Home » News » In the context of Merkel’s visit. Germany and Ukraine signed a memorandum of cooperation in the production of “green” hydrogen – OP

In the context of Merkel’s visit. Germany and Ukraine signed a memorandum of cooperation in the production of “green” hydrogen – OP

It is noted that the document was signed in the context of the visit of German Chancellor Angela Merkel to Kiev and as part of the agreements between Merkel and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reached during their previous meeting in Berlin in July 2021.

“This memorandum concerns cooperation in the hydrogen economy. Naftogaz sees great prospects for Ukraine in this area,” said Yuriy Vitrenko, head of the board of Naftogaz. In particular, he said, this concerns the production of “green” hydrogen – hydrogen, which is produced from renewable energy sources, as well as the storage and consumption of hydrogen.

Vitrenko said that the signed document opens up prospects for the export of “green” hydrogen to the European market, in particular to Germany. For this, both the existing network of gas pipelines and alternative means, in particular ships for the transportation of ammonia, can be used. The pilot project provides for delivery by ships.

The Memorandum also envisages the possibility of commercial sale of Ukrainian “green” hydrogen in European markets and the possibility of developing renewable energy projects on the shelf and coast of the seas.

The working groups of the two companies will begin joint activities under the memorandum in September this year.

Zelensky separately stressed that cooperation in this sector does not compensate Ukraine for the losses from the launch of Nord Stream 2 in the short term. According to him, the preservation of gas transit through the Ukrainian GTS after 2024 will allow Ukraine to finance the “green transition”, which, as a result, will reduce the dependence of the Ukrainian economy on natural gas.

Context:

Nord Stream 2 is supposed to link Russia with Germany along the bottom of the Baltic Sea. The length of the route is over 1200 km. The construction of the gas pipeline began in 2018. Since the end of 2019, the project and the companies participating in it are under US sanctionswhich have been expanded several times.

Construction was frozen in 2019 when 93% of the pipeline was completed, a year later, in December 2020, it was resumed.

The Nord Stream 2 AG gas pipeline operator in July 2021 noted that Nord Stream 2 is 99% complete… On August 17, radio station Deutsche Welle reported that the construction of “Nord Stream – 2” is planned end on August 23rd.

The authorities of Ukraine, Poland, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia consider “Nord Stream 2” a threat to Europe’s energy security.

Joe Biden’s Administration opposed construction gas pipeline, but at the end of May Biden called “counterproductive” from the point of view of relations with Europe, the introduction of new sanctions against Nord Stream 2, since the gas pipeline is “practically finished.”

Germany and the United States reported on July 21 that signed an agreement on the Nord Stream 2 gas pipelineGermany promised that it would apply national sanctions against Russia and call for effective EU measures if the Russian Federation will continue to use gas as an instrument of pressure on other countries or “will commit further aggressive actions against Ukraine.” According to the agreement, transit through Ukraine after the commissioning of the gas pipeline must be renewed for 10 years (the current transit contract ends in 2024).

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