JSC NC "KazMunayGas” (KMG), Atyrau Refinery LLP (AR) and Air Liquide Munay Tech Gases LLP (Air Liquide’s division) signed a Memorandum of Understanding, aimed to develop the hydrogen initiatives in the Republic of Kazakhstan for the purposes of the objective to achieve carbon neutrality.
The document contemplates collaboration between the parties for the arrangement of hydrogen filling stations (HFSs) for hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, and provision of the HFSs with hydrogen of proper quality from Air Liquide Munay Tech Gases LLP’s existing plants at the AR. This technology has been introduced in Kazakhstan for the first time.
The pilot includes two stages. At the first stage the plans are to install a mobile hydrogen filling station in Atyrau and purchase hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses and cars for transporting the AR's employees until the end of March 2022.
Within the framework of the second stage, the plans are to complete the set of works for providing the HFSs with hydrogen of proper quality and launch a fixed hydrogen filling station in Atyrau jointly with Air Liquide Munay Tech Gases LLP by the end of 2022.
“Carrying out the instruction of the Head of State to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, and generally following the worldwide trends, KazMunayGas views the development of hydrogen energy as one of the top-priority areas of the company’s Decarbonization Programme in the long term. Reducing the carbon footprint of the companies’ operations contributes not only to an increase in the asset value, but enhances our investment appeal as well”, chairman of KMG's Management Board Alik Aidarbayev stated.
Currently, KMG is updating its 2022-2031 development strategy and has approved the Low-carbon Development Programme. KMG has set a goal to reduce the CO2 emissions by 15% until 2031 against the level of 2019, which is around 1.6 mn tons of ??2.
Attainment of the said goal is planned through the implementation of actions to enhance energy efficiency and energy conservation, development of the renewable and hydrogen energy, use of the carbon capture and storage technology, implementation of afforestation-and-climate projects. KMG is already proceeding to the practical implementation of a pilot in hydrogen mobility for increasing the company’s potential in this area and using the generated hydrogen at its own assets.
Hydrogen fuel is an environmentally-friendly alternative to petrol and diesel, since the basic by-product of using it is water. Besides, hydrogen has a much better consumption rate than petrol has: as little as 0.6 kg per 100 km. A hydrogen filling station comprises a system for hydrogen storage, cooling, compressing, and dispensers.
The partner of the project, the globally-renowned French company Air Liquide, has mastered the entire hydrogen supply chain over the last 50 years: from generation to storage, distribution and development of applications for the end consumers. To this date, the company has designed and installed over 120 hydrogen filling station worldwide.
