Hydrogen platform being developed in Lithuania to promote advanced energy technologies

The Ministry of Energy and 19 organisations, including the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, business associations and large energy companies, have signed an agreement on the establishment of a hydrogen platform in Lithuania. The signatories have agreed to cooperate in the creation and development of hydrogen technologies, which will be crucial for achieving national and European energy and climate targets, the ministry reports.

Hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources will be a critical factor in making the European Union (EU) a climate-neutral economy by 2050. The EU Hydrogen Strategy aims to integrate hydrogen to support the decarbonisation of industry, transport, power generation and buildings.

“Hydrogen technologies are seen as fundamentally transforming our energy and helping to make industry and transport green. In order to exploit the potential of hydrogen in Lithuania, the investment and legal environment, market opportunities and scientific potential must all be mobilised. To do this, we will first use the Lithuanian Hydrogen Platform, which brings together ministries, the strongest business associations and energy market leaders. Our goal is to implement innovative projects and develop a long-term hydrogen strategy by consolidating our capacity to properly represent Lithuania’s position in the EU and thus achieve a breakthrough in these technologies in Lithuania,” says acting Minister of Energy Žygimantas Vaičiūnas.

The agreement was signed by the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the National Energy Regulatory Council (NERC), energy companies (EPSO-G, Ignitis Group, Klaipėdos Nafta, Amber Grid, ORLEN Lietuva, Achema, SG Dujos, Contrarian Ventures I), associations (the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, the Association of Lithuanian Chemical Industry Enterprises, the Hydrogen Energy Association, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association LINAVA, the Lithuanian Employers’ Confederation), the Smart Energy Digital Innovation Hub, the Lithuanian Energy Institute and the Lithuanian Maritime Cluster. All of the signatories will became members of the Lithuanian Hydrogen Platform.

The development of hydrogen technologies will contribute to the implementation of the objectives of the National Energy Independence Strategy related to the reduction of the impact on climate change and air pollution, competitiveness and energy security. The agreement provides for the development of a national hydrogen strategy once measures and targets have been identified to promote the use of hydrogen in energy, industry and transport. The National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP) will also be supplemented with measures related to clean hydrogen technologies.

Clean hydrogen technologies include the production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources by electrolysis and from fossil fuels by capturing CO2.

The agreement provides for mobilisation of the country’s science institutions, businesses and public sector bodies in developing innovative hydrogen technologies, and for the establishment of a programme for the development and promotion of clean hydrogen technologies. Better conditions will also be created for development of the market for hydrogen produced from renewable energy sources both in Lithuania and abroad. 

The EU Hydrogen Strategy aims to integrate hydrogen to support the decarbonisation of industry, transport, power generation and buildings. Between 2020 and 2024, the European Commission will support the installation of at least 6 GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers in the EU, and the production of up to 1 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen.

According to the EU strategy, from 2025 to 2030, hydrogen needs to become an intrinsic part of the EU’s integrated energy system, with at least 40 GW of renewable hydrogen electrolysers installed and the production of up to 10 million tonnes of clean hydrogen. Hydrogen technologies must become widely used in industry and transport by 2050. 

The Ministry of Energy has already taken the first steps to facilitate innovation projects, including hydrogen integration projects.  The Action Plan for Strengthening the Lithuanian Energy Innovation Ecosystem has been approved. The Law on Alternative Fuels, which provides that by 2030, biomethane and green hydrogen consumption will account for at least 5 per cent of final energy consumption in the transport sector, is currently being discussed in the Seimas.

Draft amendments to the natural gas quality requirements providing that hydrogen will be able to be supplied to the natural gas transmission and distribution systems have also been prepared and submitted for coordination.

In Lithuania’s DNA Plan for the Economy of the Future, EUR 2 million is earmarked for research into the use of hydrogen from renewable energy sources in the natural gas infrastructure.

The Ministry of Energy also invites representatives of other institutions, companies or associations to join this agreement and become part of the hydrogen platform. More information about the platform can be found at:  https://bit.ly/37iq0zi