The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU) have signed an agreement to formalise their cooperation on low-carbon hydrogen and to develop hydrogen supply chains.
“I am very pleased that the EBRD and GTSOU are cooperating to support each other’s activities regarding hydrogen. Ukraine relies heavily on fossil fuels across all sectors of its economy and hydrogen can represent a good alternative for decarbonisation, and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. Supporting the green transition of our economies is a key priority for the EBRD,” EBRD Managing Director for Green Economy and Climate Action Harry Boyd-Carpenter said.
CEO of GTSOU Sergiy Makogon said that the challenge of hydrogen therefore is to develop technology to scale up hydrogen use, to create the necessary conditions and infrastructure for its production, transportation and consumption.
“All this requires time, effort and cooperation by all stakeholders. We recognise the role of natural gas as one of the key energy sources and transition fuel on the path to carbon-free economy, which will remain significant for this transition period. As the operator of the gas transmission system, our task is now to prepare our infrastructure for the decarbonised energy markets of the future,” he said.
According to the report, the EBRD recently launched a study on the potential for developing different segments of the hydrogen supply chain across many of the economies where it invests, including Ukraine.