(Baden / Switzerland) – The Swiss company Axpo Holding AG, a producer and trader of electricity from renewable energy sources, is working with the Australian company Infinite Green Energy (IGE) on the development of a green hydrogen production plant in Italy. The “Valle-Peligna-Hydrogen” project is being built in the industrial zone of the municipality of Corfinio in the Abruzzo region.
30 megawatt electrolyzer
According to the Joint Development Agreement (JDA), an electrolyzer with an output of 30 megawatts is to be installed. The electricity for green hydrogen is supplied by a photovoltaic system with an installed capacity of 45 megawatts.
The yield serves to decarbonize the industrial area and is forecast at twelve tons of renewable hydrogen per day, and the annual yield at 4.200 tons. This corresponds to a saving of around 18 million liters of diesel. IGE predicts CO2 savings of around 67.000 tons per year.
Hydrogen for making gypsum
According to Guy Bühler, Head of Hydrogen at Axpo, an initial purchase by the gypsum producer Etex, which wants to replace natural gas with hydrogen, is planned. The project could also include a gas station, allowing IGE and Axpo to participate in the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T). According to the company, discussions are currently underway with manufacturers of hydrogen trucks about the use of the station. The European Parliament has decided that a hydrogen filling station should be built every 2030 kilometers along the TEN-T routes - in all large cities - by 200.
Develop brownfield locations
Since IGE launched the Valle Peligna hydrogen project 18 months ago, authorities have renamed the area “Hydrogen Valley.” It is being developed as part of a strategy by the Italian government that aims to improve so-called brownfield sites, i.e. developed areas that are no longer used by industry and commerce. The JDA contains a detailed design of the planning and is the basis for the investment decision. Completion is expected in the second half of 2025.
Photos
Stephen Gauld, CEO of IGE (right) Axpo and Guy Bühler, Head Hydrogen & GPP at Axpo Solutions AG, agree on the development of a site for the production of green hydrogen in Abruzzo, Italy. © Infinite Green Energy
