By 2030, the hydrogen market in Russia’s loyalist nations is expected to rise to 35.4 million tons, allowing Russia to raise hydrogen output tenfold to 2.2 million tons. Alexey Zhikharev, director of the Renewable Energy Association and partner of Vygon Consulting, spoke about this during the National Oil and Gas Forum 2022.
Despite the current market condition, he believes that by 2030, hydrogen energy will be widespread. Latin America’s market will be 2.2 million tons, Africa’s will be 2.2 million tons, the Middle East’s will be 3.2 million tons, and China, India, and other Asian nations, with the exception of Japan and Korea, will be 25 million tons.
“In my perspective, it is now more vital to focus on technology exports rather than hydrogen exports.” All of these markets, with the exception of China, are heavy enough to carry. As a result, the stress scenario for the development of hydrogen energy in Russia should include increased assistance for technological development in the first stage – until 2030. Begin the process of fully localizing the technologies that are required. “We can establish the sectors where we will occupy our niche and be able to assume a leading position,” the expert adds. “The set of these technologies is pretty broad – from manufacturing to final consumption.”
For this, he believes it is critical to grow the home market, pay attention to R&D, and create business venture funds, as well as a governmental fund for the procurement of hydrogen, which would compensate for the expenses.
Anatoly Chubais, the former Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation for Relations with International Organizations to Achieve Sustainable Development Goals, previously predicted that by 2030, Russia would be able to export 6-10 million tons of hydrogen per year, with Japan listed as one of the importers, with a demand of around 3 million tons in the absence of domestic production.