FOR THE MEDIA • September 30, 2022

Ireneusz Krupa: PSG has the potential to become a hydrogen distribution operator in Poland

The potential for hydrogen in the economy was discussed by the panellists on the second day of the 8th DISE Energy Congress. The panel, which was held on 29 September 2022, was attended by Ireneusz Krupa, a Member of the Management Board for Development and Investment of Polska Spółka Gazownictwa.
In addition to the PSG Board Member, the debate was also attended by Prof. dr hab. inż. Halina-Pawlak Kruczek – Director, Centre for Hydrogen and Renewable Energy Technologies, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, dr inż. Wojciech Myślecki, honorary Professor at UP – Chairman of the Programme Board, Polish Energy Storage Association, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ekoenergetyka-Polska, dr hab. inż. Jakub Kupecki, Prof. IEn – Head of the Centre for Hydrogen Technologies (CTH2), Director of the Energy Institute, Dominika Niewierska – Head of the New Business Stream Development Department, PKN ORLEN S.A. and Radosław Żydok – Vice President, Lower Silesian Hydrogen Valley Association. The discussion was moderated by Agnieszka Spirydowicz, President of the Board, Zgorzelec RES and Energy Efficiency Development Cluster Z-Klaster.

The discussion focused on the use of green hydrogen in transport, industry, and the decarbonisation of the gas industry. President Krupa spoke on the topic of challenges in the gas transmission sector, given the development of the hydrogen economy.

“In the gas transmission sector, the biggest challenge is the current geopolitical situation and the availability of natural gas to consumers in Europe. It opens the gateway to other solutions that recipients can use. Hydrogen is one of them”, he said.

Hydrogen in the future will be produced and used locally in public transport, industry and energy. Today, the most promising and cheapest method of delivering hydrogen is through hydrogen pipelines. Talks about the creation of local hydrogen networks are expected to follow soon.

We will aim to become a hydrogen distribution operator. We have the capacity and competence to do so. We want to develop in this direction.

Ireneusz Krupa, a Member of the Management Board for Development and Investment of Polska Spółka Gazownictwa
President Krupa also highlighted potential customer concerns. Hydrogen is a new energy carrier and consumers may be concerned about it. At the same time, he indicated that convincing customers to use hydrogen would be one of the main tasks in the future. 

“There is potential, there are possibilities – we need to tap into that. We, as a natural gas operator, are ready to also become an operator of a fuel such as a hydrogen. This is where we see our future”, concluded Ireneusz Krupa, Member of the Management Board for Development and Investment of Polska Spółka Gazownictwa.