Projects with 13 partners, including Sabancı University and TÜBİTAK, were entitled to be supported with the highest EU-Contributed grant ever received within the Turkey Framework Programs. According to the results of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership (Clean Hydrogen Partnership), which aims to support the development of a regional hydrogen economy, in 2022, the “HYSouthMarmara” acronym project, which includes 13 partners together with Sabancı University from Turkey, was entitled to be supported. With the project with a total budget of 36 million Euros, a first in the history of Turkey Framework Programs, the highest European Union (EU) grant of 7.455.625 Euros was achieved at once.
The project, which is planned to last for 5 years, is expected to contribute significantly to the production and use of clean hydrogen, the development of related technology-oriented infrastructures, and the strengthening of Turkey's potential in this area. The role of Sabancı University in this project is to contribute to the determination of the roadmap in the Hydrogen Valley business plan, to analyze and report the multidimensional contributions of the valley to be established in the fields of energy and climate, to establish logistics processes and to contribute to the expansion strategy of the valley in the medium and long term, for green hydrogen production. providing scientific and technical support in the installation and commissioning of the electrolyzer, carrying out studies to increase the widespread impact of the project, establishing a communication strategy, and organizing workshops and events.
This project, in which Sabancı University and Sabancı University Istanbul International Energy and Climate Center (IICEC) will take an active role, is under the coordination of EnerjiSa Production and South Marmara Development Agency, Kale Seramik Sanayi A.Ş, Şişecam A.Ş, TÜBİTAK MAM, Eti Maden General Directorate. , University Mohammed VI Polytechnique, and Universita Di Bologna will be carried out together with 16 institutions from Turkey and abroad. Studies within the scope of Sabancı University Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences Deputy Dean Prof. Dr. It will take place under the leadership of Selmiye Alkan Gürsel and Alp Yurum, Bülent Çatay and Bora Şekip Güray will take part as researchers in this project.
500 tons of green hydrogen will be produced and used in industry
Within the scope of the project, it is aimed that minimum 500 tons of green hydrogen to be produced at Enerjisa Üretim's site in Balıkesir will be transported by Linde Gaz and used in the facilities of Hydrogen Peroxide, Kale Seramik, Şişecam and Eti Maden. The project will focus not only on green hydrogen production, but also on the production of its derivatives.
In this context, it is aimed to produce hydrogen derivatives such as methanol and ammonia, which Turkey is dependent on, by green methods and with its own resources. At the same time, within the scope of the project, it is envisaged that the advantages of the boron mineral, which we have 73 percent of the world's reserves and which has an important place in the hydrogen economy, in hydrogen storage will be examined with the investment of the Sodium Boron Hydride Facility to be established in Balıkesir.
Commenting on the subject, Sabancı University Rector Prof. Dr. Yusuf Leblebici said:
“We aim to be one of the most recognized and appreciated research universities not only in Turkey but also in the world. We conduct pioneering and prominent research in our faculties and centers, and we receive high project support from domestic and foreign sources for these studies. With this project for green hydrogen production, storage and distribution technologies, which is one of the top priorities in the field of clean energy all over the world, we aim to further develop the scientific research capacity of our university and direct it to applied fields. We are very happy to contribute to this very important field together with our industry partners within the scope of the project.”