AUA Hosts Roundtable Discussion on Green Hydrogen Development in Armenia

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YEREVAN, Armenia — On July 27, the American University of Armenia (AUA) hosted a roundtable discussion on the potential of green hydrogen development in Armenia. Jointly organized by the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment and the Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC), the Energy Transitions for Climate Solutions Initiative (Energy4Climate) event brought together representatives from the government, particularly from ministries involved in energy issues, as well as private sector entities, and technical experts. 

The discussion was initiated in response to the expressed interest in green hydrogen by the RA government and private sector and in light of a recent study completed for the RA Ministry of Economy by the “Berlin Economics” consulting firm. The roundtable explored green hydrogen’s technical feasibility, market viability, investment opportunities, and potential to enhance Armenia’s energy security. 

Alen Amirkhanian, director of the Acopian Center for the Environment, gave the opening remarks, calling attention to Armenia’s significant reliance on imported energy sources — around 94% in 2020, including gas, petroleum, enriched uranium, and more. “The Energy4Climate initiative looks to generate intensive discussions and create a network of energy practitioners for a more energy secure and globally connected Armenia,” says Amirkhanian. 

The first speaker was Armen Danielian, an adjunct lecturer at AUA, who gave an overview of the hydrogen production process and global development trends in the context of energy independence. He presented the main findings of the “Berlin Economics” study, which argues that while green hydrogen production costs can be lower in Armenia than in other countries, the lack of domestic demand, as well as unclear pathways for exporting hydrogen from Armenia, make the process of attracting investments more challenging. Nonetheless, the hydrogen market, in Armenia and globally, is still in its early stage, and additional analysis and feasibility tests would be needed, including alternative in-country uses and potential export pathways.

Speaking next was Vahe Avetisyan, co-owner and managing director of VVInEx Group, who delineated the opportunities for green hydrogen application in Armenia. The presentation touched on the main directions of green hydrogen use. His conclusive remark was that driving fuel cell vehicles cost less than gasoline or diesel cars as long as the hydrogen price is around or below 12 USD per kilogram. The Berlin Economics report estimates the cost of production in Armenia to be around 3.4 USD per kilogram.

The roundtable then featured Serge Adamian and Vahe Odabashian from Armenia-based H2GO LLC, who presented their analysis of the potential benefits of green hydrogen for Armenia. Among the topics discussed were opportunities derived from the diversification of energy supplies, long-term energy storage, backup power for critical facilities, chemical production, and carbon capture. Armén Sedefian, CEO of Solges Energy, concluded the round of presentations by introducing a hydrogen initiative, which will be implemented in Armenia in cooperation with the RA government. 

The roundtable ended with a facilitated discussion among representatives from the government ministries involved in energy, the private sector, and technical experts. The participants exchanged ideas on the potential of hydrogen development, the main opportunities and challenges, and proposed next steps. 

The Energy Transitions for Climate Solutions is an AUA platform to foster knowledge, policy dialogue, and capacity strengthening in energy issues that will lead to innovation, entrepreneurship, business development, and investment in sustainable energy solutions, locally and globally. In its first phase, the initiative is organizing a series of activities to mobilize and facilitate Armenia’s energy transition toward sustainability and greater energy security. 

The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit http://ace.aua.am.

The Entrepreneurship and Product Innovation Center (EPIC) is a platform of the American University of Armenia (AUA) for promoting entrepreneurial education, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and startup venture incubation. EPIC provides an ecosystem for emerging entrepreneurs consisting of first-class facilities and collaborative workspace, programs and events, and a network of mentors, advisors, and investors. EPIC fosters the understanding and application of entrepreneurship in students and faculty at AUA to craft high-impact multidisciplinary ventures. https://epic.aua.am/