Varna talks about green hydrogen and SMEs opportunities

On Thursday, April 10, in the conference hall of Radio Varna, the Business Agency Association held an information event on the Green Hydra project. Businessmen from the transport and energy sectors, representatives from the Port of Varna, industrial chambers, NGOs, and universities participated. The project team presented the opportunities for businesses to develop projects related to green hydrogen, as well as how Bulgarian companies are already successfully developing in this promising area. Experts spoke about the launch and development of the company Hydrogenera, which produces products and offers services from the entire green hydrogen value chain. The participants were introduced to the business model of the company, which started from scratch in the innovative business and without support from public funds, to become today a fast-growing market leader in 4 countries and 92 completed projects, and its latest two electrolyzers for the mining industry in Bulgaria were shown. The history and the case study of how a French port, smaller than Varna, handling less and less cargo due to competition from bigger ports nearby, has become a powerful energy center in recent years due to attracting investments related to green hydrogen, was presented in detail, as an example of a long-term reorientation of a port city towards innovative technologies and future needs. The event was also attended by Associate Professor Blagoy Burdin, head of the Center of Competence "HITMOBILE", which already operates the first green hydrogen production and refueling station in Bulgaria, who also showed the first green hydrogen car. Renewable energies, green hydrogen, synthetic methane are currently the only alternatives to fossil fuels, and most countries are actively working to support national initiatives. In Bulgaria, the process is progressing very slowly, so efforts are needed to disseminate the possibilities of new technologies and facilitate the inclusion of businesses in value chains - which is also the goal of the Green Hydra project.