The energy transition towards sustainable sources is revolutionising the global fuel landscape.
In this context of profound change, hydrogen as a fuel represents one of the possible alternatives, offering innovative solutions for the decarbonisation of the transport sector.
In fact, hydrogen has the great advantage of being a clean fuel, whose combustion produces only water or water vapour.
From cars to trains, ships to planes, this energy carrier is opening up new possibilities for a low-emission future in the transport sector.
The latest technological developments in hydrogen and sustainable fuels
Research into the use of hydrogen for green mobility is undergoing significant acceleration thanks to public and private investment. In fact, fuel cell technologies have now reached a good level of commercial maturity.
In addition, synthetic fuels derived from hydrogen, such as e-fuel, green methanol and ammonia, are being developed, which in the long term represent possible alternatives to fossil fuels.
Innovation is mainly focused on improving the efficiency of production processes, developing distribution infrastructure and optimising storage systems. The aim is to progressively reduce operating costs in order to make hydrogen an economically sustainable solution and encourage its large-scale use in the transport sector.
The advantages of hydrogen as a fuel compared to fossil fuels
Hydrogen has a number of characteristics that make it particularly attractive for the decarbonisation of transport. Its main advantages are:
- fast refuelling times, comparable to those of traditional fuels
- high autonomy, ideal for intensive and long-range applications.
From an environmental point of view, green hydrogen produced from renewable sources guarantees zero emissions during use, contributing significantly to greenhouse gas emission reduction targets.
Furthermore, its versatility allows it to be used both directly in fuel cells and as a raw material for the production of synthetic fuels, offering diversified solutions for different modes of passenger and freight transport.
Let’s take a look at the possible fields of application for hydrogen in mobility.
Innovative applications of hydrogen as a fuel in the transport sector
In the transport sector, the use of hydrogen represents an innovative and environmentally sustainable solution in several areas:
Road mobility: fuel cell vehicles
In road transport, hydrogen is ideally suited to the heavy-duty and commercial vehicle segment. Hydrogen-powered trucks offer performance equivalent to diesel trucks, with the advantage of zero local emissions and reduced refuelling times compared to electric charging.
As for hydrogen-powered urban public transport, hydrogen buses are already proving their effectiveness in several Italian cities. Some ongoing pilot projects are showing encouraging results, with operational fleets providing reliable and sustainable services. In fact, FCEV (Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) technology is establishing itself as a complementary solution to electrification, particularly advantageous for long-distance extra-urban routes or intensive use. Furthermore, this solution represents a concrete alternative to electric vehicles in contexts where hydrogen is available in large quantities, such as in Hydrogen Valleys.
In the passenger car segment, however, the adoption of hydrogen is still limited, both because of costs that are currently uncompetitive compared to fully electric solutions and because of the lack of refuelling stations distributed throughout the territory. Despite this, there is growing interest from manufacturers in hydrogen models aimed at specific market niches.
For example, the Autonomous Province of Bolzano has implemented a full-service long-term rental service for FCEV vehicles, some of which are used by service operators such as the Carabinieri, Fire Brigade and local authorities.
Rail transport: the sustainable alternative to diesel
The railway sector is a very promising field of application for hydrogen. In fact, fuel cell trains are an ideal solution for non-electrified routes, where the installation of electrical infrastructure would be economically unsustainable.
Hydrogen rail technology has demonstrated its potential in tests and operational projects launched in some European countries such as Germany, Spain and Portugal, with performance equivalent to traditional diesel systems. However, there are still some critical issues to be resolved, related both to the high costs of purchasing and managing hydrogen and to technical difficulties and reliability problems encountered in some of the projects currently underway.
In Italy, several regional lines have been selected for pilot projects that will test the effectiveness of this technology in real operating conditions. In particular, investments from the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan) are earmarked for the development of hydrogen trains for certain railway lines located in:
- Lombardy (Brescia – Edolo)
- Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany (Florence – Pontassieve – Borgo San Lorenzo – Faenza; Lucca – Aulla)
- Umbria, Lazio and Abruzzo: (Terni – Rieti – L’Aquila – Sulmona)
- Puglia (Lecce – Gallipoli – Leuca)
- Calabria (Reggio Calabria – Catanzaro)
- Sicily (Syracuse – Modica; Modica – Gela; Gela – Canicattì; Lentini – Gela)
- Sardinia (entire regional network)
Maritime and aviation sector: towards low-emission fuels
In the maritime and aviation sector, there are increasingly stringent European regulations encouraging the adoption of sustainable fuels, creating a favourable environment for the development of innovative solutions based on hydrogen.
In maritime transport, the European FuelEU Maritime Regulation14 aims to increase the share of renewable and low-emission fuels, with the goal of reducing the greenhouse gas intensity of fuels used by 2% by 2025 and up to 80% by 2050.
In this context, hydrogen is an energy carrier that is being viewed with great interest for the decarbonisation of the sector in the medium to long term. In fact, it can be used to produce green ammonia, methanol and e-fuels, which are considered the most promising sustainable fuels as alternatives to fossil fuels.
The aviation sector is also exploring the use of hydrogen as a fuel, both in its pure form, albeit only for regional or short-haul flights, and as a raw material for the production of e-fuels, in particular synthetic kerosene. In fact, sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) derived from hydrogen are one of the main ways to achieve the decarbonisation targets set by the RefuelEU Aviation Regulation, which provides for:
- a minimum share of sustainable aviation fuel of 2% in 2025, rising to 70% in 2050
- a minimum share of synthetic aviation fuels, which also contributes to achieving the minimum share of sustainable aviation fuel, of 0.7% in 2030 and up to 35% in 2050.
Simplifhy: the strategic partner for the transition to hydrogen
In this scenario of transformation of the transport sector towards the use of green fuels, Simplifhy positions itself as a reference technology partner for companies and organisations that want to embrace the opportunities offered by hydrogen.
Our experience in the sector allows us to provide specialised consulting and innovative solutions for the integration of hydrogen into sustainable mobility strategies.
To cite a concrete example, we supported Loccioni, an industrial company committed to the development of sustainability solutions, in the creation of a real Ecological Transition Laboratory with a project dedicated to hydrogen mobility. In particular, we provided our Compressorless HRS solution for refuelling a hydrogen-powered vehicle purchased by the company. This is a mobile, compressorless dispenser that allows hydrogen-powered vehicles to be refuelled quickly and safely.
Through a personalised consulting approach, we help our customers identify the best hydrogen application opportunities for their needs, from technical and economic assessment to the definition of an implementation roadmap.
Our mission is to facilitate the transition to a sustainable energy future, including in the mobility sector, by providing the necessary expertise and technological tools.
Contact us for personalised advice.
