ADDRESS OF WELCOME

by Dr. Klaus Bonhoff, Managing director of NOW GmbH

Dear Sir or Madam,

Mobility and energy supply are essential elements of our lives. Our participation in social and cultural life, our commute to work, the transportation of our goods, power and heat for our houses — all this will only be possible in the future with modern emission free and efficient technologies. We need new technologies in order to reach our climate targets. A multitude of products and solutions for sustainable mobility and energy supply from different technological areas are required. Because their products are clean and efficient, the technology fields of hydrogen and fuel cell technology as well as battery electric power drives will play a central role in the everyday mobility and power supply of the future.

Commitment, cooperation and continuity – these are the key words for developing future mobility and bringing sustainable and commercially successful products to the markets.

Under the auspices of the German Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Dr. Peter Ramsauer, on the 15th and 16th of September 2010 NOW National Organisation Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology is hosting the conference “Clean Mobility Insights – Batteries and Fuel Cells as driving force of the future”. The conference is held in conjunction with Clean Tech World, the Berlin Trade Fair for innovative environmental technologies, which takes place for the first time at the historic Tempelhof airport.

NOW was founded in 2008 by the German Federal Government, represented by the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS). NOW’s task is the coordination and implementation of two federal market preparation programmes: The National Innovation Programme Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology (NIP) and the programme “Model Regions Electro Mobility” of the BMVBS. The two technologies complement each other and will both play a vital role in regards to future mobility. In order to take the next step towards their commercialisation and to secure Europe’s competitiveness international exchange of experiences is more important than ever.

At the heart of our conference “Clean Mobility Insights – Batteries and Fuel Cells as driving force of the future” lie therefore the first comprehensive status reports of the eight German Model Regions Electro Mobility and of the mobility projects of the NIP as well as international/ European exchange of experiences in terms of technological advances and concepts for market preparation and introduction. Renowned experts from all relevant fields will present their views and insights. Partners of the conference are the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking of the European Commission, the European Hydrogen Association and others.
 
Dr. Klaus Bonhoff