Polish energy company Polenergia and Siemens Energy signed a letter of intent pertaining to cooperation related to industrial application of high-efficiency co-generation, as well as introduction of solutions that enable sustainable production and use of hydrogen. Both parties declare cooperation that will be focused on the Polish market that is in need of efficient solutions that curb the negative impact of business operation on the climate and the natural environment.
In separate announcements, Poland’s national oil and gas company Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo (PGNiG; Warsaw, Poland) said it would explore the launch of a comprehensive hydrogen network in Poland; while chemical manufacturer PKN Orlen announced that it would also construct a hydrogen-production hub in the country.
Globally, many organizations are developing sustainability and energy initiatives centered around hydrogen, including projects in Denmark, Austria, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Germany, Chile, Spain and Japan. Siemens has contributed to several hydrogen-energy initiative, including collaborations with Uniper, steelmaker Salzgitter Flachstahl and the HyFlexPower project.
“We believe in hydrogen and we want to take the position in this sector on the domestic market as quickly as possible. The Nowa Sarzyna CHP Plant, as well as the planned new gas units are going to be ready for the combustion of green hydrogen, which is going to contribute to the building of a zero-emission energy group in the future. To this aim, we have sought a seasoned partner, who already possesses verified and modern technologies of long-term provision of energy with significant reduction, or even complete elimination of CO2, starting with highly-efficient gas co-generation or efficient electrolysis of the production of green hydrogen, which in the future will be used to supply our gas units,” says Michał Michalski, Ph.D., President of the Management Board of Polenergia.
The agreed scope of potential cooperation of Polenergia and Siemens Energy encompasses analysis of projects that could be performed in the segment of industrial co-generation and application of hydrogen technologies. In particular, such projects could include joint performance of low-emission gas installations for the industry, electrolytic cells, fuel cells, gas and hydrogen and hydrogen turbines, along with hydrogen storage tanks implemented in the Polish industry and on the market of Central and Eastern Europe, which would replace high-emission carbon assets.
“Siemens Energy has been successfully modernizing the energy infrastructure for many years, allocating significant R&D funds to solutions determining the future of the energy sector, i.e. in terms of climate impact, low-emission, energy efficiency, energy availability and security. We have knowledge and competence in this area. We work with many shareholders on this market around the world, consistently implementing this vision and strategy. We believe that such partnership activities give a chance to achieve economies of scale, thus consolidating the efforts of many industries moving towards decarbonisation. Siemens Energy focuses its activities on environmentally friendly solutions for the production of electricity, heat, for industrial and municipal applications, as well as in the field of energy storage technologies and hydrogen production for the needs of energetics and transport. Considering the above, we are building an ecosystem based on a partnership approach to joint projects on the domestic market, with shareholders whose strategy overlaps with the vision and role of the energy sector in the future. We are looking forward to cooperating with Polenergia in this respect” summarizes Grzegorz Należyty, Chief Executive Officer of Siemens Energy Sp. z o.o.
Studies are carried out around the world with hydrogen as their joint denominator and a carrier of energy, fuel and resource. It may be produced in the process of electrolysis and thanks to this contribute to the reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases. Hydrogen produced in this manner may be called green only when electric energy used in the process of its production was also generated in an ecological manner, based on renewable sources. As opposed to electricity, hydrogen may be stored in large quantities and for a significant amount of time, which will allow for satisfying the needs of the energy sector, industry and transport.