vehicles before 2015, similar to the initiative established by President Bush in the US.