Representatives of the area, academic institutions, and commercial businesses participate in all initiatives leading to the creation of the Moravian-Silesian Hydrogen Valley, particularly to reduce the impact on emissions from transportation. The growth of a new industry in the creation and use of clean hydrogen technology is another crucial factor. Nevertheless, the area is getting ready for a “coal-free time.”
We’re talking about the development of entirely emission-free transportation, which is something that oil, gasoline, and gas vehicles cannot achieve. This is crucial for our area, which cannot boast of a clean air environment. The future of mobility is hydrogen. Not only is the hydrogen drive pure—just water drops from the exhaust—but this fuel can also be produced in an entirely clean manner. Ivo Vondrák, the governor of the Moravian-Silesian Area, stated that at the same time, “we will establish a new, progressive, and inventive industry where many people will find jobs and which will help the region replace part of the unpromising coal sector in the future. creation, distribution, storage, and consumption of hydrogen. “All stakeholders will come together through the Hydrogen Cluster,
The Moravian-Silesian Region, which represents the public sphere, and Cylinders Holding as, on behalf of academics VB-TUO, which represents the commercial sphere, are the creators of the Vodk Cluster, zs. Members of the twenty-four more organizations, such as EPRO, BorsodChem, Hyundai, Tatra, the city of Ostrava, DPO, and Czech Drahy, among others, signed the Memorandum of Cooperation.
“Hydrogen is a hot issue since it can create power extremely effectively and without emitting any emissions. It is therefore perfect for operating automobiles or buses. However, the process of producing hydrogen is labor-intensive and, more significantly, costly without inexpensive power. However, we may also employ other raw materials in our nation, such as coal sludge, coke oven gases, or conventional mining waste—waste that is currently frequently inefficiently burnt and pollutes the environment. Additionally, heavy industry has long been a part of our area and is likely to continue to be for some time. But we must do every effort to harm the environment as little as possible. As a result, direct hydrogen generation is provided, according to Jakub Unucka, the Moravian-Silesian Region’s First Deputy Governor for Industry, Energy, and the Smart Region.
He continued by saying that the cluster’s strategic objective is to establish a working production-distribution chain economic system in the area within 10 years, in which hydrogen will be viewed not just as a fuel or a means, but also as a trade commodity.
The cluster’s job is to coordinate various hydrogen initiatives so that we may develop a continuous hydrogen economy as a brand-new, highly developed economic sector and modernize our industry. A billion crowns have also been set aside from the European Fund for Fair Transformation and other funds from several operational projects to establish the “hydrogen valley” in the Moravian-Silesian Region, according to Deputy Governor Jakub Unucka.
As for the Hydrogen Cluster’s initial duties, he added: “Above all, it is required to build and model the full network solution, i.e. who and where will produce hydrogen, who, how, and what will transport it, and what will consume it. All in an effort to fully cover our area. We will also start the first hydrogen pilot projects, such as a tour of hydrogen buses that will be tested in four cities in our region or the creation of a hydrogen ship in collaboration with the Koice region. This is only the beginning; the entire energy hydrogen idea for the area, i.e., the creation of electrolyzers and the manufacture of pure, “green,” hydrogen from renewable sources, should be gradually realized. It is not a cheap endeavor; at least $8 billion must be invested, which, in my opinion, the European Union will provide, “Deputy Governor Jakub Unucka said.
The academic community, which ensures research and development in the use of low-carbon technologies, is a significant role in the development of the hydrogen ecosystem. “Together, we will successfully set up procedures that will result in a total modernization of the energy industry, moving it from being based on fossil fuels to one that is based on renewable resources, prioritizes the use of hydrogen technologies, and makes the best use of available local resources. We will aid the area in achieving energy and raw material independence in this way. In order to help the Czech Republic’s State Energy Concept be amended, we would want to apply the combined results to the national energy concept. For scientific work, a special CEETe test laboratory (Center for Energy and Environmental Technologies – Explorer) will be accessible at VB-TUO, according to CEET Director Stanislav Miák.
As of right now, we can see in Ostrava a filling station that is extremely cost-effective and environmentally friendly to build and run. Every bigger business or office may purchase an entire fleet of hydrogen-powered vehicles and construct its own hydrogen station at the same time. Large public filling stations will be built on highways gradually as well, allowing for quick hydrogen recharging on lengthy travels. By doing this, we can significantly speed up the adoption of hydrogen in Europe’s passenger transportation sector. The requisite hydrogen transport and storage technologies have been mastered by Cylinders Holding. Additionally for energy projects,” added Jan Svtlk, CEO of Cylinders Holding.
When it signed a memorandum with representatives of the city of Ostrava on cooperation in the development of this green technology several years ago, the management of the Moravian-Silesian Region decided to assume the role of visionaries and support the use of hydrogen propulsion in public transportation. It has been decided that Cylinders Holding will take part in the region’s introduction of hydrogen mobility as well. The area also approved a trial project for producing hydrogen from coke oven gas with OKK Koksovna. The University of Mining and Technology in Ostrava (VB-TUO) built the Center for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEETe), which will be crucial in the “hydrogen valley.” They will experiment in a minor way with producing and purifying hydrogen from all the many gases that exist in the Moravian-Silesian Region, including “green” hydrogen. Everything, even profitability, is put to the test in real life.
