Document VV5zqeLKOVb5XMngX1kRopGK

MN Hydrogen JEurope IB ecumenism TExoetchuetive First Vice-President Frans Timmermans Energy Commissioner Kadi Simson Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton ERBEnu-ve1id0re4ol9namBeLrnouitss2Ce0ol0smmmissioner Virginijus Sinkevicius Brussels, July 2020 `Subject: PFAs Call for Evidence and the Hydrogen Strategy DDeeaarr CExoemcmuitsisvieoFnierrsSViimces-oPnr,esident Timmermans, Dear Commissioner Breton, Dear Commissioner Sinkevicius, On July 8%, the European Commission published its Hydrogen Strategy for a climate-neutral Europe, putting Europeatthe forefront of climate action as well as hydrogen deployment. While the hydrogen sector is obviously thrilled about the Hydrogen Strategy and eager to aitmtpelnteimoen'nt ipt,awidetnootws ilmepalrinceadtiaonbso.uat policy initiative that could jeopardize it, if not enough Tphoilsyfilnuiotriaitniavteeds talhkeylEUsucbasltlafnocrese"vi(dPeFnAcse itnosrheosrttr),icilnlclcuhdienmgicfalluosruobpsotlaynmceerss.calTlehds"EpeUr-PaFnAdS Strategy is a proposal of five countries (Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway) to restrict and ultimately ban the manufacture and useofall PFAs in Europe. While this is certainly not the intention of the promoters of the PFAS Strategy it could seriously hamper the implementation of the Hydrogen Strategy. Indeed, the success of the Hydrogen Strategy relies essentially on two key technologies: electrolysers that transform renewable electricity into hydrogen and fuel cells which transform hydrogen into electricity and heat. The core of both technologies is an electro-chemical reaction through a `membrane. A very large proportion of electrolysers and fuel cells (and in some applications 100%) are based on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM). The unintendedimpactof an insufficiently considered ban on all FAs would be to severely inhibit the manufacture and use of PEM fuel cells and electrolysers, because at their heart they depend on gas-impermeable proton-conducting fluoropolymer membranes. Moreover, there are no alternatives. TWihtehidnantgheervoefrythliasrgPeFfAamiSltyraotfegPyFAiss,thwahticitheinnvcilsuadgeessaarobuanndo4n70a0l sPuFsAbStawnictehso,uitt idsisutsienfcutliotno. distinghish some sub-categories. Among PFAs, fluoropolymers, which are used in PEM electrolysers and fuel cells, constitute a distinct category as they are solid, inert, stable, safe, Te 132260007p5bFooegSa3p1Se0ct1 EAmvaense deab Toron e05e6,6s10o8uSWse,tSwoenubp Nn Hydrogen GJ Europe tdurhablret,oehvuearmsaattnile[,feaonrdtodotnh'etendveigrroandmeenitnt.o other PFAs. They do not pose any significant rMeocroevoevrerP,EfMrstealcekcstarolytsheersenadndofftuehlecleilfles-tcyhcelreeinios danerotveorwrheeclimiimnagnedcorencoymcilec tihmepeerxapteinvseivteo uPnGliMkelcyattahlaytstasnycoasnstoaciinaetdedwiftlhuionrotphoelymmeermbcroamnpeofneelnetctwriolldeentaesrsetmhbeligeesn;erahlenwcaestiet sitsrevaemr.y eInl'ecptlraoilnyslearsngauangde,fuefllucoerllospoalnydmecrosuladrebesipmuptlyinatostpheeciOalEtCyDpl"apsotilcymtehrast oufndleorwpicnosncPeErM" classification. Sad fuoropolymers should be classed as such. oLetsbrejmoefem4be0crGWwtehlaetcitirsovaltyssetearkse.inF2ir0s3t,0tahnedE1urop0 eoafnrem Hnyedwrat obgleen HS2tbrayttehgyenf,ixwehitchhe ramebqiutiiroeuass rEaupriodpescaanlinCgomupm.isSeicoonndi,deEnutrifoipeed ihsytdhreoginednustarsiaal lsetardateergiicn hvyadlrueogcehnaitne.chWnoelogmiuesst and the ensure ecloencstirsotleynsceyrsaacnrdosfsuldiceflflesr.ent EU policies and avoid undue barriers to the uptake of tFhoer tPhFeAsSesrteraastoengsy,tHoydcornosgiednerEutrhoepiemupragcetstthhaet EsuurcohpienaintiaCtoimvemicsosuildonhaavned othnetphreoHmyodrtoegorefsn eStnrvaitreognymaenntdaalniamlpyascettahnepdotshseibailvtytaodiilofasalbtteirintaihtneitvtgeryse.uatimesntohf PFAS on the baosftihesir Hydrogen Europe anditsmembers are avaitloaibscluses further tis complex topic. Sincerely, To 4222547b 50F8a7x o +3r3o3e5Scn 1a3r0t5,E7Am7svSdreToco1nG56,1e 0o5u0 rWsn esbs, Ssetnogee0