Serbia’s EPS mulls adding hydrogen to production capacities
March 26 (SeeNews) – Serbia’s state-controlled electricity producer Elektroprivreda Srbije (EPS) is exploring the possibility of including hydrogen into its production capacities, director general Dusan Zivkovic said on Wednesday.
EPS has launched an analysis to determine whether the usage of hydrogen production and storage facilities and fuels based on hydrogen would be a viable option to expand its capacities, Zivkovic said at an international hydrogen conference in Belgrade, according to a company press release.
Zivkovic noted it is necessary to determine the location and the size of the potential hydrogen production facility as well as the way it would be used. The goal will be to diversify energy storage capacities, cut fossil fuel consumption for electricity production, boost energy production efficiency, and integrate renewable energy sources into the system and optimisation of EPS’ electricity balance, Zivkovic said.
Zivkovic stated,
We have been talking about the use of hydrogen in the energy sector of Serbia and the region for a long time and we emphasize that the introduction of hydrogen technologies is one of the challenges and opportunities in the decarbonisation process [ …] EPS is positioned and has the desire to be a leader in this transformation,
In October, German development bank KfW told SeeNews that the German government had supported a first pilot hydrogen project in Serbia which focuses on small scale production for commercial use.
The German ministry of economy and climate action approved funding of 3.5 million euro ($3.8 million) for the 2022-2026 period for local renewable energy firm Leipziger Energiegesellschaft for the construction and operation of an integrated hydrogen pilot plant in Serbia. The project called HyDSerbia lays the ground for subsequent upscaling of green hydrogen production for the region and for potential export opportunities, according to KfW.
Serbia’s energy sector development strategy up to 2040 with projections up to 2050, adopted by the parliament in November, says that the construction of a demo facility for the production, storage, and use of hydrogen can be expected by 2030.
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Serbia’s EPS mulls adding hydrogen to production capacities, source
