The Moravian-Silesian Region A Symbol of Modern Energy, but Without Illusions
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HYDROGEN
In recent months, you have often spoken about small
modular reactors. How exactly do SMRs fit
into the development of the hydrogen economy
in the region?
I see small modular reactors as one of the options
for ensuring a stable energy supply for the Moravian-
Silesian Region in the future. We are an industrial region
that needs large amounts of reliable electricity. Today,
neither renewable sources nor European regulations,
which often fail to reflect the realities of our region,
can provide that. SMRs could be one of the solutions
because they generate electricity without fluctuations
while also allowing part of their output to be used
for hydrogen production when demand is lower.
Hydrogen is not a competitor to nuclear power.
Rather, the two can complement each other. When
there is enough electricity, some of it can be used
for electrolysis. But hydrogen is not some kind of energy
cure-all either. It is a technology that can make sense
where there is industry and where a stable energy
supply is needed. Without it, the region will not move
forward. In other words, nuclear power is the only
stable source that can replace coal and produce
energy at affordable prices.
When and where could the first small modular
reactor be built in the region? Is it expected to supply
energy for hydrogen production as well?
Three locations are currently being assessed
in the Czech Republic, and in our region Dětmarovice
is the site most often discussed. It has the infrastructure,
experienced people and, above all, industry nearby.
From our perspective, it is a logical choice. Realistically,
the first projects are being discussed for the second
half of the 2030s. Their primary role would be
to supply electricity to industry. And if hydrogen
proves economically viable, it would be logical for part
of the output to be used for its production as well.
Dětmarovice is also symbolic. Not as a place
of decline, but of modernisation. For decades, it was
associated with coal; one day, it could generate energy
without emissions.
The region has been talking about hydrogen
buses and other forms of zero-emission
mobility. Which segment is currently closest
to real-world deployment?
Hydrogen buses are the furthest along. We have
a contract covering routes between Ostrava and Havířov,
and from 2028 the first four hydrogen buses are expected
to enter regular service there. It is a pilot project that will
allow us to test both the technology and the economics
in practice. Bus transport is currently the most advanced
in terms of market readiness, servicing and infrastructure.
Rail also has potential, particularly on routes where
electrification would be too expensive. But we do not
want to introduce technologies simply because they
are ‘modern’. We want real-world data and to make
decisions based on what actually proves effective.
Will hydrogen propulsion be a requirement
in tenders for new trains and buses?
No. Our priority is zero-emission transport,
but at the same time we want to maintain technological
neutrality. Batteries will be the better option in some
cases, hydrogen in others. In Poland, we can see that
hydrogen works mainly for large fleets. Here, we first
want pilot projects, practical experience and hard
data. Hydrogen is no longer a laboratory experiment,
but it is still a technology that has to make economic
sense.
Which investments in hydrogen infrastructure will
be the most important over the next five years?
There are three areas. First, hydrogen production:
without sufficient and affordable energy, hydrogen
has no chance. The current European rules for ‘green
hydrogen’ are out of touch with the realities of industrial
regions. Companies need stable energy, not ideology.
The region must defend itself against the ‘green terror’
that threatens the competitiveness of industry.
Second, transport and distribution: refuelling stations,
local sources, biogas upgrading and blending
with hydrogen. We are not waiting for a hydrogen
pipeline from Germany. We want to make use of what
we already have here.
And third, industry: energy-intensive companies
will need new technologies, but only those that are
economically sustainable.
The region is often described as a leader
in developing ‘hydrogen valleys’ among coal
regions. What will determine whether it maintains
this position?
It will come down to one simple thing: whether pilot
projects and strategies turn into real investments.
We have the advantage of close cooperation
between companies, universities and public
authorities. We also benefit from broader regional
cooperation, because energy policy cannot be
pursued within the boundaries of a single region.
At the same time, hydrogen is not the only path forward.
The region’s future will be based on a combination
of nuclear power, innovation, smart industry
and technologies that make economic sense. Just as we
were once a symbol of coal and steel, we can become
a symbol of modern energy – but without illusions
and without ideological pressure.