Hydrogen: Italy fires up the engines
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COMPANIES AND STAKEHOLDERS RENEW THEIR CONFIDENCE IN NME: EXHIBITION’S SECOND EDITION BECOMES THE FOCAL POINT IN ITALY FOR DISCUSSIONS ON GREEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT

READ THE PRESS RELEASE
image

COMPANIES AND STAKEHOLDERS RENEW THEIR CONFIDENCE IN NME: EXHIBITION’S SECOND EDITION BECOMES THE FOCAL POINT IN ITALY FOR DISCUSSIONS ON GREEN PUBLIC TRANSPORT

READ THE PRESS RELEASE

Hydrogen: Italy fires up the engines
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Lombardy is developing the “Hydrogen Valley,” while Bolzano has a large hydrogen bus fleet (second only to Cologne), and other Italian cities are accelerating the transition to hydrogen vehicles.

Whereas until yesterday diesel represented an horizontal answer to all transport needs, the current needs imposes vertical choices. Hydrogen, in this context, has and will have a central role especially for long distances where the batteries of electric vehicles seem to be showing their weak spot. This is why Italy, thanks to PNRR funding, is promoting many local initiatives to combine hydrogen production and consumption.  Last March, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport published the list of 36 projects eligible for public funding for the construction of hydrogen fuelling stations. A state contribution of around EUR 103.5 million, financed through the PNRR. This is a first part of the total 230 million euros forecast in the Plan to develop the national hydrogen refuelling network. Europe has already been focusing on this element for years, with some pioneer countries, such as Germany, representing a leading model in innovation and energy transition. Thanks to these 36 projects, Italy will be able to close the gap with other European countries and focus on economic growth, also in terms of employment. In the field of rail transport, Lombardy is undoubtedly one of the main protagonists. The H2iseO Project, managed by Fnm and Trenord focuses on the development of a “Hydrogen Valley” in Valcamonica starting with the renovation and decarbonisation of the Brescia-Iseo-Edolo railway line. As far as bus transport is concerned, several Italian cities have planned major purchases of hydrogen-powered buses. To date, Bolzano has the second largest hydrogen bus fleet in Europe, surpassed only by Cologne. In Emilia-Romagna everything is already in place to accommodate a fleet of around 130 hydrogen buses, while the regions of Abruzzo and Lazio are already planning to set up refuelling points, accelerating the transition of the hydrogen fleet.