It is an important step for the energy transition through hydrogen technologies

Last week was extremely important for hydrogen technologies and the Greek energy system. Specifically, on Wednesday, May 5, the national proposal “White Dragon” was submitted to the Greek call for expressions of interest for the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) Hydrogen by a group of companies in which the largest energy groups in the country participate.

The DEPA Trafficking coordinator of the project, in cooperation with the Advent Technologies , the Damco Energy (Copelouzos Group), the PPC , the DESFA , the HEP , the Motor Oil , theCorinth Pipeworks , TAP and TERNA ENERGIAKI submitted, to the Greek Government and the EU, their investment proposal, totaling over 8 billion Euros , for the development of an innovative, integrated green hydrogen project in Greece, covering the entire hydrogen value chain.

The “White Dragon” has the practical support of the Region of Western Macedonia and is the development of the initial expression of interest, in September 2019 in Brussels, of the Regional Governor of Western Macedonia Mr. George Kasapidis. It also has regional support for the Cluster of Economics and Environment of Western Macedonia.

The core of the project is based on the gradual replacement of the lignite power plants of Western Macedonia and the transition to clean energy with the ultimate goal of carbonizing the country’s energy mix. The “White Dragon” project will use large-scale renewable electricity (GW) to produce green hydrogen by electrolysis in Western Macedonia. Hydrogen will then be stored directly (short-term hydrogen storage) and indirectly (piped to the DESFA gas pipeline) and, through high-temperature fuel cells, will supply the country’s electricity with electricity as a stable unit of green cogeneration. and heat. The generated heat, as a by-product of the production of green electricity, will initially be used in addition to the district heating networks of Western Macedonia and in the future in other applications that require heat and / or cooling (industries, data centers, greenhouses, etc.).

In addition, the main goal of the “White Dragon” project is the development, by the cooperating companies, of a complete Hydrogen Industrial Research Center, within the Hydrogen High Technology, Research, Development & Innovation Node that will be created in Western Macedonia.

Finally, the intended upgrade and capitalization of the existing energy infrastructure (electricity networks and gas pipelines) is particularly important. Primarily the gas pipelines will be used both for the transport of green hydrogen for other uses, as well as for its indirect storage. A prerequisite is the creation of a regulatory framework for Energy Net Metering, as a transition option until the full development of the hydrogen economy. To accelerate this growth, under the “White Dragon”, the National Gas Transmission System (NGS) will initially be prepared, so that it can accept increasing levels of hydrogen, which will reduce the carbon footprint of the fuel and help the start of the hydrogen market. Subsequently, study and construction of an exclusive hydrogen backbone pipeline in Greece (hydrogen backbone pipeline), as well as the implementation of the first hydrogen projects for the transport sector (garbage trucks, trucks, trains, cars) with the appropriate infrastructure for hydrogen refueling stations ( HRS) and its road transport and distribution. The exclusive hydrogen pipeline will offer possibilities to connect the decentralized green hydrogen production units with the large final consumers (refineries, industrial units, etc.) to help them “green” their production processes, but also the possibilities of interconnection with corresponding systems of neighboring countries. End,

The key elements of the integrated project “White Dragon” are:
Total investment cost: 8.063 billion €
Project duration: 2022 – 2029 (R&D phases, FID and EET)
Hydrogen production: 250,000 tons / year *
Hydrogen for other uses: 58,000 to 71,000 tonnes / year
CO2 savings: 11.5 million tonnes / year
Job creation: 18,000 direct jobs and 29,500 indirect ones

* Renewable hydrogen will be piped almost entirely to pipelines

By the companies involved in White Dragon, the CEO of DEPA Commerce, Konstantinos Xifaras, stated:The “White Dragon” project, coordinated by DEPA Commerce, is an important step for the creation and development of hydrogen technologies in Greece. It will be a model at European level, as it will have a major positive environmental and socio-economic footprint. “It is expected to attract significant investment in the clean technologies sector, create a large number of new sustainable jobs, make the country a pioneer in Southeastern Europe in hydrogen technologies, and make Western Macedonia a model for the fair transition process to clean technologies.”
Source: CPW