European nuclear trade association Foratom on 4 May released a position paper on nuclear’s role in the generation of low-carbon and hydrogen. “The EU has set itself the very ambitious target of decarbonising its economy by 2050. Achieving this will require a massive transformation of the energy, industry, transport and building sectors”, said Yves Desbazeille, Foratom Director General. “Hydrogen is one of the technologies which could help Europe reach its goals. But two challenges remain: producing real low-carbon hydrogen and expanding its use to a broad range of energy intensive sectors that need it.”

Low-carbon nuclear power and heat – as well as renewables – can be used for the generation of decarbonised hydrogen via a electrolysers, said Foratom. The advantage of making use of all low-carbon electricity sources is two-fold. First of all, it will ensure that there is enough hydrogen available at all times as an increasing number of sectors switch to this energy carrier. Secondly, running an electrolyser for longer periods reduces the costs of this technology.

“There are several nuclear-to-hydrogen projects in the pipeline”, added Desbazeille. “Whilst this technology is a viable solution, we have to make sure that the EU puts in place the right policy incentives to expand its development further”. In this respect, Foratom has put forward a series of policy recommendations, which include the following:

• The positive role which low-carbon nuclear energy can play in the EU’s Hydrogen Strategy should be acknowledged;
• The classification of hydrogen and guarantees of origin should be based on a detailed life-cycle assessment of the carbon intensity of the source used to produce the hydrogen;
• In order to ensure rapid development of clean hydrogen projects at a more competitive cost , much more attention should be given to economic aspects and supply reliability as both are key issue for industry;
• The assessment of full smart system costs including LCOE and LCOH (Hydrogen), including nuclear technologies should be proioritised.
• Innovation, Research and Development into all low-carbon hydrogen projects should be supported;
• Previous research into nuclear-produced hydrogen in Europe and at international level should be recognised and details provided on how this can be reflected in the EU hydrogen strategy; and
• Synergies between the SET Plan actions, Horizon Europe and Euratom R&D programmes in relation to low-carbon hydrogen production should be increased.

"In Foratom's opinion, it is essential that the EU apply a technology neutral approach when it comes to hydrogen projects," the position paper noted. "Given that the ultimate goal is to help sectors to decarbonise, the hydrogen strategy must support all low-carbon projects, regardless of the source of energy used to produce the hydrogen. This is why we favour a categorisation which is CO2 emission-based."

Source: neimagazine.com

The project launch event Why Humanity Needs Nuclear brought together Polina Lion, Chief Sustainability Officer at ROSATOM, Sama Bilbao y León, Director General of the World Nuclear Association, Maher Aziz, member of the World Energy Council, Ben Heard, founder of the Bright New World and Sergio Orlandi and Head of Central Engineering and Plant Directorate at ITER. Heroes of Atoms for Humanity joined the event to share their experiences participating in the campaign.

The esteemed speakers discussed social, economic and environmental benefits of nuclear technologies and their invaluable contribution to solving the most urgent challenges of today and tomorrow.

“Achieving sustainable development goals is impossible without a sustainable energy source. Nuclear is the only energy source, which is both reliable and low-carbon. It works 24/7, it produces no direct CO2 emissions and leaves almost zero waste behind,” said Polina Lion.

WNA Director General Sama Bilbao y León shared the sentiment. “Nuclear energy contributes to having reliable, resilient 24/7 energy supply. We are in the middle of this terrible COVID-19 pandemic and we are seeing everyday how essential having access to 24/7 electricity is to cope with this crisis. And of course the fact that nuclear energy is very low-emission technology is going to ensure that we have clean, air clean water and plenty of open space to have health communities,” Bilbao y León stressed.

Sergio Orlandi in turn explained why the success of international cooperation at ITER was important for the future of humanity. “ITER is something very delicate and very challenging but I really believe that the magnitude of the project motivates us and gives us the capacity to move forward. We know very well that we are at the frontier of new technology, on the frontier of a scientific breakthrough. We know that we are making something historical and beneficial for humanity. We need clean energy for the entire world,” Orlandi said.The recording of the project event launch and much more is available at atomsforhumanity.com

Source: rosatom.ru

The hydrogen cargo transport vessel will be owned by French inland shipowner Compagnie Fluvial de Transport (CFT), a subsidiary of the Sogestran Group. The company is currently developing a new business for urban distribution with transport vessels in the Paris area.

“The demand for more sustainable technologies in inland waterway transport is on the rise” said Matthieu Blanc, director of CFT. “As part of the Flagships project, we are happy to be leading the way on reducing emissions from transport and demonstrating the superior features of hydrogen fuel cells in waterborne applications”.

Flagships Project Coordinator Jyrki Mikkola from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, added that green and sustainable shipping is a prerequisite for reaching national and international emission reduction targets and that ships powered by renewable hydrogen will make a substantial contribution to reducing emissions from shipping and improving air quality in cities and other densely populated areas.

Both the EU and the shipping industry see hydrogen as a key contributor in the efforts to mitigate climate change. The Flagships project was awarded 5 million euros of funding in 2018 from the EU’s Research and Innovation programme Horizon 2020, under the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU), to deploy two hydrogen vessels in France and Norway. The project’s initial plan was to deploy a hydrogen push-boat in the Lyon area, but as the broader potential for hydrogen in cargo transport emerged, the demo pusher was changed to an inland cargo vessel. The new vessel will be tasked with moving goods on pallets and in containers along the river Seine.

The shift in focus is based on Sogestran Group’s experience gained in Belgium, where Blue Line Logistics (BLL), another subsidiary of the Sogestran Group, operates three cargo vessels sailing under the concept name ‘Zulu’. One Zulu vessel has also been put into operation in Paris, and an additional two Zulu ships are currently under construction for the same market. The Flagships project will install a hydrogen power generation system on one of the newbuilds, scheduled for delivery in September 2021. Blue Line Logistics plans to have the ship operating on hydrogen before the end of 2021.

The vessel will operate on compressed hydrogen produced from electrolysis, enabling not only zero-emission operations, but also creating a solid base for more local zero-emission transport, both at sea and on land. The power generation system for Zulu will be supplied by ABB Marine & Ports, with fuel cells from Ballard. LMG Marin is responsible for detail design drawings, with hydrogen provided by suppliers in the Paris region.

The Flagships consortium includes 12 European partners, with two shipowners, Norled (NO) and CFT (FR) assisted by its support company Sogestion (FR) and Sogestran (FR); the maritime OEM and integrator companies ABB Marine & Ports (FI) and Westcon Power & Automation (NO); and ship design company LMG Marin (NO & FR). World-leading fuel cell technology is provided by Ballard Europe (DK), with vessel energy monitoring and management by Pers-EE (FR). Management and dissemination activities are provided by VTT (FI) and NCE Maritime CleanTech (NO), respectively.

Source: meethydrogen.com

An opening ceremony for the Mozdok – Grozny gas trunkline took place at April 7th in Grozny.

Taking part in the event were Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairman of the Gazprom Management Committee, Ramzan Kadyrov, Head of the Chechen Republic, heads of relevant subdivisions and subsidiaries of the Company, and representatives of the regional authorities.

The Mozdok – Grozny gas pipeline runs in the same corridor as the Stavropol – Grozny gas pipeline. The new gas pipeline with a 720-millimeter diameter is 101.7 kilometers long. Only pipes of Russian make were used in the course of construction, and crossings were set up on 13 motor roads and six bodies of water, including the Terek River. A state-of-the-art gas distribution station named Grozny with an hourly capacity of 247,000 cubic meters was created as part of the project.

The new high-efficiency facilities of Gazprom’s gas transmission system will further strengthen the reliability of the Chechen Republic’s energy system, including the Grozny TPP, one of its key components. The facilities will also make it possible to bring gas to more consumers.

Vitaly Markelov and Muslim Khuchiev, Prime Minister of the Chechen Republic, held a joint meeting on cooperation between Gazprom and the Government of the Chechen Republic.

It was noted that Gazprom has been making large-scale efforts for gas supply and gas infrastructure expansion in the region since 2008. By the start of this year, the Company built over 743 kilometers of gas pipelines in the Chechen Republic and created the conditions for connecting 11,800 households to gas.

Currently, the Company and the region are cooperating under a new five-year program for 2021–2025. A synchronization plan for gas infrastructure expansion in 2021 is in effect.

The program is run strictly on schedule. Gazprom has completed the construction of four inter-settlement gas pipelines in the Groznensky District and three in the Shalinsky District. These facilities are now undergoing start-up and commissioning. The Company continues building 13 gas pipelines in the Groznensky, Gudermessky and Shalinsky Districts. Before the end of the year, Gazprom plans to start laying another three gas pipelines in the city of Grozny and in the Achkhoy-Martanovsky and Urus-Martanovsky Districts.

On top of that, the Company is designing five gas pipelines to expand the gas infrastructure for consumers in the Groznensky and Kurchaloyevsky Districts, as well as to bring pipeline gas to seven localities in the Galanchozhsky District – a highland area and the only district in the Chechen Republic that is not yet covered by the gas grid.

The parties also discussed issues related to settling the outstanding consumer debt in the Chechen Republic and measures that are being taken by the regional Government to improve the payment discipline. In addition, attention was paid to safe operation of gas equipment in households and apartments.

Vitaly Markelov and Muslim Khuchiev made a visit to the new office of Gazprom Mezhregiongaz Grozny and met with the company’s staff. The office building, the construction of which was finished in October 2020, is perfectly equipped to provide excellent customer service.

Background

Gazprom and the Chechen Republic are bound by the agreement of cooperation, the agreement on the wider use of natural gas as a vehicle fuel, and the Contract on gas infrastructure expansion.

The Grozny TPP has an aggregate installed power capacity of approximately 360 MW. The first power unit of the TPP was brought into operation in December 2018, followed by the second power unit in June 2019. In addition to improving the stability of southern Russia’s energy system, the TPP satisfies the electricity needs of the Chechen Republic to a considerable extent.

Source: gazprom.com

A Gazprom delegation headed by Vitaly Markelov, Deputy Chairman of the Company's Management Committee, paid a working visit to Mongolia.

The visit involved a flight along the proposed route of the Soyuz Vostok gas pipeline, which will become an extension of Russia's Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline in Mongolian territory.

Vitaly Markelov and Sainbuyan Amarsaikhan, Deputy Prime Minister of Mongolia, held a meeting of the Joint Working Group of Gazprom and the Government of Mongolia. Among other things, the meeting reviewed the ongoing development of a feasibility study for the project by the special-purpose vehicle Gazoprovod Soyuz Vostok.

The parties signed the action plan of the Joint Working Group for 2021–2022.

Background

In December 2019, Gazprom and the Government of Mongolia signed a Memorandum of Understanding. A Joint Working Group was created under the Memorandum.

In early 2021, a special-purpose vehicle named Gazoprovod Soyuz Vostok was registered in Mongolia. The company was established with the purpose of performing design and survey works and conducting a feasibility study regarding the construction project for a gas trunkline to supply Russian gas across Mongolia to China.

The export capacity of the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline might become more than 1.3 times higher than that of Power of Siberia. This will enable exports of large amounts of gas from Western Siberia not only westward but also eastward.

Source: gazprom.com

Alexey Miller briefed Vladimir Putin on Gazprom's efforts for the expansion of gas supply and gas infrastructure in Russian regions. Also discussed were the main results of the Company's activities in 2020, as well as the Power of Siberia 2 project.

Shorthand record

Vladimir Putin: Good afternoon, Mr. Miller!

Although we meet and work together on a regular basis, I would nevertheless like to hear your perspective on the Company's performance in the last year, which was challenging for the energy industry at large. This is my first question.

My second question is about the ongoing work in the winter peak.

The third question concerns gas infrastructure expansion within the country. It is probably the most pertinent question of all, so I would rather you start with that. I know that the Company has big plans in that area. It has always been the focus of your attention, and yet the pace slowed down at some point.

Our citizens have many questions in this regard. Naturally, people want to know about the plans for gas infrastructure expansion in Russia. Of course, Gazprom is working on that with the regions of the Russian Federation. We are well aware that the plans for expanding the trunkline infrastructure should involve bringing resources to the end consumer.

Let us start with that. Please.

Alexey Miller: Dear Mr. President,

Your instruction on signing medium-term five-year programs for gas supply and gas infrastructure expansion with the regions of the Russian Federation has been carried out: all of the 67 programs have been signed, and the goals and objectives through 2025 have been outlined.

Gazprom is almost tripling the funding for gas pipeline construction. The Company's investments for the five-year period will total RUB 526.1 billion. In that timeframe, we will build some 24,400 kilometers of gas pipelines and bring gas to 3,632 localities. By the end of 2025, gas grid expansion will be completed to the maximum extent technically possible in 35 regions of the Russian Federation. This will be 90.1 per cent of technically possible gas grid expansion nationwide.

Mr. President, we have also set the goals for 2030 in accordance with your instruction. By 2030, all 100 per cent of technically possible connections to the gas grid in Russia will be completed.

We have also signed synchronization plans with the regions for 2021. From January 1 onward, Gazprom and the regions are speeding up dramatically, setting a new pace in our activities.

At the moment, we have two priorities in our work: firstly, the social focus of the gas supply and gas infrastructure expansion program in general, and secondly, further extension of the gas grid in rural areas.

Vladimir Putin: Good.

Mr. Miller, what about the tariff policy and pricing? What about the domestic tariffs and the prices in the international markets that you use to sell gas to our foreign consumers?

Alexey Miller: Mr. President, I will focus on 2020. As you have noted, 2020 was a challenging year for the global energy industry. Especially difficult was the first half of 2020, when the demand for gas in the foreign markets declined along with the gas prices. However, the markets stabilized in the second half of the year, and today we see that the volumes in the second half-year were good and, most importantly, the prices started to recover.

Even back in October 2020, we set an all-time record for gas supplies to Europe. We delivered 17.4 billion cubic meters of gas in October, and it definitively proves that the demand for Russian gas in the European markets is stable and growing.

The Company's gas output – some 452 billion cubic meters – allows us to fully meet the demand in both the domestic and foreign markets. It should be noted that our production capacities exceed the production volumes by almost 100 billion cubic meters of gas.

As for domestic tariff regulation, the decision is made by the FTS [Federal Tariff Service], and we know that the current tariff level makes it possible to keep our gas industry socially-oriented as regards the domestic market, all the while providing the required feedstock to both the gas processing and gas chemical sectors.

And you know that a very extensive groundwork was laid in 2020 to create new large-scale gas processing and gas chemical production facilities in the Russian Federation in the nearest future. First of all, of course, I mean our activities for the development of the Yamal gas production center and the northern gas transmission corridor. Two compressor stations and over 850 kilometers of the linear part have been built. This will make it possible to supply gas to one of the world's largest gas processing and chemical complexes, which is located near Ust-Luga. The project is going on schedule.

As for the Amur Gas Processing Plant, the construction is 70 per cent complete. The first start-up complex and two production trains will come onstream in 2021. The products of the Amur Gas Processing Plant will be supplied to the Amur Gas Chemical Complex.

There is no doubt that in the very near future we will make a very big step forward in gas processing and gas chemistry, and cutting-edge production technologies will be introduced into these sectors. Today, we intend to build capacities both in the west and in the east in order to be able to cater to the needs of both the European and Asian markets.

Speaking about the outcomes of 2020, it is of course worth noting that December marked exactly one year since the start of gas supplies via Power of Siberia. Mr. President, I would like to report that gas is being supplied to the Chinese market in excess of the planned amounts, above the annual contractual volumes, and on some days in the second half of 2020, our daily supplies were 25 per cent higher than our daily contractual supply obligations. That is why it is obvious that the Chinese market is developing in a dynamic fashion. Today, the demand exceeds even the supply volumes that are specified in our 30-year contract.

Vladimir Putin: How is the work on the other route going?

Alexey Miller: Mr. President, as for the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, we have commenced the design-and-survey works pursuant to your instruction; the works are being carried out in the territory of the Russian Federation.

We also maintain direct communication via video conference calls with our partners from China, and stay in contact with our partners from Mongolia. A feasibility study is currently being prepared for the Mongolian route, and a special-purpose company is being set up for the construction of a gas pipeline across Mongolia.

As early in the first quarter of 2021, the feasibility study will be ready. But even now preliminary feasibility analysis definitely shows that the project is feasible from the technical point of view and efficient from the economic point of view.

Vladimir Putin: Good. Thank you.

Alexey Miller: Thank you, Mr. President.

Source: gazprom.com

At present, Gazprom keeps ramping up its gas exports to China via Power of Siberia. For a second consecutive month, gas is being supplied in excess of the planned amounts as requested by the Chinese party.

Specifically, the aggregate amount of gas supplied in November totaled 113.6 per cent of the planned volume for that month. The daily average volumes for November exceeded those for October by 16.2 per cent. On November 12, the surplus in daily volumes hit a record high of 25 per cent.

In the year since the launch of Power of Siberia, a total of 3.84 billion cubic meters of gas has been supplied to China via the trunkline. The Company continues to prepare to further increase the gas exports in 2021.

Source: gazprom.com

The establishment of a new national project – the National Quantum Laboratory (NQL) – has been announced. The consortium created under the auspices of ROSATOM is going to adopt the international best practices and unite efforts and resources of key universities, research centers, technological companies, financial organizations, start-ups, and development teams in quantum computers. Similar national programs have already been launched in European, American and Asian markets.

There are seven organizations, which have joined the laboratory: JV Kvant (a ROSATOM company), NRU HSE, MISIS, MIPT (NRU), P. N. Lebedev Physical Institute of RAS, Russian Quantum Center and Skolkovo Foundation. There are plans for more organizations to join the consortium. Ruslan Yunusov, Head Project Office for Quantum Technologies of ROSATOM, heads the National Quantum Laboratory (NQL).

The participants will focus on the development of new and renovation of existing infrastructure and staff training. The nano-fabrication center of 2,000 square meters and the advanced laboratory complex of 3,500 square meters will be built in Skolkovo. The equipment will be used for new laboratories and improvement of existing ones of NQL participants. The modern infrastructure network will allow improving the quality of research and scientific developments, including those under the framework of the quantum computation roadmap.

In order to build up the staff, the consortium will launch quantum education programs starting from the school level, and implement standards of training and retraining. The NQL participants will pay special attention to the involvement of foreign experts in areas where they are needed the most. Students, post-graduates and young researchers will be able to learn from renowned scientists and use such experience in the development of domestic quantum computers on four main platforms: superconductors, ions, neutral atoms and photons.

Research and educational institutions, state-owned corporations, industrial start-ups and representatives of the business and invest communities interested in implementation of the quantum computation projects are welcome to participate. The consortium members will receive methodological, marketing and analytical support, including assistance in hiring staff and attraction of partners (start-up teams, among other, will get priority access to the incubator and accelerator).

ROSATOM General Director Alexey Likhachev, while commenting on the creation of NQL, called quantum technologies one of the main breakthroughs, which would determine the future of scientific and technical progress. “Today, quantum computing and quantum computer are the field of competition for the world scientific schools and technological giants. There are normal games for the leadership in this area. I am sure that the National Quantum Laboratory will contribute a lot to high positions of our country in this area,” Likhachev said.

Addressing the consortium members, Director of Digitalization at ROSATOM Ekaterina Solntseva stressed that the creation of NQL was a step to build a sustainable ecosystem of quantum computing in Russia and its move to the international level. “NQL will unite representatives of science, business, and innovations. Its participants may be not only large players but also small start-ups. This will build up the succession pool of the industry in the quantum area. We will create scientific groups composed of the best Russian specialists and can invite scientists, who have competences, which are not available in our country, from abroad. The level of the technological task is such that all countries having serious ambitions in the quantum area are following the way of accumulation of efforts. This is the way to bring the result. NQL will become an active participant of the international quantum dialogue when it matches large world projects of other leader-countries,” Solntseva said.

“Experience of world leaders in quantum computations has shown that you may achieve prominent results only by creating national programs supported on the highest governmental level. The consolidation of the main local market participants is right and very logical measure which was achieved by American, Asian and European colleagues. Exchange of competences, developments and information, mutual assistance and acting as single brand significantly support the national standing on the global arena. The launch of NQL is the key step to the development of all domestic industry of quantum technologies,” Ruslan Yunusov, Head Project Office for Quantum Technologies at ROSATOM, said.