New R&D Project to Improve the Transport of Natural Gas

A joint research and development project for the construction and testing of natural gas transport system elements capable of transporting natural gas with a hydrogen content of up to 10% will be launched in cooperation between the University of Miskolc and FGSZ Földgázszállító (‘Natural Gas Transporter’) Plc., the university told the state news agency MTI on Friday.

The project is expected to last for two years, and the university and the company have jointly received nearly HUF 350 million in non-refundable state funding for the first phase.

The project, which will be launched this spring, is also important because hydrogen will play a major role in the decarbonization process, they noted. Hydrogen can be mixed with natural gas to provide energy storage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas use, they added.

According to Szabolcs I. Ferencz, Chairman and CEO of FGSZ Földgázszállító Plc., stressed that if hydrogen production becomes economically viable, the project's 10% blending rate would reduce the country's carbon dioxide emissions by 607,000 tons per year if the hydrogen used comes from a carbon-free source.