Moravian-Silesian Strategy for Hydrogen Development (CZ)
The Moravian-Silesian hydrogen strategy, Towards Decarbonisation of the Region and Boosting Competitiveness by Providing Safe and Affordable Hydrogen, was approved by the regional council on June 6, 2024. First of its kind in the Czech Republic to receive regional approval, the strategy aims to install electrolysers with a total capacity of over 300 MW (279 MW for industry and energy and 31 MW for transport) and build 100 km of hydrogen pipelines by 2030.
1st Deputy Governor of the Moravian-Silesian Region, Jakub Unucka, stated that “Hydrogen can help our region not only to cut emissions and meet the EU targets, but also to improve the air quality and to shield local businesses from the emissions trading system. Additionally, it will make our energy system more independent and secure, attracting investors in the green energy sector and kicking off a new business branch for local companies”.
The strategy is the result of 12 months’ work and was developed by the Moravian-Silesian Hydrogen Cluster, which consists of more than 30 companies, the Moravian-Silesian region and the local technical university. Daniel Minařík, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Moravian-Silesian Hydrogen Cluster states that "we must acknowledge that we are living in a time not only of war, which has seriously shaken up our current energy supply chains, but also with huge pressure for the EU zero emissions economy. Therefore, the strategy offers a roadmap for boosting the region's resilience and transformation".
Large-scale storage and distribution facilities are needed and to meet EU legislation, at least one filling station on the TEN-T network with a capacity of 1 ton of hydrogen per day. In addition, seven public transport stations for 190 buses and a fleet of hydrogen trains are planned.
As a coal region, Moravian-Silesian faces challenges in phasing out coal and transitioning to renewable hydrogen production. The region is in talks with neighboring countries about hydrogen imports and aims to lead hydrogen adoption in the Czech Republic
Stricter EU regulations push industries to become greener, making hydrogen essential for maintaining the region’s steel, chemical, and engineering sectors. The strategy outlines accelerating hydrogen storage and infrastructure development as key steps forward, and participation in UNIFHY project is a good opportunity to learn and transfer experiences in this field.