site.btaKyustendil Municipality and Trakia University Discuss Green Hydrogen Production

Kyustendil Municipality will deepen its cooperation with Trakia University in various academic fields, Mayor Ognyan Atanasov said on Wednesday.

One of the projects will aim to create the first hydrogen valley in Bulgaria, with 400 kg of hydrogen per day for Kyustendil alone, noted Atanasov. "This is something quite innovative and is to be discussed at a meeting of the Municipal Council", he added.

In order to produce green hydrogen, the construction of a photovoltaic park on the urbanised territory will be necessary. The idea is to power hydrogen vehicles for social services and the municipal administration for example, which will also be purchased under the project. Trakia University will coordinate the project, in partnership with Kyustendil Municipality, as well as the Stara Zagora and Karlovo municipalities.

Other collaborations of the municipality and the university will include projects to preserve the Eastern Balkan swine, for which the National Association for Breeding Local Pig Breeds was launched in April 2024. "Kyustendil is one of the places in the country where this species still exists," commented the Mayor.

There will also be cooperation regarding the training of nurses, as the municipality will support the profession by offering scholarships to students under the condition that they work in Kyustendil after graduating.