La hydrogen supply chain lives in Italy a significant expansion. 90 are the new companies born in the last three years. The Italian sector is in great growth with still a lot of potential to be expressed thanks to highly technological and active SMEs on the innovation side. This is what emerges from one Research carried out by the Studies and Research Department of Intesa Sanpaolo in collaboration with H2IT, the Italian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
Hydrogen: 3,64 billion from the PNRR to develop the sector
In the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) They were allocated 3,64 billion euros to develop the hydrogen sector, but above all they are the private investment to drive growth. 65% of companies closed 2022 with growth in investments in hydrogen. 70% of investments come from companies' own funds, while 22% is covered by European, national or regional funds. These investments are spurring innovation and research, so much so that over one in three companies (36%) has obtained at least one patent in the last five years or is in the process of doing so. This percentage rises to 85% among companies involved in production. Italian companies are also exploiting i funding from European tenders, with over half (56%) of the companies in the sample participating in these tenders and obtaining funding in 65% of cases. Furthermore, 51% participated in the tenders of the PNRR, demonstrating the sector's commitment to addressing the challenges related to hydrogen.
Turnover: excellent results in 2022
In terms of turnover, 2022 ended with positive sign for 71% of companies, and 58% reported an increase in turnover related to the hydrogen business. This highlights the growth and expectations of further progress in the sector in the near future. Despite the current energy crisis, about half of the companies (45%) believe that involvement in the hydrogen market is not affected, while 35% see new business opportunities in this situation and are therefore accelerating investments.
Innovation and future prospects
THE innovation in the hydrogen supply chain arises from collaboration between companies. 64% of companies believe that inter-company partnerships are the best way to grow with a view to collaborative innovation, followed by collaborations with universities (60%) and national/international round tables (49%). Looking to future, the sectors that are expected they will grow more by 2030 are mobility (85% of responses), hard-to-abate sectors (67%) and renewable electricity storage (55%).
Hydrogen companies in Italy face some challenges. There lack of a regulatory framework clear represents an obstacle for 78% of the companies interviewed. The uncertainty associated with a market demand still undefined worries 64% of companies while obtaining permissions (53%) not bureaucratic issues (51%) are factors that have a negative impact on business activity. To overcome these critical issues, the businesses require above all the definition of national laws and regulations (58%), the elaboration of strategic plans at national level (55%) and greater investments to stimulate demand (45%) and infrastructures (42%).
