Page 9 - GLNG Week 05 2021

GLNG COMMENTARY GLNG

According to Russian
press reports, the pair
are devising a plan to
convert one of Yamal
LNG’s gas-fired turbines
to run mostly on
hydrogen.

sustainable,” Belgian Prime Minister Alexan- role in the hydrogen economy, using electricity
der De Croo commented. “This study pro- from its plants to produce carbon-free so-called
vides essential new insights for the further yellow hydrogen.
roll-out of a hydrogen economy and the fur- For Novatek, Gazprom and others to make
ther reduction of CO2 emissions. The next meaningful progress in hydrogen, though, Rus-
step is to develop a long-term strategy for sia will need to roll out its own subsidies to fund
importing hydrogen.” research and development. It will also need to
The project partners are working on blue- craft the necessary legislation to support hydro-
prints for pilot schemes and will also analyse gen production, transportation and use.
how Belgian ports can receive future hydrogen The government is currently working on its
carriers. own national hydrogen strategy. But given the Novatek is
slow pace of legislative action in Moscow, it
Enter Russia could be some time before tangible progress is seeking to
In addition to appeasing investors, Novatek has made. But failure to act quickly could see Russia convince
recognised that, given uncertainty about the lose out to other hydrogen exporters in Europe
world’s energy mix will change, putting some and elsewhere. increasingly
funding into hydrogen now might pay off con- Canada is striving to become a major blue
siderably in the future if the market for the fuel hydrogen exporter, taking advantage of its climate-
takes off. ample gas supply and abundance of under-
Russia has generally followed hydrogen ground reservoirs that can be used to store CO2. conscious
developments in Europe with trepidation. If a Australia wants to claim a slice of a potential investors and
hydrogen energy market emerges, it will take Asia-Pacific market for the fuel, by supplying
market share away from natural gas, jeopard- green hydrogen, while Morocco, blessed with gas buyers of its
ising Russia’s role as Europe’s biggest supplier. substantial wind and solar potential, has set its
State-owned Gazprom is also working on its sights on Europe. green credentials.
own hydrogen research. Its focus is on methane Political realities might also make it
pyrolysis, a less-developed means of producing harder for Russia to complete with rival
hydrogen from gas. Instead of emitting CO2 exporters in Europe. It is already the conti-
that needs capturing and storing, the process nent’s biggest energy supplier, and strained
creates valuable solid carbon that has a range of political ties between Moscow and the West
uses in industry. mean many governments want to see its
State nuclear firm Rosatom is also eyeing a dominant status eroded.™

Week 05 05•February•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P9