INTERVIEW Hydrogen is the game-changer Hydrogen isn’t the first-proclaimed saviour of the planet, nor is this the first time investors have been pitched its possibilities. Ardian spoke to Bernard Frois, world renowned physicist and former director of energy, transport, environment and natural resources at the Ministry of Research in France, to get his take. Ardian: We’ve heard a lot of hype over In what ways? the years about hydrogen and other I learned long ago that we need to alternative energies, but the reality speak to investors early in the process, has often fallen short. Is it different for and develop a coordinated approach hydrogen this time around? between industry projects, government, Bernard Frois: I’m optimistic. I’ve been and investors. For example, the UK had a involved in many projects over the past billion earmarked for CCS, but the money five years that have definitely proven the evaporated. Industry and investors had possibilities for hydrogen. But you are right, a plan, but government support suddenly we have had false starts. About 20 years disappeared to another sector, and ago, the common hypothesis was that the excellent projects were lost. car industry would develop electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles in parallel. Now, interest in hydrogen has grown worldwide. Japan has emerged as a That was hype, and it was repeated a leader. Its car industry has pushed hard, decade later when promises were made and it was first to raise hydrogen as a that eventually everyone would drive a policy issue – even before it had an overall hydrogen car. In conversation with development plan. The situation in Germany BERNARD FROIS was somewhat similar. They wanted an We were also told that Carbon Capture energy transition, abandoned nuclear, & Storage (CCS) would solve the climate Physicist and former Director of Energy, and just accepted that the swimming pools challenge, and that nuclear fusion was Transport, Environment and Natural would have to be cold. Both countries the answer. But each time the horizon Resources at the French Ministry of turned to hydrogen; both are now mapping suddenly seemed to move a long distance Research their routes to solve the climate problem. away. The investment was not there, and Everybody is now convinced of the we had no real plan. This time it’s different. importance of hydrogen in solving the 30