Challenges, actions and actors in the transition towards a widespread hydrogen energy supply

The Hysociety project, financed under the FP5 framework of the European commission, aims to contribute to European policies on hydrogen related issues through the development of an Action Plan for the introduction of hydrogen and for the removal and/or reduction of challenges. The geographic target is Europe, focusing at the 15 EU member states plus Norway and Iceland. In addition, demonstration projects in Canada, USA, Japan, Brazil and China have been analysed. Work package one addresses the technological, infrastructural, ecological, economic, political and cultural challenges to the transition to a hydrogen-based society. The work builds upon analysis of the challenges identified in demonstration projects in all participating countries. In this paper we first discuss the transition theory and the methodology used in Hysociety work package one and conclude with a discussion of results of the Hysociety project.