The Gazprom Board of Directors took note of the information about hydrogen production and utilization, as well as exports of hydrogen and methane-hydrogen mixtures with the use of the existing gas infrastructure.

It was highlighted that in recent times many countries are viewing hydrogen energy as an area essential for the implementation of national low-carbon development strategies. However, hydrogen is a secondary energy source, i.e. additional energy is required to produce it, which has an effect on its cost price. Most of the current foreign projects announced in this field are funded by state subsidies and reliefs, and there is no common global market of “energy” hydrogen today.

At the present time, the Gazprom Group’s facilities produce over 350,000 tons of hydrogen by various technologies, which is then used to derive different products from it.

It is important for Gazprom to accumulate its own technological competencies in the field of hydrogen energy through the use of the unique properties of natural gas, i.e. eco-friendliness and cost efficiency. In this connection, the Company is considering several areas for using hydrogen as an energy source.

First of all, these areas include the development of innovative technologies for the utilization of methane-hydrogen fuel in the Company’s production activities, as well as the development of innovative technologies for the production of hydrogen from methane with zero СО2 emissions along with hydrogen transportation methods, inter alia, for the purpose of export.

The large-scale implementation of such technologies will create additional demand for natural gas as a feedstock for hydrogen production.

The Management Committee was tasked with providing for the activities aimed at pursuing priorities in natural gas-based hydrogen energy development.

The Board of Directors also took note of the information about the results of import substitution efforts made in 2020 and the operational and financial effect achieved, as well as approved the report on Gazprom’s import substitution plan implementation progress for 2020.