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Hydrogen trains and buses are now not science fiction in the Moravian-Silesian Region!

Hydrogen trains and buses are now not science fiction in the Moravian-Silesian Region!
Hydrogen public transport buses, hydrogen trains, charging stations, and other necessary equipment for the use of this energy source are not dreams of the very distant future in the Moravian-Silesian Region. This emerged, among other things, from the debate at the E-Mobility discussion forum, which took place on 12th April at the Ostrava Exhibition Centre.

Stanislav Mišák, the director of the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies (CEET) at VSB-Technical University of Ostrava (VSB-TUO), spoke about the possibilities of hydrogen technologies in the future, and also about the projects and research already implemented in this area.

Hydrogen is not the only, but the key raw material we need to decarbonise the region. Research into its production, distribution and use is part of our mission, which we will strive to accomplish as quickly as possible. The fact that a very good ecosystem has been created here is a prerequisite for success. The Moravian-Silesian Region has got fully onboard with the idea of promoting modern and innovative energy. Then we have VSB-TUO, where we are able to develop these technologies, and then there are a number of companies in the region that want to apply these research results in practice,” said Mišák.

The intention to transform the Moravian-Silesian Region was also confirmed during the debate by Daniel Minařík, the Commissioner of the Moravian-Silesian Region for the Development of the Hydrogen Region. According to him, the region can only be considered a hydrogen region if there are several hydrogen specific technologies in use in the area, which are also technically and economically interconnected.  “Our goal is to cover the entire process chain, from hydrogen production, through storage, to distribution. I believe that the Moravian-Silesian Region, thanks to the steps taken so far and the newly set goals, will stand out and be competitive with other European low carbon regions, while maintaining its leadership within the Czech Republic and its pace in adopting hydrogen technologies, not only in applications but also in creating impulses for business development,” said Minařík.

VSB-TUO, and in particular its CEET, is also significantly involved in the activities, making the region one of the largest "testing laboratories" for hydrogen technologies in the country. Among other things, Ostrava researchers have participated in the preparation of a study of a public filling station at Hranečník for powering hydrogen public transport buses of sufficient quality and capacity. By 2024, a hybrid filling station for electric and hydrogen cars should be built on the VSB-TUO campus. Among other things, it will be used for research into the use of hydrogen production technologies. The flagship of the journey from fossil fuels to green energy will be the Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies explorer (CEETe), which is due to be fully operational next autumn.

This is a test polygon where we will present the circular economy in practice. We want to explore all ways of producing hydrogen, from green hydrogen - produced by electrolysis - to light blue hydrogen, which we want to produce from waste. Veolia is an important partner for us in this area,” explained Mišák. He also mentioned the National Centre for Energy project at VSB-TUO, which brings together all domestic innovation leaders and research institutions in the field of modern energy.

Representatives from the commercial sector also participated in the debate panel entitled Hydrogen Future in MS Region. The panellists primarily agreed that hydrogen technologies can not only be one of the solutions to the current energy crisis and the need to move away from energy dependence on Russia but are also environmentally friendly. The general public also needs to be informed about these benefits.

The discussion forum was intended for mayors of cities and municipalities, energy suppliers, manufacturers of ecological means of transport and related products, as well as the expert community and students of higher vocational and higher education institutions.

Created: 14. 4. 2022
Category:  News
Department: 9390 - Centre for Energy and Environmental Technologies
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