In the panel dedicated to the green revolution in the Eastern Mediterranean and South-Eastern Europe, Plamena Nenkova, Deputy Executive Director “Strategies, Communications and International Relations” at Glavbolgarstroy, presented the green ideas in construction and the innovative projects that the company is currently working on.

The fourth edition of “Southeast Europe&EastMed”, organized by “Delphi Economic Forum” gathered participants from all over the world in the American capital, Washington. Adm. James Fogo, Dean of the Ceter for Marine Strategy at the Navy League of the United States, Jeffrey Pyatt, d. Secretary of State for Energy Resources at the US State Department and Simeon Tsomokos, member of the International Advisory Board of Glavbolgarstroy commented on the future of European energy security in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“Without a doubt, the current solution to the energy challenges facing Europe is natural gas (NG), in the medium term – the solar and wind energy, but in the long term the topic of hydrogen as an energy source is on the agenda”, comments Nenkova.

The focus of speakers at the conference’s energy panel in the US capital was the Eastern Mediterranean’s untapped potential in clean energy production and how stronger regional partnerships can act to tackle climate challenges.

The problems of energy transmission, where the role of the construction sector is key, were also on the event’s agenda. As an executor of numerous strategic projects in Southeastern Europe, Glavbolgarstroy outlined its priority on energy infrastructure connectivity and ensuring the application of future green policies with its construction expertise.

“As a leader in South-Eastern Europe in the field of building energy infrastructure, GBS has been closely monitoring the development of the energy markets and the ongoing transition to RES for decades. The construction sector may contribute to rapidly expand the scale of one project and create a competitive, integrated and liquid market for hydrogen and other energy sources”, shares Nenova and adds that undoubtedly one of the main advantages of Glavbolgarstroy as a company is the long-term partnership with leading companies in the supply of equipment in the energy sector – Solar Turbines and Honeywell, as well as the operational GBS office in Brussels, through which the company closely monitors all topics related to the financing of green solutions.

The focus of GBS in the field of hydrogen to date is in several directions:

• Modernization of the gas infrastructure in order to transfer additional quantities of H2 when mixed with natural gas
• Construction of specialized hydrogen infrastructure
• Engagement of engineering, financial and administrative capacity to implement projects for green hydrogen production

Senator Chris Van Hollen expressed gratitude to Greece and other NATO allies for their cooperation and commented on the US – Greece relations

The European Commission’s goals to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 are certainly ambitious, especially for regions such as South-Eastern Europe. In its “Re-Power EU” plan, the European Commission has effectively doubled its 2030 hydrogen targets, requiring the production of 10 million tonnes of “green” hydrogen, as well as the import of an additional 10 million tonnes of clean hydrogen. Achieving these goals undoubtedly requires the mobilization of the entire construction industry as a main pillar in the construction of the energy infrastructure, not only in the territory of South-Eastern Europe, but also in the aspect of intercontinental trade and energy transport, comments the GBS team.