COP27: EU, Kazakhstan to partner on green hydrogen, batteries, raw materials

The EU and Kazakhstan are to partner on developing renewable hydrogen and battery value chains, along with an agreement on securing raw material supplies, they said at the UN Climate Change Conference in Egypt Nov. 7.

The memorandum of understanding, signed on the sidelines of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, focuses on economic and industrial integration of strategic value chains, increasing resilience in supply chains, and closer bilateral cooperation on skills, research and innovation, the European Commission said in a statement.

The EU and Kazakhstan will develop a road map for 2023-24, with concrete actions expected within six months, the EC said.

"A secure and sustainable supply of raw materials, refined materials and renewable hydrogen is a key layer to help build a new, cleaner foundation for our economies, especially as we move away from our dependency on fossil fuels," EC President Ursula von der Leyen said in the statement.

The partnership aims to modernize mining and refining processes and technologies, and decarbonize the raw materials value chain through using renewable energy.

Von der Leyen is to meet with Namibian President Hage Geingob Nov. 8 to sign a similar partnership, the EC said.

The drive is part of the EU's action plan on critical raw materials, focused on securing supplies essential to its energy transition.

It already has agreements in place with Canada and Ukraine.

Platts assessed the cost of producing renewable hydrogen via alkaline electrolysis in Europe at Eur16.69/kg ($16.68/kg) Nov. 4 (Netherlands, including capex), based on month-ahead power prices. PEM electrolysis production was assessed at Eur19.81/kg, while blue hydrogen production by steam methane reforming (including carbon, CCS and capex) was Eur7.49/kg.

Platts is part of S&P Global Commodity Insights.