At the opening of the 2024 edition of the “Journées Hydrogène dans les Territoires” (Hydrogen Days in the Territories), the President of France Hydrogène, the Mayor of Dijon and the President of the Burgundy-Franche-Comté region alluded to the unsettled political context in France following the dissolution of the National Assembly. This uncertainty climate could delay decisions.
The sun is shining brightly for the start of the 2024 edition of the event. And the mayor of Dijon, François Rebsamen, is delighted with the outcome of this bid, which was developed hand in hand with the BFC region. The inauguration of the Dijon hydrogen station the day before marked the start of an ambitious project. “A relevant project for France and Europe,” declared Mr Rebsamen. He was pleased to see that there were more people than expected, with about 800 registered.
The President of the Region, Marie-Guite Dufay, said she was “very happy to be hosting this event,” 11 years after the first one held in Belfort. “We can see how far we’ve come”, she emphasised, referring to the region’s strong industrial DNA (automotive and metalworking industries) and the need for diversification.The focus on hydrogen is building on 40 years of university research and has led to the creation of an industrial sector with McPhy, Forvia, Gen-Hy and Inocel. “There are some doubts, but now is not the time to stop”, said Mrs Dufay, who has pledged €100 million for the region and wants to see reach mass-production to bring prices down.
When asked about the political context, Philippe Boucly from France Hydrogène referred to some uncertainties and delays. In particular, the industry was waiting for clarification on the support mechanism for electrolysis production, as well as the review of the national strategy (which was due on 14 July). “It doesn’t clarify the situation, and there will be delays in the decisions,” deplores Mr Boucly.
François Rebsamen, the Mayor of Dijon, reaffirmed the “need to be supported by the public authorities”. He explained that “subsidies for heavy mobility are important, but not sufficient.” And to close the chapter on political wrangling with those who question the merits of hydrogen, Marie-Guite Dufay declared that “it’s part of the solution.” “If we stop as soon as we start to worry, we won’t be doing anything,” said François Rebsamen just before leaving for the plenary session.
