The Romanian Hydrogen Energy Association (AEHR) launched the paper “Hydrogen and sustainable energy” on Monday, April 10, with authors Ioan Iordache, Lăcrămioara Diana Robescu, Diana Mariana Cocârță and Ana-Maria Velcea.

“Hydrogen and sustainable energy” presents various aspects related to the production, use and economy of hydrogen. The work is particularly comprehensive, detailing both technical aspects of immediate interest and the European context in which this topic appears and develops. It is absolutely obvious that the feasibility of the hydrogen economy requires the transition from a demonstration scale to a real one, and this can be done through large projects that encompass an entire economic ecosystem, a concept known as “Hydrogen Valley”. The various scenarios that will be designed depend to a large extent on the quality of the human resources involved, and this work aims to contribute to this endeavor as well.

“On this occasion, I convey our thoughts and hope, of the Ministry of Energy, that everything we do and build at this moment for the development of hydrogen production, not only green hydrogen but also hydrogen from sources without carbon emissions, leads to the development this sector and to an efficient use of hydrogen. We are working together with colleagues from various organizations and professional associations to develop the national hydrogen strategy, and we hope that during this month we can bring it to public debate and thus give more substance to this activity, that we want to develop in Romania. We have the financial resources available, which is important. We had a call for projects for hydrogen production, through new technologies, through the use of electrolyzers, and we hope that the interest of potential applicants will be as high as possible, in order to develop new funding lines in this direction. It’s not something new, we know that hydrogen has been produced for more than 100 years in Romania, but we have new challenges in terms of its use and transport, especially through pipeline systems,” said Dan Drăgan, Secretary of State within the Ministry of Energy, present at the event.

“The book presents various aspects related to the production, use and economy of hydrogen, detailing certain technical aspects of immediate interest, and some parts refer to the European context in which this subject appears and develops. It is absolutely obvious that the feasibility of the hydrogen economy requires moving from a demonstration scale to a real one, and this can be done through large projects that encompass an entire economic ecosystem, a concept known as the Hydrogen Valley. The various scenarios that can be conceived in the future depend to a large extent on the quality of the human resource involved, and this book is hoped to contribute to this endeavour. An economy that includes hydrogen technologies represents a solution for a number of problems such as: depletion of reserves, environmental destruction, access to clean energy, local development, economic equity, but especially aspects related to energy supply and security. Hydrogen must be seen in the long term as a vector of renewable energy, as an element that contributes to improving the resilience of the energy sector, as part of an energy system that can work without emissions of noxes or greenhouse gases and that can operate with available resources in a way usually. The book appeared as a result of the efforts made by colleagues from the Faculty of Energy of the Polytechnic University of Bucharest and collaborators from ICSI Râmnicu-Vâlcea by participating in the project Teaching Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Science and Engineering Across Europe within Horizon 2020 – TeacHy,” said Ioan Iordache, Executive Director, Association for Hydrogen Energy in Romania, one of the authors of the paper.

“Delgaz Grid company is with the hydrogen industry. We are currently running tests in our networks to identify all the necessary elements so that we can transport hydrogen through the distribution networks. We look very carefully at all developments on the national and European market, both legislative and regulatory, and of course at the European funds available for this type of investment. I think it is very important to be aware of the role of natural gas in the energy transition, how it can decarbonize it, together with hydrogen and how it can continue to serve Romania’s strategic objectives until 2050. It is also important to look to all specialized studies and to work with all the experts in the field to find the best technical solutions, to discuss with all decision-makers at the central and local level to accommodate this new energy vector in the national strategies, but also to discuss with citizens and the press, so that we promote this energy vector in the national energy mix because hydrogen is part of the sustainable economy, of the sustainable energy ecosystem and we need to better understand its role in all these components of the energy flow,” added Livia Stan, Corporate Affairs and EU Funds Director within Delgaz Grid.

“I am glad that we can contribute to another action that supports the development of the hydrogen economy in Romania and to see in the audience decision-makers, specialists and companies that can influence the development of this field. It is very important that the foundations of hydrogen development are laid in a solid way that ensures sustainable development. The specialists from the Bucharest Polytechnic University, from the research institutes, but also those involved in this area of the industry contribute a lot lately to at least two of the major aspects – production and distribution, but we must try to develop the area of consumption and, just as importantly, to increase the awareness and professionalization of the market for this very important chemical element that easily, easily transforms into energy fluid. From the point of view of hydrogen production and sustainable hydrogen sources, we, in Romania, are also trying the version of hydrogen produced from gas but with reduced carbon emissions, we are discussing here about blue hydrogen, the one produced by the method of catalytic reforming of methane gas but and with the capture of carbon dioxide, but especially the pyrolysis of natural gas which is a very important topic for us and for the other players in the market,” also said Ionuț Ciubotaru, Vice President for Business Development, OMV Petrom.

The event enjoyed the support of the Intelligent Energy Association and the companies OMV Petrom and Delgaz Grid and was hosted by the Bucharest Polytechnic University.