Mapping hydrogen initiatives in Italy: An overview of funding and projects

The global momentum towards hydrogen has led to various initiatives aimed at leveraging hydrogen’s potential. Particularly, low-carbon hydrogen is recognized for its crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions across hard-to-abate sectors such as steel, cement and heavy-duty transport. This study focuses on presenting all the funding initiatives in Italy, providing a comprehensive overview of the diverse hydrogen-related activities and their geographical locations. The funding investigated stem from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), projects directly funded through the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI), and various initiatives supported by private companies or other funding sources (hydrogen valleys). Specific calls for proposals within the PNRR initiative outline the allocation of funds, emphasizing hydrogen production in brownfield areas (52 expected hydrogen production plants by 2026), hydrogen use in hard-to-abate sectors, and the establishment of hydrogen refuelling stations for road (48 refuelling stations by 2026) and railway transport (10 hydrogen-based railway lines). An in-depth description of funded initiatives covering geographical location, typology, and size (when available), as well as the funding they have received, is presented, by collecting data on about approximately 150 funded initiatives. This overview sheds lights on regions focusing on heavy-duty transport decarbonisation, particularly along cross-borders commercial routes, as evident in northern Italy. Conversely, some regions concentrate more on local transport, typically buses, or on the industrial sector, primarily steel and chemicals. Additionally, the study presents initiatives aimed to strengthen the national manufacturing capacity for hydrogen-related technologies, alongside with new regulatory and incentive schemes for hydrogen. The ultimate goal of this analysis is to foster connections among existing and planned projects, stimulate new initiatives along the entire hydrogen value chain, grow awareness in stakeholders about hydrogen, and promote cooperation and international competitiveness.