The Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy and Minister of Environment and Water Borislav Sandov and the Minister of Education and Science acad. Nikolay Denkov launched a hydrogen heating installation at the McGahan Vocational School of Transport in Sofia.

The hydrogen installation was built within the project “Hydrogen School for a Green Future”, which aims to introduce modern sustainable models for energy efficiency, reduction in conventional fuel costs, and a significant drop in emissions. The modifications to the heating system of the McGahan Vocational School of Transport were carried out on initiative by the school with the financial support of the Ministry of Education and Science.

The event was also attended by the Mayor of Sofia Municipality Yordanka Fandakova and the Mayor of Slatina district Georgi Iliev.

Minister Sandov noted that about 20 hydrogen installations have already been built in schools across the country, the first of which has been integrated in the town of Cherven Bryag. He expects their number to increase significantly over the next year or two, because these installations are cost-effective and environmentally friendly. “The government has provided funding opportunities for a large pilot hydrogen production facility under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan. This will provide an opportunity to develop this technology also on a small and medium scale, so that it becomes widespread and easy for integration in kindergartens, schools, municipal and public buildings, as well as by businesses that recognize it as an innovative energy source, added Minister Sandov.

He pointed out that the introduction of this type of heating sources can reduce dependence on imported energy raw materials. “This is part of the solution for energy independence of Bulgaria, because in practice through the energy produced in our country we optimize some processes and reduce by 30% the cost for fuel, which we currently import from abroad. Separately, we reduce gas emissions by 15 to 30%. Last but not least is the positive environmental and health effect, because these buildings are located in urban areas and we all breathe the air that comes out of their chimneys,” said the Deputy Prime Minister for Climate Policy.

According to him, public authorities should show the business the benefits of hydrogen installations for the reduction of costs and harmful emissions through good examples. “Especially at a time of energy uncertainty, this type of process is extremely important to make us less dependent on external energy sources, as well as to improve energy efficiency in Bulgaria,” he added.

Minister Sandov announced that a hydrogen installation is currently being integrated into the medical waste incinerator, which is part of the structure of the Ministry of Environment and Water.

“The topic of climatology and new green energy is covered in the curricula, but we have been discussing with Deputy Prime Minister Borislav Sandov for months that their experts will be involved in the stage of improving the curricula - in May and June. Ecology experts will also review whether something important is missing in the curricula so as to be added,” said the Minister of Education and Science acad. Nikolay Denkov.