Hydrogen is the solution that can promote decarbonisation and reduce the environmental impact.
We have addressed the topic by talking about green steel in this article.
In 2050, hydrogen could represent a quarter of the share of energy consumption in Europe and for development in Italy there is a need for a national strategy that includes both a legislative network and investments in infrastructure, research and innovation.
The report “Support tools for the hydrogen sector. Priorities for the development of the hydrogen supply chain in Italy ”presented by H2IT focuses on these issues.
Here are some of the main points of the report:
In Italy, the total share of energy produced by hydrogen is around 1%, used for the steel, steel and refining industries
This hydrogen is not clean, but produced from fossil fuels whose production releases between 70 and 100 million tonnes of CO2 throughout the EU.
The sector is highly technological, its turnover is 820 billion euros a year and creates 5.4 million new jobs by 2050 in Europe. In less than thirty years we can witness a revolution that could change the society and economy of the old continent.
Hydrogen produced from renewable sources through the water electrolysis process is free from both carbon and polluting emissions.
Hydrogen is essential to achieve the EU goal of reducing emissions by 100% by 2050 and by 60% by 2030
The path traced by the EU Commission has two main objectives:
– reach 6GW of electrolysers installed to produce 1 million tons of green hydrogen by 2024;
– reach 40 GW by 2030 for a production of 10 million tons in Europe.
The report includes some strategic priorities which aim to break down the barriers to the development of the hydrogen sector in Italy.
1. Define the long-term strategic role of hydrogen: it is essential to trace a clear direction that indicates specific actions and defined objectives to support the sector and enable investments. In the first phase of development, public support will be needed to cover existing economic gaps through dedicated and stable long-term support.
2. Develop a clear legislative and technical-regulatory framework: certain rules, simplified at the bureaucratic level and harmonized at an international level would allow the companies involved in the entire supply chain to operate, on a European scenario, in favorable conditions also for investments.
3. Guarantee the certification of renewable and low-emission hydrogen: a certification system based on Guarantees of Origin in order to promote renewable and low-emission hydrogen, in line with European directives.
4. Supporting research, innovation and training: in this phase of development, the role of research centers is primary, so they should be supported with simplified accessibility funding for specific demonstration or research projects. The evolution of the sector will also require professionals specialized in a wide range of technical knowledge that can be created by investing in education, from high school to university to train future specialized technicians. An unmissable opportunity for a country that wants to restart by creating new employment opportunities.
5. Develop a refueling infrastructure for mobility: the construction of a network of refueling stations for hydrogen vehicles is the best solution to allow the circulation of fuel cell vehicles for both light and heavy road transport, but also dedicated to rail transport and vehicles in logistics hubs, such as ports and airports.
7. Encourage strategic collaboration between Hydrogen Valleys projects: it is a priority to identify the initial nuclei for the synergistic development of multiple end uses and to develop different applications in order to favor the growth of demand, the scale-up of technologies and consequently reduce the costs.
8. Raise awareness and inform public opinion: the development of the supply chain must be accompanied by information campaigns and educational projects on hydrogen technologies and applied safety procedures.
