The hydrogen plan in Abruzzo proceeds. The Region is trying to become the first Italian valley of the most studied energy source of the moment. The path was established in debates and confrontations with political and social forces. But for the past two days there has even been a permanent institutional table extended to universities as well. After the resolution of July which gave the impetus to the procedures we want to "increase competitiveness in the field of production and use of hydrogen and coordinate and integrate sectoral policies", said the Councilor Nicholas Campitelli. The Region therefore accelerates the times to make clean hydrogen available to its production realities.
The regional context is obviously projected towards the national one in a special search for public-private collaboration. The industrial players most interested in the table chaired by Campitelli himself participate in reconvert plants and production lines. With a bottom-up approach, national and European programs are looked at, hypothesizing a circular economy scheme that strengthens the industrial fabric that grew up in the 70s and 80s. In the past months qualified projects have been implemented, from LIFE3H to the hydromethane project.
The first meeting of the institutional table concluded with a time schedule for checking the progress of all the projects and the identification of contact persons for national or European Union programmes. A participatory model is emerging, which is necessary, as has also been repeatedly recalled by the government. Having presented here, in Sulmona, a year ago the plan for the first hydrogen regional train, confirms the construction of a good relationship between institutions and industrial partners.
However, the choice of hydrogen (even more than other clean energy sources) requires massive investments and research. His large-scale use is not so close as the entire decarbonization strategy suggests. What is certain is that it is the lightest source in nature. Its combustion has very high yields but it must be captured with processes such as electrolysis, which are very expensive today. Transporting it where it is needed and storing it in suitable sites requires other additional and long-term expenses. It is the main reason that is pushing the large (or ex) fossil industry to make international agreements to see revenues in a less obscure horizon. A kind of regeneration after the abandonment of experiments in the 90s. Hydrogen in Abruzzo does not present similar problems. But only apparently, because it must always seek the right balance between costs and benefits. Even if the state pays.
