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Tender for investments in Hydrogen infrastructure in Italy
Posted on: 23 / 06 / 2024 | 0 Comentarios | Tags: E&M Combustión, Hydrogen infrastructure, Hydrogen projects in Italy, Infraestructuras de hidrógeno, Proyectos de Hidrógeno en Italia
Investments in hydrogen infrastructure in Italy. The Italian Ministry of Energy called the tender under the title “Hydrogen infrastructure development – Phase III” on June 14, 2024, an initiative for which interested parties can submit their proposals until August 1, 2024.
This initiative is an important step forward in Italy’s commitment to boost its hydrogen economy, which is crucial to achieving its decarbonization goals.
The main objective of this tender is to acquire services and materials necessary for the expansion of the hydrogen production and distribution infrastructure in the country. The Ministry of Energy aims to improve Italy’s ability to produce green hydrogen derived from renewable energy sources instead of fossil fuels, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Objectives of investments in hydrogen infrastructure in Italy
The tender invites companies to propose solutions for:
- Hydrogen Production Facilities:
– Construction or improvement of electrolysis plants to produce hydrogen from renewable energy sources.
– Integration with existing renewable energy plants to guarantee a constant energy supply.
– Compliance with EU sustainability standards. - Hydrogen Storage and Distribution:
– Development of advanced storage systems to efficiently manage hydrogen.
– Implement transportation solutions, including pipelines and tankers specialized in hydrogen logistics.
– Installation of hydrogen refueling stations to support hydrogen-powered vehicles. - Tecnical requirements:
– Proposals must demonstrate the use of cutting-edge technologies to ensure efficiency and minimize energy loss during production and storage.
– Safety features must be carefully detailed to meet international hydrogen safety standards.
– Proposals must include a scalability roadmap to accommodate future increases in hydrogen demand.
Significance for the sector
The hydrogen tender is a fundamental development in Italy’s energy sector, marking a transition towards a more sustainable and resilient energy system. Italy aims to reduce its carbon footprint by investing in green hydrogen infrastructure and contributing to the European Union’s overall climate goals. Furthermore, this tender presents an opportunity for technological advances and economic growth within the hydrogen sector, potentially positioning Italy as a leader in hydrogen innovation in Europe.
The submission deadline is August 1, 2024 and interested parties are encouraged to submit detailed proposals outlining their strategies and innovations to meet these objectives. Prospective bidders can visit the official website of the Ministry of Energy for more information and submission guidelines.
Infinite Green Energy supports the production of hydrogen for industrial use
Among the projects started, the Australian renewable hydrogen producer Infinite Green Energy (IGE) stands out, which expects to produce 12 tons of green hydrogen per day in Italy by the second half of 2026.
The company is developing its first European plant in a derelict area of Valle Peligna in Abruzzo, central Italy. According to the company, “it will be the largest green hydrogen project in southern Europe and will provide local heavy industry with clean energy to support the country’s broader energy transition.”
Italy plans to cover 40% of its energy consumption with renewable energy by 2030, divided into:
- 65% p65% for the electrical sector
- 37% for the thermal sector
- 31% for the transportation sector
- 42% green hydrogen for industrial use
Additionally, there is strong local support as a green economy creates growth and employment opportunities to replace industries closing in regional areas such as Valle Peligna.
Green light for the first Hydrogen Valley in the Calabria region
On the other hand, within the investments in hydrogen infrastructure in Italy, Calabria has announced the construction of the first Hydrogen Valley in southern Italy. With the publication of the authorization for the realization of the only project in the entire region, Lamezia Terme will host the first built among the 28 sites in southern Italy (for a total of 54 in the national territory), identified by the Government to be financed as part of the PNRR for the development of the hydrogen supply chain in the South. The “Hydrogen Valley Lamezia Terme” project will be built in the abandoned area of the old Sir, where an industrial dream that never took off is located. The project, proposed by Teca Gas Srl, was designed and carried out by Techfem.
The Lamezia plant will produce hydrogen (2MW), will have storage and compression areas (up to 220 barg), will be powered by a 461 kW photovoltaic park and will also have a loading dock available for filling bottle trailers to transport hydrogen. Teca Gas, which already deals with LPG packaging, will thus expand its radius of action, since the ambitious objective of the project is to promote the local production and use of hydrogen in industry and transport, giving life to the Hydrogen Valley model, already developed in some European Union countries.
The plant will come into operation on June 30, 2026 and constitutes one of the relevant projects of Techfem’s 2024-2026 Industrial Plan, which foresees an increase in employment of 50 more people at the Lamezia Terme headquarters alone. The project is financed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), Mission 2 “Green revolution and ecological transition”, Component 2 “Renewable energy, hydrogen, network and sustainable mobility”, investment 3.1 “Production in disused industrial areas” . This investment is supported by the European Union – NEXT Generation EU, based on the resources provided for in the executive decree of the Calabria Region n.73 of 01/05/2023.
Despite the initial success of Teca and Techfem, the transition to the hydrogen economy is complex. In Italy, companies face difficulties in obtaining authorizations to build plants and service stations due to an uncertain regulatory framework. This regulatory uncertainty, both at the national and local level, slows down times and increases the risk of delays in projects, compromising the schedules provided by the PNRR.
Other investments in Hydrogen infrastructure in Italy
Likewise, De Nora Italy Hydrogen Technologies, a subsidiary of the Milanese Industrie De Nora S.p.A., began construction work on a Gigafactory, which will become the largest electrolyzer production center in Italy, with a planned capacity of 2 GW equivalent by 2030.
The project is part of a broader multi-year expansion plan for the De Nora Group’s production capacity and involves the construction of a production center in Cernusco sul Naviglio, covering approximately 25,000 square meters. The facility will serve as Italy’s main hub for electrolysers used in green hydrogen generation, systems and components for water electrolysis and fuel cells, and will also be a modern facility serving De Nora’s other divisions. In addition to its value from an industrial point of view, the project stands out for its strong commitment to sustainability and innovation, adopting a modern concept of industrial architecture based on low environmental impact criteria.
The Gigafactory represents a primary industrial asset for De Nora and stands out internationally in terms of production capacity, qualifying as strategic to facilitate the achievement of the sustainability objectives that are part of the European Green Deal. The DNHIT, in collaboration with the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, obtained approximately 32 million euros through a concession decree in July 2023. This financing supports companies participating in Important Projects of Common European Interest (Fund IPCEI) and is financed by the PNRR – National Recovery and Resilience Plan Resources. Additional funding, up to approximately €63 million, may be available.
The initiative will support the reduction of electrolyzer production costs, contributing significantly to the fulfillment of the final projected installed capacity in Europe and the objective of technological neutrality necessary linked to the energy transition process.
The location of the Gigafactory in a mainly industrial and manufacturing area not far from Milan will contribute to local economic and employment growth, with the expectation of creating around 200 direct jobs and around 2,000 induced employment opportunities. Construction is expected to be completed between late 2025 and early 2026.
Paolo Dellachà, general director of Industrie De Nora, commented: “We are proud to announce the start of construction works on the Gigafactory, an ambitious and unique project in terms of production capacity and size, which confirms the centrality of De Nora in the European scene as a facilitator of the energy transition process. The productive center of the future will rise on the outskirts of Milan, an example of a virtuous union between sustainability and innovation, where a large part of the Group’s Italian productive activity will be concentrated. It will be an architecturally sustainable project, perfectly integrated into the territory where it is built. It will benefit the community, but, above all, it will be the fulcrum for the production of green hydrogen technologies that will have a positive impact on the international decarbonization process.”
As an industrial combustion engineering company, E&M Combustión develops the most innovative Combustion Technologies to offer gas burners, diesel burners, mixed burners and alternative fuel burners, made to measure. The company is an international reference in ATEX and NEC Burners, Hot Gas Generators and Combustion Equipment for alternative fuels such as Hydrogen and Biogas.
Sources: Green Hydrogen News, Austrade, Techfem, Chemical Engineering and agencies
