Piedmont “pushes” on hydrogen and joins Hydrogen Europe
Piedmont accelerates its transition to hydrogen, becoming the first Italian region to join the Hydrogen Europe association, the main European organization based in Brussels that brings together the most important European companies as well as public actors interested in making a true ecological transition.
“On the PNRR, hydrogen is one of our hallmark projects,” says Piedmont Region President Alberto Cirio. “We hope to be one of the world capitals.”
“With this act, approved by the Executive, Piedmont confirms its leadership role in the national and international development of hydrogen technology, both to help achieve the goals of decarbonization of energy, industrial, and transportation systems by 2050 and to support industrial supply chains and the strengths present in our territory, according to Regional Councilor for Research and Innovation Matteo Marnati. Piedmont is a region with enormous potential, and it is the Italian area with the most comprehensive offer of spaces, equipment, and intelligence at the service of national firms in this technological sector, as well as a European territory of excellence “..
“Joining Hydrogen Europe, as the only Italian region among the most important European industrial players,” Marnati continues, “represents both a great opportunity and a great challenge for us to implement concrete development policies for this technology, aimed at environmental sustainability while also allowing us to create opportunities for our territory’s entrepreneurial and employment development.”
Piedmont has been working on this issue for some time and is one of the few regions in Italy to have built and supported the creation of a hydrogen supply chain, which has allowed the creation and consolidation of a research and innovation system connected to European networks, as well as a system of companies active in the field of hydrogen.
«Adherence to Hydrogen Europe, adds the commissioner, is a continuation of the route already begun in Piedmont with membership in the European Union “The Hydrogen “group was formed as part of the Eusalp project for the Alpine macroregion and the European Hydrogen Valleys. We’ve also signed on to a public notice in which the Ministry of Ecological Transition announced, as part of the PNRR, an effort to promote investments in green hydrogen generation in decommissioned industrial regions, and we’re mapping out possible sites “.
Hydrogen Valley Modena
The “Hydrogen Valley Modena” Plan envisions a sustainable hydrogen refueling station that would use fuel generated in a Hera plant in conjunction with Snam; a second plant for hydrogen production by PV electrolysis is also proposed in the waste region in via Caruso. “However, the construction of a center of excellence for research and training will go hand in hand with the production and distribution of clean energy, a plan on the basis of which we are seeking to grasp every financial opportunity at the regional and national level, starting with Pnrr.”
The president, Benedetta Brighenti, and the director, Piergabriele Andreoli, presented the lines of the Plan produced by the Agency for Energy and Sustainable Development (Aess). Alessandra Filippi, municipal councilor for the environment and sustainable mobility; Carlo Adolfo Porro, rector of Unimore; Cosma Panzacchi, executive vice president of Hydrogen at Snam; Stefano Venier, managing director of the Hera group; Andrea Burzacchini, sole director of the Amo mobility agency; Antonio Nicolini, president of Seta spa were among those who attended the meeting.
Demo center and the Consortium for productive activities, areas, and services are among the stakeholders engaged in the Municipality-sponsored initiative. Cristiano Amoretti, Ferrari spa’s Head of Infrastructures, Ecology, and Health & Safety, together with the President of the Province Giandomenico Tomei and the President of the Chamber of Commerce Giuseppe Molinari, took part in the session.
Vincenzo Colla, Regional Councilor for Economic Development and Green Economy, Work and Training, presented the conclusions, emphasizing how important the initiative is “In accordance with the Regional Council’s decision last Monday to submit an expression of interest to the Ministry of Ecological Transition for the selection of project proposals to create green hydrogen production sites in abandoned industrial areas, the Regional Council has decided to send the expression of interest to the Ministry of Ecological Transition. I believe that hydrogen energy generation is the green operation of the future and that the applied research and development of this energy source in the manufacturing, civil, and mobility systems will be faster than we anticipate, he said “.. In the case of the regional councilor, “As a result, the Hydrogen Valley Modena project needs special attention, not least since it exemplifies several key characteristics. First and foremost, the temporal speed of placement, with the correct understanding that the future must be prepared now. Second, having realized that this technology cannot be grounded without establishing a public-private structure. Finally, the Hydrogen Valley project partners’ high quality and determination, beginning with the Institutions, the University, Hera, Snam, and Seta “.. “Today, it is apparent that a quality project has already been drafted,” Colla says, “making Modena a significant interlocutor in terms of the resources and calls for tenders that we as a Region will issue, once specified by the Mite method and criteria.” having realized that this technology cannot be anchored without establishing a public-private structure. Finally, the Hydrogen Valley project partners’ high quality and determination, beginning with the Institutions, the University, Hera, Snam, and Seta “.. “Today, it is apparent that a quality project has already been drafted,” Colla says, “making Modena a significant interlocutor in terms of the resources and calls for tenders that we as a Region will issue, once specified by the Mite method and criteria.” having realized that this technology cannot be anchored without establishing a public-private structure. Finally, the Hydrogen Valley project partners’ high quality and determination, beginning with the Institutions, the University, Hera, Snam, and Seta “.. “Today, it is apparent that a quality project has already been drafted,” Colla says, “making Modena a significant interlocutor in terms of the resources and calls for tenders that we as a Region will issue, once specified by the Mite method and criteria.”
The distributor envisioned in the “Hydrogen Valley Modena” Plan will be erected at an area near the crossroads of Autosole and Autobrennero, which is strategically placed for European large traffic corridors. The plant, which will cost around 2 million euros, is expected to supply both a fleet of 12 local public transportation buses (which Seta will acquire with Pnrr funding worth around 8 million euros) and an anticipated annual usage. A total of 110 tons of hydrogen will be distributed, with another 70 tons going to the road transport and private car markets. The 180 tons of hydrogen for mobility would result in a yearly carbon dioxide reduction of 2 kton. The procurement would take place at the Hera “Waste-to-Energy” facility, which was created with a € 8.7 million investment.
The “Hydrogen Valley Modena” Plan defines five major interventions for the production, distribution, consumption, and research and development of green hydrogen, including a distributor and a facility.
In addition to the renewable hydrogen refueling station and the green hydrogen production plant, a photovoltaic electrolysis plant is also planned in the via Caruso landfill area, with an estimated investment of around 25 million euros, followed by an Energy Park with renewable energy production and the construction of a forest as an urban green belt (estimated investment of 22 million euros), and a Center of Excellence (Innovation Hub) to facilitate the creation of a solid petrochemical infrastructure.
