Removing coal and switching to gas and renewables is an urgent priority, and the Ministry of Energy will finalize the hydrogen strategy next year, said Tudor Toncea, senior adviser at the Ministry of Energy, at the Romanian International Gas Conference 2021, an event organized by the Federation Oil and Gas Employers, with the support of Energy Policy Group.
“The European Union has unveiled the Fit for 55 plan, which is a much more ambitious target for a 55% reduction in emissions compared to the previously set 40% by 2030, for Europe to become emission-neutral in 2050. Therefore, renewable energy, hydrogen technology and CCS technologies will play a significant role in achieving these targets.
“Natural gas is fundamental for Romania and will facilitate the transition from coal to green energy. Romania is the second largest gas producer in Europe, after the Netherlands, we have important resources in the continental shelf of the Black Sea. The transition from fossil resources to biomethane and hydrogen are real solutions for decarbonizing the sectors of the economy – such as agriculture, cement industry, chemical industry,” said Tudor Toncea.
“Hydrogen production is not new to Romania, we have been producing hydrogen from hydrocarbons for a century. The future is represented by the production of hydrogen from green sources, or from natural gas with CO2 storage. Carbon can be used in the production of chemical compounds and polymers, or in industries such as food, rubber or the medical industry. CCS is the solution to reduce emissions. We must also take into account the costs of hydrogen production, and today the hydrogen produced in CCS systems is much more competitive than the green one. All these aspects will be analyzed by the ministry when drawing up the hydrogen strategy. The ministry will consider all hydrogen solutions,” added Tudor Toncea.
