On the occasion of the National Holiday, István Lepsényi, the president of the Hungarian Hydrogen Technology Association, was honored.
Csaba Lantos awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit with a star to István Lepsényi, a Széchenyi Prize-winning economic engineer, mechanical engineer, and president of the Hungarian Hydrogen Technology Association, at a state ceremony organized on the occasion of the national holiday on August 15, 2024. In his speech before the presentation of the awards, the minister explained that „in the field of energy matters, the best solutions must be found for Hungary in order to ensure safe, sustainable and affordable supply.” In his celebratory speech, Csaba Lantos emphasized: the difficulties have not become smaller, the struggles have not become easier either. The reorganization of the centers of gravity of the world economy is taking place at an ever faster pace, global competition has entered a critical phase, and Europe will fall behind if it does not do everything to increase competitiveness, he explained. The Ministry of Energy is on the front line, its work has a direct impact on how Hungary overcomes the current difficulties and how successfully it finds its place in the transforming world economy, the minister emphasized. In the field of energy matters, Hungary needs to find the best solutions for safe, sustainable and affordable supply. Guaranteeing the country’s energy security and strengthening energy sovereignty remains a priority, he said. Csaba Lantos recalled that the concept aimed at strengthening energy sovereignty is based on two main elements, nuclear and renewable energy. It is necessary to complete the Paks 2 investment and to extend the operating life of the existing units by an expected twenty years, as well as to produce and store green energy and clean energy carriers. With the rapid spread of weather-dependent producers, the modernization of the electricity network must also keep up, he emphasized. The minister explained: increased attention must be paid to improving competitiveness and affordable energy prices, which is why Hungary made the adoption of the competitiveness agreement a central issue of its EU presidency. At the same time, the government still does not budge from its previous principles: the definition of the national energy mix must remain within the jurisdiction of the member states, and they will also defend the utility reduction, which guarantees the lowest electricity and gas prices for Hungarian families in Europe, he added. The minister also called the results achieved in the transition to a circular economy important, including the introduction of new waste management with the extended producer responsibility system and the mandatory redemption fee system. Csaba Lantos touched on the fact that in the ministry’s work, the issue of climate and environmental protection is associated with energy issues as an equal task. The resources that determine development include water; in addition to the tasks related to water utility services, the management of water management and water protection was added to the ministry, which is the most significant step in the water sector in the last twenty years – he pointed out. At the ceremony, Csaba Lantos awarded the Commander’s Cross with the star of the Hungarian Order of Merit to István Lepsényi, a Széchenyi Prize-winning economic engineer, mechanical engineer, and president of the Hungarian Hydrogen Technology Association. The Hungarian Order of Merit was awarded the Order of Merit by the electrical engineer Gábor Házi, doctor of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, head of the Reactor Monitoring and Simulator Laboratory of the Atomic Energy Research Institute of the HUN-REN Energy Research Center, and economist Péter Kaderják, head of the Zero Carbon Center of the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, the Hungarian Managing Director of the Battery Association. Economist András Biczók, the former CEO of MAVIR Magyar Electricity Industry Átvitele Rezdenszártószág Zrt., flood protection consultant Illés Bódi, retired head of the Central-Tisza Water Administration, jr., were awarded the Knight’s Cross of the Hungarian Order of Merit Economist Attila Chikán, President-CEO of Alteo Energiaszolgáltató Nyrt., Economist Ferencz I. Szabolcs, President-CEO of FGSZ Földgázsválló Zrt., Ádám Homonnay, Operations Manager of the Mol Group’s Exploration and Production Business, Csaba Kiss, Production Manager of MVM Zrt. deputy CEO and economist Benjámin Lakatos, CEO of MET Holding AG. The minister also presented the Hungarian Gold Cross of Merit, the Hungarian Silver Cross of Merit and ministerial recognition certificates.