Helium: Fuelling the Future?
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clean energy since 1909 S.N.G.N. ROMGAZ S.A. The company is listed on Bucharest Starting with 2013, Romgaz extended its scope Stock Exchange and GDRs are transacted of work by taking over the Iernut thermoelectric power station, and thus it became also electric on London Stock Exchange. power supplier. Romgaz undertakes geological exploration in order to discover new gas reserves, produces Romgaz is the largest natural gas methane by exploiting the reservoirs included in producer and the main supplier in the company portfolio, stores natural gas in the Romania. underground deposits, interventions, workover and special operations on wells and technological transport. www.romgaz.ro COMMENT Lavinia Iancu identifies and prioritises renewable hydrogen, produced by electrolysis, using electric energy from wind and photovoltaic sources, as being the most compatible option with the EU objectives regarding climate neutrality. In order to become one of the beneficiary Hydrogen states, Romania will have to start, as soon as possible, the development of a hydrogen strategy at national level for 2050, which would mainly focus on the following aspects: Strategy in Renewable hydrogen, produced by water hydrolysis, using electric energy from wind and photovoltaic sources, is the method of obtaining hydrogen in line with the EU Romania objectives regarding climate neutrality; Developing an investment agenda for renewable hydrogen. Romania may attract a considerable part of the necessary investments by 2030 at EU level (between EUR 24 and 42 billion s part of the European Green Romania for electrolysis systems and between EUR Deal, the European Commission may attract a 220 and 340 billion for energy production presented a strategy for energy considerable capacities that would ensure their supply A system integration. The new part of the with renewable energy). Investments EU strategy - in synergy with a necessary in hydrogen transport, distribution and new dedicated hydrogen strategy in Europe - investments storage are estimated at EUR 65 billion. will lay the foundation for the decarbonised by 2030 at As we have already written, the European energy system of the future. EU level Government of Romania is set to support Romania Wind Energy Association (RWEA) (between the research activity in the field of hydrogen supports the central idea of the Strategy for Energy EUR 24 and as alternative energy source. Romania has a System Integration, based on which, by the direct 42 billion for Memorandum on the establishment of the electrification of the final energy consumption electrolysis Romanian HUB for Hydrogen and New from sectors such as transport and heating, as systems and Energy Technologies, ROHYDROHUB. well as of certain industrial processes, renewable between EUR “The research activity in the field of energy offers a proven and scalable solution for the 220 and hydrogen, as alternative energy source, is of decarbonisation of over 60% of the final energy 340 billion particular importance and, together with the consumption at the European level. However, for energy National Institute for Cryogenic and Isotopic in order to reach a higher decarbonisation level, production Technologies, we initiated two actions, so as there is a need for other solutions for the sectors capacities to amend the Competitiveness Operational in which decarbonisation is more difficult, and that would Programme and develop the first project renewable hydrogen, produced by electrolysis ensure their applied on this segment - Technological powered by renewable energy, thus becomes supply with solution of thermal energy supply for rural essential, according to the Hydrogen Strategy. renewable communities based on hydrogen,” Minister The Strategy proposes a framework that would energy). of European Funds Marcel Bolos announced. enable the development of the clean hydrogen Financing this project could be achieved production in Europe and this could have several under the Operational Programme applications in the decarbonisation process, being ‘Sustainable Development’. There were thus the key-element for the integration of sectors. hopes that there would be a time “when The economic revival plan of the Commission we say that hydrogen could be the solution identifies hydrogen as an investment priority for to obtaining thermal energy for heating encouraging economic growth and resilience, the population or for other forms of use,” creation of new jobs and the consolidation of the Marcel Bolos concluded. We’ll see how EU’s leading status at global level. The Strategy soon this will happen. Lavinia Iancu is the Publisher of the Energy Industry Review 3 CONTENTS ENERGY INDUSTRY REVIEW | September 2020 • Year 3 • Number 28 22 VOICES INTERVIEW Sale of Land Outside Kamran Allahverdiyev, CEO of 16 the Buildable Area: New 22 WEVO (former IT Grup) Restrictions and Ways to Cope with Them He reveals company’s plans to transfer and realize its innovative IT solutions to the European, The article focuses on the recently Asian, African and American markets. enacted Law no 175/2020 amending Law no 17/2014 concerning the sale-purchase of agricultural land located outside buildable areas. OIL & GAS 20 Opinions Post COVID-19 BRUA Phase 1, Bibesti Gas The oil & gas industry must find balance 30 Compressor Station Completed with the reality after COVID-19, a reality crushed by the announcements related to aggressive climate policies, It is the third and last compressor station within BRUA and also by uncertainty in terms project Phase 1, which Transgaz commissions, after the of market demand forecast for the inauguration and commissioning in 2019 of gas compressor near future. The entire industry is stations in Jupa-Caras Severin County (September 30, expecting to recover ‘step by step’. 2019) and Podisor-Giurgiu County (October 31, 2019). 4 OIL & GAS POWER New Investment Project 62 E-Distributie to Invest EUR 100mln 34 to Increase Degree of in Modernization of Electricity Crude Oil Processing Networks in Romania With a value of over 1.4 million dollars, The value of modernization programs this year is the project was recently implemented added to total investments of RON 2.025bn made by during the general turnaround of E-Distributie Banat, E-Distributie Dobrogea and the Petromidia refinery and aimed at E-Distributie Muntenia during 2015-2019. installing a new light gas oil recovery system at the fractionation column within the Delayed Coking plant. The 3 Electricity Distribution Operators 64 within Electrica Group to Merge Turkey Storms the As of January 1, 2021, the new entity resulting in the distribution area will be named ‘Distributie Energie Electrica Romania SA’. 36 Black Sea. After 8 Years, In the process targeting the three distribution operators, the Romania is Still Waiting acquiring company will be SDEE Transilvania Nord, and in that of energy services companies the acquiring company will be Filiala de Intretinere si Servicii Energetice Electrica Serv SA. Turkey announced the discovery of deposits evaluated at 320 billion cubic meters of gas in the Black Sea, not far from Neptun Block, located in the Romanian territorial waters. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was quick to RENEWABLES declare that his country wanted to start using these resources since 2023 and become a net energy exporter. 66 Europe’s New Bet - Geothermal Energy The European Union (EU) makes a new bet in the energy sector - geothermal energy. Or, more accurately said, in the sector of environmental protection and the definitive abandonment of classical sources and ways of producing energy. ENVIRONMENT METALS & MINING Microplastic - The 54 Invisible Enemy Romania Revaluing its Mineral Reserves How worried should we be about 80 microplastic? Beyond global warming, considered as the main At the level of the National Agency for Mineral Resources adverse effect of human activity, the a quantitative, qualitative and value revaluation action is human race still has to fight with an in full swing, for over 700 deposits of solid minerals, then enemy created by itself: plastic. following to move to mineral waters and oil reserves. Streamlining Air 58 Conditioning: CO2e ANALYSIS Emissions to Drop by up to 460bln Tons 88 ‘Green’ Vehicles - Trend or Necessity? Air conditioning systems of vehicles Electric cars are gaining ever more ground against the emit annually, at global level, around 420 conventional ones, with gasoline or diesel engines. Whether million tons of CO2 equivalent emissions we talk about increasing environmental responsibility, (MtCO2e). This quantity is estimated constraints that already apply or have been announced by the to increase to 1.3 giga tons of CO2 municipalities of the major cities at global level, a marketing equivalent (GtCO2e) by 2050, , in absence trend or simply for ideological reasons, electric or hybrid cars of new measures to limit emissions. area increasingly often a topic of conversation all over the world. 5 HEADLINES Domestic EC to Provide EUR 81.4bln OMV Petrom and Support for 15 Member Auchan Retail Romania States under SURE Partnership The European Commission (EC) has presented OMV Petrom and Auchan Retail Romania proposals to the Council for decisions to grant announced the agreement to extend financial support of EUR 81.4 billion to 15 their partnership for opening MyAuchan Member States under the SURE instrument. proximity stores in Petrom filling stations. SURE is a crucial element of the EU’s comprehensive The partnership brings together two of the strategy to protect citizens and mitigate the severely brands renowned on the Romanian market negative socio-economic consequences of the for the advantageous quality-price ratio. coronavirus pandemic. It is one of the three safety nets The existing shop area in the filling station agreed by the European Council to shield workers, will be refurbished and will offer customers businesses and countries. Once the Council approves the option for MyAuchan proximity shopping. these proposals, the financial support will be provided The refurbishment of the shops is planned in the form of loans granted on favourable terms to be performed during the next years. from the EU to Member States.