The Project Inception Workshop on Fuel Cell Vehicle Commercialization Strategy was held on November 14, 2007 in Tongji University, Shanghai. The meeting was attended by representatives from UNDP, MOST, the municipalities of Beijing and Shanghai, the Beijing and Shanghai municipal bus companies, technical experts at the national and municipal levels, Beijing and Shanghai PMOs, companies involved in FC and FCB manufactures and hydrogen infrastructure operation and representatives of the media. 

The workshop was chaired by Shen Yiyang. He introduced the attendees first. The representatives from MoST and Shanghai Science and Technology Commission gave brief speech. They all expressed their support on this project. Prof Yu Zhuoping gave the keynote speeches about” Current situation and development strategy of Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV)”  “Situation and Trend: China’s new policies for clean vehicles” and “Barriers and promotion options of Fuel Cell Vehicle Commercialization”. Mr Yu mentioned that the FCV technology made great progress in recent years and many FCB demonstration projects around the worldwide learned lot of experience and lessons. Many countries and international organizations are also developing the related policies to promote the FC and FCV technology. However there were still many barriers of FCV commercialization, including FCV costs, its reliability, infrastructure issues, etc. So we should make our efforts to address the barriers.

Afterwards, Prof Mao Zongqiang also gave the brief introduction about the hydrogen status and application. According to his experience, he mentioned that the FCV policies should be given priority which can promote the FCV development in China.
 
Then Ms Wang Ju gave detailed introduction of the objectives and activities of project phase II. The objective of this project is to reduce GHG emissions and air pollution through widespread commercial introduction of Fuel Cell Buses in urban areas of China. To achieve it, 7 outputs from FCB related technology and capacity building and policies were developed. The project will demonstrate the operational viability of FCBs and their refueling infrastructure by setting up FCB fleets and supportive facilities in China. Accumulate technical, policy knowledge for advancing commercialization of FCB technology and hydrogen refueling system. Promote enabling environment for FCB expansion and support the design of roadmap for commercialization of Fuel Cell buses in China.  All attendees have exchanged information of fuel cell bus development and provided valuable advice for project phase II .The questions about the procurement of FCBs and detailed planning were answered. In addition, it was agreed that the total project budget should be made adjustment according to the current workplan since it was developed in 2005. The inception workshop was ended with great success as planned.

The launch ceremony of Demonstration for fuel-cell bus commercialization in China was held next day. Mr. Wan, minister of Ministry of Science and Technology, P.R. China, Ms. Yang, vice mayor of the Municipal government of Shanghai, Mr. Kishan Khoday, Assistant Country Director of UNDP-China and other leaders attended the launch ceremony.

The ceremony presided by Mr.Feng Jichun, director of the Hi-tech Department of MoST. At the ceremony, Mr. Wan, Ms. Yang and Mr. Kishan delivered speeches respectively.

Mr Wan addressed that: During the Ninth 5-year Plan, cooperating with other relevant ministries and commissions, MoST start the Plan of Clean Vehicle Action Project Programme. In 2001, MoST organized and implemented a major scientific special project for electric vehicle, which concentrated on the R&D and demonstration of fuel-cell vehicle technology. The successful R&D of fuel-cell car and bus products and the internationally advanced technology of fuel-cell engine and vehicle products benefits from the past 5-year effort and support from MoST. During the Tenth 5-year Plan, MoST started a major programme of “Energy-saving and New Energy vehicle” in “863 Plan”, which will further promote the development and commercialization of the energy-saving and new energy vehicle technology.      

Then, Mayor Yang also made speech. The Shanghai Municipal Government is stressing on the project and establishes a project steering committee to support its operation in a satisfactory way. It can be said that the success of the demonstration for fuel-cell bus commercialization in China (Phase II) will bring in to Shanghai a fresh new opportunity, which must play an active role for the city in hosting a World Expo 2010 successfully, strengthening its international competition ability, and in promoting the application of the fuel-cell vehicle and relevant technology.   

Mr Kishan stressed that Climate change issues has already attracted big concern from Chinese Government, as we noticed recent efforts from MOST and NDRC to combat Climate Change.The knowledge and experience gained through this project will enable the technology suppliers to identify cost reduction opportunities and the host public transit operators to gain valuable experience needed to adopt larger fleets of FCBs in the future.

Mr.Ma, director of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission, on behalf of the Shanghai Project Office, elaborated the Shanghai demonstration plan for the commercialization of the fuel-cell bus (Phase II).

As it was emphasized at the ceremony，China was paying more attention to the development of hydrogen energy and fuel-cell technology and has started research plan and demonstration project relating to the strategic hi-tech “863” programme. MoST started a major scientific special programme of electric vehicle in the “Tenth 5 -Year” 863 Plan, in which the Shanghai municipal government took on R&D of related topics, such as the fuel-cell trailer, key vehicle parts and hydrogen refueling infrastructure. Until now the national first fuel-cell car has been successfully developed in Shanghai, among with the “Excel” series has reached the internationally advanced level. Shanghai obtains a plentiful industrial by-product of hydrogen and has built a hydrogen refueling station for automobiles in Shanghai international automobile city, utilizing the hydrogen purification system of the industrial by-product in Shanghai Coke-oven Plant. The successful demonstration of the super electric capacity bus No.11 has provided much experience for demonstration operation of the promotion and application of fuel and other alternative energy vehicle.

As one of the demonstration cities, Shanghai municipal government is always attaching much attention to the project. The time when Phase I was launched in 2003, Shanghai government immediately set up a project steering committee to provide general instruction for operation of the project. Meanwhile, the Shanghai Project Office, made up of the related functional departments, Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission and Shanghai Municipal Construction and Communication Commission, is responsible for concrete implement of the project. In Phase I, Shanghai has accomplished the fundamental research and built hydrogen refueling station, which laid basis for the successful operation of Phase II. At the same time, the successful demonstration operation of Phase I in Beijing has provided precious experience for the overall launch of Phase II in Shanghai.

It is consented at the ceremony that 3-6 fuel-cell buses adapted to the Shanghai urban transportation situation, will be purchased through international bidding and will go on demonstration operation on Shanghai bus lines for 2 years. As to the choice of demonstration bus line, the nearby areas of hydrogen refueling station in the Shanghai An Ting International Automobile City are aimed at firstly. With the development of the project, the demonstration line will regularly reach the urban area. The driving distance of the fuel-cell bus is planned more than 150,000 kilometers. Dissemination must reach the public, and the experience must be obtained by the gathered data from the demonstration of the fuel-cell vehicle and hydrogen refueling station to improve the relevant technology. Zero emission of public transportation will be realized in the exposition area in the World Expo 2010, which will bring unprecedented opportunities for fuel-cell vehicle in China.

Meanwhile the opening ceremony of the “863”Project An Ting hydrogen refueling station and the foundation of Shanghai Commercialization Promotion Center of Fuel-cell Vehicle were held at the same time.

Attachment：

Table 1: Agenda for Inception Workshop

Time	Agenda
14:00-14:10	Opening of the inception workshop By Mr. Shen Yiyang, Project Manager, UNDP-China
14:10-14:20	Opening Remark Representative of Ministry of Science and Technology
14:20-14:30	Opening Remark Mr. Zheng Guanghong, Bureau of Science and Technology in Shanghai
14:30-15:50	Keynote Speech: A.     “Current situation and development strategy of  Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV)” B. “Situation and Trend: China’s new policies” for  clean vehicles C. “Barriers and promotion options of Fuel Cell Vehicle Commercialization” By Mr. Yu Zhuoping, Tongji University
16:10-16:30	Introduction of MOST/UNDP cooperation project “Demonstration for Fuel Cell Bus Commercialization in China (Phase II)”. By Ms Wang Ju, Project Management Office
16:30-16:45	MOST/UNDP project management for “Demonstration for Fuel Cell Bus Commercialization in China (Phase II)”. By Mr. Shen Yiyang, programUNDP-China
16:45	Q & A

Time	Agenda
10：00-10：30	Registration
10：30-10：45	Opening Introduction By Chairman: Mr.Feng Jichun, Director General, Department of High and New Technology Development and Industrialization, MOST
10：45-10：50	Speech by Mr. Wan Gang, Minister of MOST
10：50-10：55	Speech by Mr. Kishan Khoday, Assistant Country Director, UNDP-China
10：55-11：00	Speech by Ms.Yang Dinghua, Deputy Mayer, Shanghai Municipal Government
11：00-11：10	Introduce the implementation plan of project phase II. By Mr. Ma Xingfa, Director,Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality
11：10-11：20	Opening ceremony of AnTing Hydrogen Station & Shanghai Partnership of Fuel Cell Vehicle
11：20-11：30	Media Questions and Answers
11：30	Close