The topic of energy transition is increasingly at the centre of public debate every day, and hydrogenplays a leading role in achieving energy independence in Italy and around the world.
As we mentioned in the article on the PNRR’s incentives for the transition to hydrogen, the Italian government has earmarked almost 4 billion euros for the development of the national supply chain for this chemical element.
In particular, the need for energy self-sufficiency, the falling cost of renewable energies, and the urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions lead to consider even more interesting the enormous potential of hydrogen.
Hydrogen reshapes the relationship between states
Using hydrogen as an energy vector makes it possible to redesign the relational structure between states and peoples and develop the conditions to achieve energy autonomy.
As of today, Italy is among the leading European nations in terms of energy consumption and imports, and this means being at risk of continuous economic increases, but not only.
Being energy-dependent on another state also means not having control over the energy sources that power one’s own country.
This issue has come to the forefront recently following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Europe’s dependence on Russian natural gas is one of the main reasons why, unlike the United States, the countries of the old continent have a cautious and accommodating attitude towards Vladimir Putin’s government.
Focusing on our country, theMinistry of Ecological Transition reported that in 2021 Italy consumed around 73 billion cubic metres of gas. Of this, 29 billion (about 40 per cent of our gas imports) came from Russia. Of this, 29 billion (about 40 per cent of our gas imports) came from Russia. Therefore, if the Russian government decided to cut off gas supplies, in response to a tough political or even military clash with Europe, Italy would lose almost half of its imports.
Therefore, the need to think of new strategies for energy supply, sustainabilityand autonomyis becoming increasingly evident.
In general, hydrogen represents an extraordinary resource for a nation’s energy self-sufficiency and for reducing CO₂ emissions, especially in sectors such as:
Decarbonising transport with hydrogen solutions
Using hydrogen as an energy carrier in mobility is the best decarbonisation solution for heavy transport.
Thanks to a higher energy density per unit weight than any other fuel, hydrogen makes it possible to buildFuel Cell Vehicles (FCEVs) with twice the range of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and refuelling times similar to those of conventional diesel vehicles.
This is even more true for heavy vehicles, where the very high volume and weight of batteries makes electric choice inappropriate.
The hydrogen solution is best suited for long journeys and the transport of heavy loads.
The use of hydrogen in industry
Italy’s energy independence from foreign gas also passes through the use of hydrogen in industry.
In fact, hydrogen can be used to decarbonise the most CO₂-intensive sectors.
For example, it can supplement or replace the use of fossil fuels to generate high temperature heat and reduce pollutant emissions.
In addition, green hydrogen can be used to replace hydrogen produced from natural gas – grey hydrogen – in various industrial processes that make direct use of this element, resulting in the elimination of pollutant emissions in production.
Hydrogen as an energy carrier for heating
The use of hydrogen as an energy carrier for heatingrepresents the solution to reduce emissions in thermal energy consumption, particularly in regions with a colder climate.
To date, in fact, much of Italy’s domestic heating is linked to the use of gas of fossil origin, with significant environmental impacts that hydrogen could reduce to zero.
Not to mention that, thanks to the possibility of storage, hydrogen can be retained for a long time and can guarantee energy independence even in remote locations.
Simplifhy products as a solution for energy independence
In this context, we at Simplifhy offer a range of fully customisable products, able to produce hydrogen by means of electrolysis and store it even in remote areas.
In particular, our offer includes:
- HYPER-GEN, the integrated system for electricity production that allows only renewable sources to be used and guarantees energy independence in the case of remote areas or sites that are not accessible to the electricity grid.
- H2-BASIC, the integrated system for the production and storage of hydrogen, ideal within the industrial processes of small and large companies that already use this element.
- H2-OXY, the integrated system for the production and storage of hydrogen that can be used to improve the production and energy efficiency of applications, thanks to the recovery of the oxygen generated in the electrolysis process.
- H2-POWER, the integrated system for the production, storage, and subsequent use of hydrogen to generate electricity, which makes it possible to store energy from renewable sources for long periods and increase energy independence.
Learn more about our customisable hydrogen solutions.
Contact usfor more information.
