Rapporti verbatim tad-dibattiti

It-Tnejn, 19 ta' Mejju 2008 - Strasburgu

23. L-istabbiliment ta' l-Impriża Konġunta taċ-Ċelloli tal-Fjuwil u l-Idroġenu (dibattitu)

  Presidente. − L'ordine del giorno reca la relazione di Pia Elda Locatelli, a nome della commissione per l'industria, la ricerca e l'energia sulla proposta di regolamento del Consiglio che istituisce l'impresa comune “Celle a combustibile e idrogeno” (COM(2007)0571 - C6-0446/2007 - 2007/0211(CNS)) (A6-0145/2008)

  Janez Potočnik, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, first and foremost, I wish to express my gratitude to Parliament and particularly to the rapporteur, Pia Locatelli, and also to Teresa Riera Madurell, who will be replacing her, for supporting our proposal for setting up the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking.

Let me also thank each of the shadow rapporteurs for their constructive support, as well as the Committee on Budgets for its opinion.

The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking will have two founding members: the Industry Grouping and the Community. Private industry has established the Industry Grouping, and its members represent a major share of Europe’s fuel cell and hydrogen companies, such as car manufacturers, energy providers, developers of fuel cells and developers of their applications. All sizes of companies are represented – from micro to multinationals.

The cooperation between the Commission and industry during the preparation of the regulation has clearly shown the strong driving force of the industry concerned. The assurance from the public side to provide stable funding on a long-term basis will provide additional confidence. As a result, we can expect a commitment of considerable additional resources from the private sector.

In addition to the two founding members of the Joint Undertaking, universities, research centres and other research organisations are presently establishing a Research Grouping that is expected to become the third member of the Joint Undertaking. Representation of the Research Grouping on the Joint Undertaking Governing Board was considered necessary owing to the importance of fundamental research to this Joint Technology Initiative (JTI).

In total, it has been estimated that the creation of this JTI will speed up, by up to five years, the delivery of robust hydrogen supply and fuel cell technologies, developed to the point of commercial take-off within the time-frame 2010-2020.

I also want to mention its relevance to our efforts in the area of energy technology acceleration, as this JTI is a very interesting model for some of the industrial initiatives that we have proposed be set up under the Strategic Energy Technology Plan.

The opinion of Parliament includes a number of very pertinent suggestions for amendments. One example is the underlining of the importance of breakthrough research. Fundamental research will be included in the R&D programme, and that will increase the probability of achieving progress and success.

Another example is clarification of the participation of the Joint Research Centre (JRC) in the activities of the Joint Undertaking. The JRC has wide competence in several areas that are of importance, and its strong future involvement will strengthen the Joint Undertaking’s research.

Both the Council and the Commission look forward to receiving your input and opinion, as everyone is eager to move ahead and start implementing this important initiative without delay.

  Presidente. − Avrebbe dovuto in realtà prendere la parola ora Pia Elda Locatelli come relatrice, ma aveva nominato come sostituta Teresa Riera Madurell, che però ancora non vediamo e ne lamentiamo molto l'assenza.

Quindi passo direttamente la parola agli oratori a nome dei gruppi.

  Jan Březina, on behalf of the PPE-DE Group. – Madam President, first of all I would like to thank the rapporteur, Mrs Locatelli, for her very thorough and detailed work on this report, which deals with one of the main strategic technologies for our energy future.

I really welcome the initiative of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Technology Platform, the key player in achieving success. The concept of JTIs was introduced in the Seventh Framework Programme as a new mechanism to implement long-term, public-private partnership in research at European level. Up to now, four JTIs have been set up in the field of innovative medicines, embedded systems and so on. With this proposal, the fifth JTI will be set up in the field of fuel cells and hydrogen.

Faced with challenges such as electricity security, energy dependency and the often discussed mitigation of climate change, the EU needs to boost the development and deployment of cleaner and more efficient energy technologies. Fuel cells and hydrogen technologies have the potential to contribute significantly towards these goals. The non-existence of a joint European strategy has until now disqualified Europe from keeping up with the Asian countries and the United States.

As regards amendments, I support those which have been tabled in order to strengthen the proposal and to provide coherence with the other JTIs. From my own experience and communication with SMEs, I especially support amendments that put more emphasis on the innovative potential of SMEs and the specific barriers that they encounter, for example in reduced access to research infrastructure. They also need to stress the importance of breakthrough-oriented research. As was mentioned in the Implementation Plan, especially in the early stages research should form an important element of the activities of the JTIs.

In my view, this joint initiative of the public and private sector is the right path to take in order to become more competitive with the USA and other countries which have a tradition and development strategy for hydrogen research.

  Silvia-Adriana Ţicău, în numele grupului PSE. – Doresc şi eu să felicit raportorul şi să subliniez importanţa acestui document. Această iniţiativă este extrem de importantă pentru activitatea de cercetare. Din păcate, adesea există fonduri insuficiente sau uneori inadecvat utilizate. Contribuţia maximă a comunităţii europene la cheltuielile administrative ale acestei întreprinderi comune va fi de 470 milioane de euro. Este posibil ca şi după anul 2013 să se acorde noi fonduri, dar numai pentru proiectele pentru care s-a semnat un acord de finanţare până la 31 decembrie 2013.

Vreau să subliniez faptul că această întreprindere comună este deosebit de utilă pentru că ea implementează şi este parte a Programului cadru de cercetare în special în domeniul temelor energie şi transport, inclusiv aeronautică. Consider că acest raport este extrem de important pentru că el sprijină în mod coordonat activităţile de cercetare, de dezvoltare tehnologică, dar această iniţiativă, de asemenea, va sprijini punerea în aplicare a priorităţilor de cercetare în domeniul comunicaţiilor şi tehnologiei informaţiei privind pilele de combustie şi hidrogenul, dar, de asemenea, va încuraja şi sporirea investiţiilor publice şi private în cercetarea în domeniul tehnologiei pilelor de combustie şi hidrogenului din statele membre şi ţările asociate.

  Владко Тодоров Панайотов, от името на групата ALDE. – Европа трябва да преодолее климатичните промени и да гарантира доставките на природни ресурси. В условията на непрекъснато покачващи се цени на суровините и стоките тази задача се оказва изключително трудна.

Има решение и това са новите технологии, които ще доведат до превантивно намаляване на вредните емисии, от една страна, и по-ефективно и икономично използване на суровините, от друга. По този начин Европа ще има водеща роля при преодоляването на глобалното затопляне и ще запази конкурентоспособността си на глобалния пазар на суровини. Ето защо трябва да се инвестира повече в изследванията и новите технологии, имайки предвид конкретния потенциал на всяка една държава-членка.

Новите технологии, в частност водородните технологии и развитието на горивните елементи, ще имат решаващо значение за преодоляване на недостига на енергийни източници, опазването на околната среда и постигането на критериите, залегнали в протокола от Киото. Ние трябва да имаме предвид обаче, че тези технологии изискват използването на метали като платина, паладий, злато и други, които са съставна част от разработваните нови устройства и съоръжения. Само чрез внедряването на нови, високоефективни и безопасни за околната среда методи за получаване и рециклиране на тези метали може да се достигне необходимото ефективно и устойчиво развитие на водородните технологии и горивните елементи.

Създаването на съвместна организация би трябвало да интегрира усилията на всички страни, които имат опит както в директното разработване на водородните технологии и горивните елементи, така и в технологиите за устойчив и природосъобразен добив на необходимите суровини. Необходимо е насърчаването на новите страни-членки, които имат значителен опит в това, каквато е България, в която има научни колективи, работи дълги години в това направление със значителни успехи.

  Zdzisław Kazimierz Chmielewski (PPE-DE). – Pani Przewodnicząca! Panie Komisarzu! Trudno nie zgodzić się z próbą poszukiwań korzystnych regulacji prawnych prowadzących do ustanowienia wspólnego przedsięwzięcia w dziedzinie ogniw paliwowych i technologii wodorowych. Ciekawe sprawozdanie pani Locatelli kwalifikuje tę inicjatywę jako interesujący przykład partnerstwa publiczno-prywatnego, którego celem jest wdrożenie wspólnej inicjatywy technologicznej. W opinii przesłanej na moje ręce, Rada potwierdziła jednak ogromną złożoność wyzwania technologicznego w zakresie praktycznego stosowania tych ogniw. Przed ekspertami pojawia się zatem niezmiernie trudne zadanie włączenia się do trudnych badań gwarantujących skuteczność. Niektórzy naukowcy przewidują na przykład wystąpienie istotnych ograniczeń związanych z zastosowaniem ogniw paliwowych. Przyjmując założenie, że wodór jest tylko nośnikiem energii, należy pamiętać, że jego praktyczne zastosowanie np. w ogniwach paliwowych wymaga każdorazowo wykorzystania innych źródeł energii pozwalających wytworzyć ten nośnik. Jeśli pokonamy tę trudność, wyłaniają się następne, chociażby w postaci konieczności poszukiwania odpowiednich technologii przechowywania wodoru lub jego transportu.

Zwracam uwagę na tę kwestię w kontekście dalszych prac legislacyjnych nad opiniowanym przez Parlament Europejski dokumentem, także po jego wyjściu z Parlamentu. Powiem to wprost, niejako na marginesie: mój główny ekspert twierdzi, że to się nie uda.

  Janez Potočnik, Member of the Commission. − Madam President, I should like to thank the honourable Members for their comments. I would also like to say that in introducing the Joint Technology Initiatives we are truly starting out with a new concept. I sincerely hope that it works, because this new approach should be instrumental in bringing some new realities to Europe.

What we are introducing is actually a move from financing projects to financing programmes, and stronger support in the private-public partnership, and I mean ‘private-public’ partnership, because it is clear that initiatives and strategic research agendas are coming from technology platforms which have formed the basis for these Joint Technology Initiatives. Working together is a must, and what I am seeing in these Joint Technology Initiatives is groupings actually coming together on a European Union scale. Some of the major competitors in Europe are coming together so that, in this pre-competitive phase, they are able to pool their knowledge and strengthen Europe on the global map.

I would also like to say, in this context, that this specific technology initiative is extremely important because it relates to the energy sector, and every day we are reminded of the importance of that sector.

One of the most important objectives of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan) is to accelerate the development and implementation of low-carbon technologies. I know that you are working on your opinion on the SET Plan, and am very much looking forward to hearing your views. As I said earlier, The Fuel Cells and Hydrogen JTI is an interesting model for other areas and will certainly become part of the SET Plan, once it is be approved.

Hopefully we will see the difference this makes in the future. One last thing I would like to mention, as I do not know whether the interpretation was correct, is that the European Commission will contribute up to EUR 470 million for the six years this Joint Technology Initiative is to be implemented and, of course, expects that figure to be doubled by the private sector, which will also contribute to this endeavour.

  Presidente. − Certamente Riera Madurell non è qui, ma sono sicura la relatrice Pia Elda Locatelli si metterà in contatto perché le cose che ha detto il Commissario sono estremamente importanti.

La discussione è chiusa.

La votazione si svolgerà martedì alle 12.00.

Dichiarazioni scritte (articolo 142)

  Péter Olajos (PPE-DE) , írásban. – Az elmúlt ötven évben a Föld népessége megkétszereződött, az energiafogyasztás pedig a négyszeresére nőtt. Ezért nincs más út, mint üdvözölni és minden eszközzel támogatni az Üzemanyagcella- és Hidrogéntechnológiai Közös Vállalkozás létrehozását.

Megértem Haug képviselő asszony aggodalmait a finanszírozást illetően, azonban az anyagiak nem állhatnak e kezdeményezés útjában. A kulcsszavak: innováció és életmódváltás. Ez pedig pénzbe kerül. Viszont megtérül. A modern gazdaságokban az innováció az éves GDP-növekedés 70–80%-át adja!

Hogy miért fektessünk be a hidrogénbe? Mert köztes energiahordozó. "Készletei" nem fogyhatnak el, az Univerzum leggyakoribb eleme. Azonban csak akkor tekinthető a fosszilis energiahordozók alternatívájának, ha megújuló energiákból, versenyképes áron tudjuk előállítani, és ez alatt nem bocsátunk a légkörbe szén-dioxidot vagy más üvegházhatású gázt.

Kanadában és az Egyesült Államokban már 2002-ben felismerték ennek fontosságát. Ott már többszázezer "biojárgány" rója az utakat, és folyamatosan bővül a hidrogéngázt szolgáltató töltőállomások száma. Az Unióban körülbelül 18 ezer környezetbarát modell található. A töltőállomás-lefedettség említésre sem méltó.

A végső leszakadást elkerülendő nem várhatunk e technológia és üzemanyag támogatásával, cselekedni kell. Ezúton is meghívom kollégáimat a jövő héten, május 28-án délután a Parlamentben rendezendő Greennovációs konferenciámra, ahol a tanácskozást követően a résztvevők utazhatnak is egy hidrogénbuszon és egy hidrogénautóval.