Denmark-based Copenhagen Offshore Partners intends to lease Shumshu Island in the Northern Kuril Islands to produce hydrogen from wind power. Investors are ready to invest from 2 to $ 2.5 billion in the project and produce 1.5 GW, 120 thousand tons of hydrogen, Governor of the Sakhalin Region Valery Limarenko told RBC.
The entrepreneurs plan to sell hydrogen to Japan.
“These are primordially Russian [Северные Курильские] islands, so there are no obstacles to building long-term trade relations in the field of hydrogen production and hydrogen energy, ”said Limarenko.
According to him, the Danish company asked to provide land for exploration, and this does not mean that “the project will definitely take place.” The head of Sakhalin noted that he had told Finance Minister Anton Siluanov about investment projects, including hydrogen ones.
“We are ready to go to blue hydrogen, which is produced by the conversion method from methane and electrolysis using wind power and water,” added Limarenko.
In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that preferential treatment would be introduced for businesses operating in the Kuril Islands. It implies, among other things, the abolition of taxes on profits, property, land and transport for 10 years. Other economic incentives are also implied: the amount of insurance premiums will be reduced for 10 years from the current approximately 30% to 7.6%, and a free customs zone regime will be introduced on all Kurils. According to the president, we are talking about companies that “do not just register in the Kuril Islands, but actually work on the islands, build buildings, enterprises, and hire employees.”
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