The regions will cooperate on developing hydrogen technologies in the fields of production and storage, and also on their application to selected types of transport. Photo credit: Freepik.
Prague, April 5 (CTK) – The governors of the coal-mining regions of Usti, Karlovy Vary and Moravia-Silesia signed a “hydrogen memorandum” at the Environment Ministry yesterday, aimed at boosting inter-regional cooperation on the development of hydrogen technologies.
In the future, hydrogen could be an important source of energy, mainly in transport, said Environment Minister Petr Hladik (KDU-CSL).
The regions will cooperate on developing hydrogen technologies in the fields of production and storage, and also on their application to selected types of transport.
Hladik said that the Ministry’s Modernization Fund is supporting the production and use of hydrogen, and has earmarked CZK 13 billion for the relevant programs.
The ministry said hydrogen is a promising energy source that can be sustainably generated from local sources of water and electric power. The development of hydrogen technologies would thus help meet climate goals as well as make the Czech Republic more energy self-sufficient.
The Usti, Karlovy Vary and Moravia-Silesia regions rank among the domestic leading suppliers of energy. Companies in these regions are equipped for hydrogen production. The ministry added that universities in the Moravia-Silesia and Usti regions may participate in research to further develop the hydrogen technologies.
Usti Region Governor Jan Schiller (ANO) said the region has already prepared some projects, such as hydrogen mobility in the regional capital Usti nad Labem and a plan to launch hydrogen-powered trains.
The Karlovy Vary region has also completed a study indicating possible future areas for expansion in the use of hydrogen, and is planning to introduce hydrogen as a source of energy for public transport, said Governor Petr Kulhanek (STAN).
Moravia-Silesia Governor Ivo Vondrak (Independent, formerly ANO), said he considers electromobility and hydrogen mobility to be of essential importance for the future.
“We will be able to generate electric power and hydrogen by ourselves, which would make us free and independent of Russian gas and oil,” Vondrak said.
He said that besides hydrogen-fuelled public transport, the region should have a new Hydrogen Valley with hydrogen technologies as the leading source of energy before fossil fuels.
