At the 2024 Hydrogen in Central Asia and Caspian conference in Astana, Marco Castagnini, Business Development Officer at Green Spark, shared invaluable insights into the company’s journey in advancing green hydrogen in Kazakhstan. From piloting groundbreaking projects to fostering international collaboration, Marco's interview sheds light on the challenges and opportunities in building a sustainable hydrogen economy.

Source: Globuc

Green Spark began its green hydrogen journey in Kazakhstan in 2021, establishing a pilot project to test the entire green hydrogen supply chain. The project integrates renewable energy with chemical processes, underpinned by robust software to optimise efficiency. Through their innovative alkaline electrolyser technology, Green Spark achieved impressive results, maintaining a stress-free operation for over two years with zero downtime. Key lessons from this pilot emphasise the critical role of temperature control in improving electrolysis efficiency, a focus Green Spark continues to develop in collaboration with leading European and Kazakh universities.

Beyond its initial success, Green Spark has expanded its initiatives, including two new pilot projects. One project with KazMunayGas explores hydrogen’s potential as a heating and energy storage solution for buildings, addressing the challenge of storing summer-generated hydrogen for winter use. Another project, in partnership with Gumilov Eurasian University, focuses on blending hydrogen with gas for power generation in Almaty, preparing for an industrial-scale rollout to replace coal-fired plants with more sustainable alternatives.

Marco also highlighted the longstanding partnership between Italy and Kazakhstan in the energy sector. Italian expertise, from technology providers to investors, is pivotal in advancing Kazakhstan’s green hydrogen ambitions. Marco praised President Tokayev's visionary support for green hydrogen, which has encouraged collaboration between KazMunayGas, Italian stakeholders, and the Green Hydrogen Association. These joint efforts aim to establish the standards and infrastructure necessary for Kazakhstan to emerge as a regional leader in the hydrogen economy.

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