The future of the Hungarian economy and environmental protection both lies in green energy, and a big step forward has been made in order to achieve the relevant objectives within the framework of broad international cooperation – announced the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó on Tuesday in Budapest.
According to the ministry’s announcement, the head of the ministry reported after the meeting of the steering committee of the so-called green energy corridor that the maintenance of Hungarian economic growth amid the crises of recent years was only due to continuous investment records, but energy consumption will also increase as a result of new factory constructions.
In Hungary, we continue to vote for responsible growth, we want to increase our economic performance while reducing the emission of harmful substances
– he underlined.
He pointed out that in order to meet this goal, green energy is needed, which is why electricity will become even more important in our country in the coming years in terms of transportation, industry, and heating and cooling technologies.
Péter Szijjártó emphasized at a joint press conference with the ministers of energy of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Romania, as well as the deputy minister of energy of Bulgaria, that by 2030 Hungary will consume practically 50 percent more electricity, which is planned to be produced in a carbon-neutral way, which is why nuclear and solar energy are being expanded – capacities.
“At the same time, it is important that the electricity imported to Hungary is also carbon-neutral, so it comes from a green source. The construction of the green energy corridor will help us achieve this goal,” he underlined. “We partnered with Azerbaijan, Georgia, Romania, and Bulgaria to import a large amount of green energy to Europe,” he added.
He said that Azerbaijan and Georgia are making huge investments in the field of hydro and wind energy, and Central Europe has started developing its own infrastructure so that the grid becomes suitable for importing as much green energy as possible from the South Caucasus, so that it can be partially used by the states in the region. can be partially transported to the west.
He pointed out that the project should connect Georgia with Romania, and if it succeeds, it will be the longest underwater pipeline in the world, more than 1,100 kilometers long.
The minister said that if everything goes well, transport on this route can begin at the beginning of the next decade.
He announced that the parties signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of green energy, according to which they will coordinate their green energy strategies and developments through the common platform, and joint work will also take place in the field of innovation.
“Today we decided that the electricity companies of the participating countries will create a joint company whose task will be to carry out the technical-technological implementation. We decided to prepare a joint feasibility study, for which we also issued a tender, and for which it is decided who can prepare it will be born at the beginning of December,” he listed.
“In addition, we are acting together to ensure that adequate financial resources are available for the investment, which is why the European Commission was also represented at our meeting today,” he added.
The future of the Hungarian economy and Hungarian environmental protection lies in green energy, and today we have taken a big step forward to be able to fulfill this goal in the framework of broad international cooperation
– summed up.
In response to a journalist’s question, Péter Szijjártó explained that Hungary does not look at diversification from a political point of view, but from a physical point of view, so for the government this does not mean replacing an existing, reliable supplier, but rather involving as many new energy sources as possible.
“We don’t want to get rid of any energy sources that currently ensure Hungary’s energy security. At the same time, we want to involve new, preferably carbon-neutral sources, and that is why this joint huge investment is important to us,” he stated, underlining that they will resist any pressure.
He stated that this project also well demonstrates that the purchase of energy is “not a political issue, not a matter of dreams, not even a matter of longing, but a matter of physical reality”.
“Energy can be bought from where the line comes from, and if there is none, then it must be built. Preferably with an energy source at the end. If these two are not there, then we are in the realm of dreams,” he said.
In relation to the European Union financing of the investment, he believed that it was a European matter, and therefore support was also needed for the development of the infrastructure.
