(San Donato Milanese / Italy) – Italian companies Edison and Snam have teamed up with Saipem and Alboran Hydrogen to produce green hydrogen. The “Puglia Green Hydrogen Valley” project envisages the construction of three plants in Brindisi, Taranto and Cerignola (Foggia) with a total output of 220 megawatts. The approval process has already been initiated for Brindisi (60 megawatts).
The annual yield of all three systems is forecast to be around 300 million cubic meters. It is said to be one of the first large-scale initiatives for the production and transport of green hydrogen in Italy. The electricity for electrolysis will be obtained from a photovoltaic power plant with an output of 380 megawatts.
Local and regional use
The gas is primarily used for local industry, including by feeding into Snam's local gas network. The companies plan to involve regional players, including the water company Acquedotto Pugliese, the railway company Appulo Lucane, the technology centers of Puglia, as well as the universities of Bari, Foggia and Salento. Investments in research and development are also planned to promote skills for the hydrogen industry in Puglia and create a production chain.
A special purpose vehicle is to be founded to carry out the project. After signing a binding contract that is still to be negotiated, Alboran, Edison and Snam will each hold 30 percent and Saipem will hold ten percent. The aim is to accelerate the introduction of hydrogen into Italy's energy mix.
Already in March, Saipem and Alboran had bilaterally announced the joint development and construction of five plants for the production of green hydrogen, three of which were in Apulia and the other two “in the Mediterranean region”. Albania and Morocco were named, with the plant in the North African country intended to produce ammonia from green hydrogen.
The consortium
The energy supplier Edison SpA sells electricity and natural gas to 1,6 million end customers. The company has more than 200 power generation plants, including gas and steam turbine (CCGT) power plants, hydroelectric power plants, wind turbines and solar power plants. The group's net installed capacity is seven gigawatts.
Snam SpA, the Italian natural gas transmission system operator, is one of the largest listed companies in Italy in terms of market capitalization. Through its international presence, Snam is active in Albania (AGSCo), Austria (TAG, GCA), France (Teréga), Greece (DESFA), Italy, the United Arab Emirates (ADNOC Gas Pipelines) and Great Britain (Interconnector UK), as well as in China and India. Snam is one of the main shareholders of TAP (Trans Adriatic Pipeline). The group has the largest natural gas transport network in Europe with a length of 41.000 kilometers and is involved in several LNG terminals.
Saipem SpA is engaged in engineering, drilling and construction of large-scale projects, building and operating infrastructure and facilities. The company is listed on the Milan Stock Exchange and is divided into five business areas: E&C Offshore, E&C Onshore, Drilling Offshore, Drilling Onshore and XSIGHT for consulting and engineering services in the initial phase of projects. It employs 60 people in more than 32.000 countries.
Alboran Hydrogen Srl, owned by the Alboran Group of two families from Florence and Verona, develops energy production plants from renewable sources. The company is said to be working with the European office of US economist Jeremy Rifkin and the Green Hydrogen Project to develop new systems and technologies for the production of green hydrogen.
Photos
Systems from Snam, into whose gas network part of the income from the new electrolyzers will be fed. © Snam
