Next Challenge: Hydrogen

Energy and Innovation

The increase in the production of energy from renewable sources

The new coming up energy system development scenario foresees an increase in the production of energy from renewable sources, accumulation of electricity with electrochemical batteries and by hydrogen production, hydrogen use in stationary power generation systems, mostly cogenerative, in some industrial process as well as in logistics, mainly in ground transportations, in synergy with purely electric vehicles.

This scenario will allow reducing the environmental impact by the energy sector, regarding both locally and globally emission levels, increasing safety for the energy supply to different users, promoting the use of local resources and new technologies, favoring their industrial development.
Then in the next few years electrochemical technologies, among which are the fuel cells, they will take on a strategic role both in national and international energy systems, demanding a significant commitment by the technical rule setting and harmonization agencies.

Hydrogen is not a primary energy resource, since it’s not present in nature as a fuel, nevertheless it can be produced by chemical and physical processes:

  • Grey hydrogen: it is currently produced mainly for industrial uses starting from natural gas, by a   thermochemical conversion process producing CO2
  • Blue hydrogen: the use of CO2 (CCS) capture and storage technology to obtain decarbonised hydrogen.
  • Green hydrogen: electrolysis is another method, using renewable electricity to “break down” water into hydrogen and oxygen, without production of CO2, which represents a “game changer” for the energy transition, thanks to the progressive cost reduction of solar and wind power energy as well as of the electrolysers.

According to a recent study by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, green hydrogen production costs could be lowered of more than 70% in the next ten years.

Hydrogen use

Hydrogen is suitable for transport in existing gas pipelines, to serve as an efficient and most economical mean of storing energy and to favor the decarbonisation of several industrial sectors. For this reason it is establishing itself as a pillar of environment and energy global strategy.

Hydrogen is already and largely utilized for industrial applications in steel, petrochemical and food industries, now beginning to spread also among mobility and in the future it is likely to substitute natural gas in heating residential and commercial buildings. Hydrogen can also be turned into clean electricity.

Hydrogen success comes from not generating any CO2 and other climate-altering gas emissions during its use, nor other kind of harmful emissions for humans and the environment. For this reason it can play a key role in guarantee the achievement of the European and global goals in terms of decarbonisation.

Services provided by Progeco NeXT:

  • Studying and developing compatibility tests between industrial burners, other already working equipment and hydrogen
  • Starting In location of tests along with logistic support and inspections
  • Analysis and tech-scouting in various sectors concerning hydrogen: from production to storage and distribution.
  • Management support and local services supply during a super high pressure test operation for storage (up to 1000bar).
  • Compatibility studies concerning to test the infrastructures during hydrogen and natural gas mix flow.
  • Studies and updates on infrastructures on hydrogen transport.
  • Feasibility studies on the use of new technologies.
  • Analysis of the process of capture, transport and storage of CO2.
  • Studies concerning the bio-methane sector and the low-carbon gas in general.

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