A new project just started which sees the participation of the Center for Sustainable Energy of Fondazione Bruno Kessler!

Eleonora Cordioli and Michele Bolognese - researchers of the Hydrogen Technologies and Resilient Energy Systems Unit (HyRES) - participated in the kick off meeting of the ALCHEMHY project! 

The event took place on November 6 and 7,  hosted by the project coordinator Fundacion CIRCE - Centro de Investigacion de Recursos y Consumo energeticos in Zaragoza, Spain.

The project consortium consists of 16 partners from 7 EU countries, with diversified expertise and knowledge in the addressed processes and access to the required lab and pilot infrastructure. The project will contribute to the development of a sustainable chemical industry while contributing to a more resilient and secure energy system for the EU, reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels.

ALCHEMHY aims to develop a set of innovative electrified processes to produce platform chemicals, particularly ammonia and methanol. To this end, processes configuration will be optimised and novel materials and catalysts compatible with the electric input will be developed,  optimising their performance, ramp-up times and enabling milder conditions. This will support the intensification and downscaling of the ammonia and methanol production, facilitating decentralised production integrated with downstream processes and renewable energy generation. This is crucial

to decarbonise the production of both chemicals, as current production heavily relies on fossil natural gas for hydrogen generation. The investigated processes will be demonstrated at TRL 6 in relevant experimental facilities, while the technical and economic feasibility of the processes will be studied through a technoeconomic assessment (TEA). The processes upscaling, operation and TEA will be supported through dynamic modelling of the processes, generating a digital twin of the processes and a Decisioin Support System (DSS) to support H2 value chain design. 

Fondazione Bruno Kessler, through the Center for Sustainable Energy will be in charge of two main and fundamental tasks: (i) the development of process control from the analysis of the component and the system requirements, to the identification of operational states and transitions for plant commissioning; (ii) the evaluation of environmental, social and economic impact performing a Life Cycle Assessment of the proposed ALCHEMHY technologies, according to pre-defined widely acceptable standards and by including all the intermediate stages of manufacturing, operation, and end-of-life of key parts of the examined processes.

More information on the project: https://www.linkedin.com/company/alchemhy-project-eu 

Matteo Testi - Head of HyRES Unit - participated as key note speaker in the 3rd edition of the German-Italian Energy Forum 2024, which took place on  November 14 at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Frankfurt. 

The event, under the patronage of the Italian Embassy in Berlin, focused on the energy transition and aimed to bring together leading representatives from business, science and politics from both countries to discuss key topics of German-Italian relations with a view to the green transformation and to open up new business opportunities.

ITKAM - Italian Chamber of Commerce for Germany: http://www.itkam.org/ 

Programme at this link.

The annual European event on Hydrogen is starting again!

The programme is rich of events and our Director Luigi Crema will have a busy week! 

As President of Hydrogen Europe Research, Luigi will be engaged in numerous panel sessions and discussions. 

Today, Monday 18 November, Luigi will be at the HLPC Session 1: Navigating the hydrogen evolution: global and European dynamics in a complex world – Part 1 ( at this link)

Tomorrow, Tuesday November 19:

• Innovation Forum | Welcome by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership and programme status

10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Innovation Forum (Hall 7) - at this link 

• B2B Session 3: National legal frameworks for hydrogen in Europe

2:00 PM to 3:00 PM at B2B Forum (Hall 7) - at this link 

• Innovation Forum | Global R&I challenges (IPHE and Mission Innovation)

3:00 PM to 4:30 PM at Innovation Forum (Hall 7) - at this link 

On November 20:

• Innovation Forum | A partnership for hydrogen R&I beyond 2030

4:00 PM to 5:00 PM at Innovation Forum (Hall 7) - at this link 

• Clean Hydrogen Partnership and Hydrogen Europe Research Awards 

5:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Innovation Forum (Hall 7) - at this link 

Have a look at the programme: https://euhydrogenweek.eu/programme-overview/ 

The 18th Strategic Energy Technology Plan Conference is a high-level conference organised under the patronage of the Hungarian Presidency of the Council of the EU in cooperation with the Commission. 

The conference that is concluding today focused on "Scaling up research, innovation and competitiveness in clean energy technologies" and aimed at (i) enhancing cooperation and synergies between national and European policies, (ii) facilitating collaboration within energy R&I, (iii) gathering the most promising results of energy R&I.

Our Director Luigi Crema as Hydrogen Europe Research President participated in the panel session "Innovating with Hydrogen: Research, Policy, and Market Synergies" and discussed with the other panelists on how to develop hydrogen at full scale in EU territory, not only at European level but also nationally and regionally. 

Luigi outlined the key changes necessary in legislative frameworks to enable the development of a thriving hydrogen economy and described the challenges faced hydrogen technologies in their deployment phase. Our Director also spoke about the importance to align national and regional hydrogen strategies ensuring synergy across all levels and reported the  key research and innovation breakthroughs that are critical for reducing the costs and scaling hydrogen production across Europe.

More information at: https://energy.ec.europa.eu/events/strategic-energy-technology-plan-scaling-research-innovation-and-competitiveness-clean-energy-2024-11-14_en 

The event: https://setplan2024.eu/

What a year rich of publications for the Center SE of Fondazione Bruno Kessler! The tenth scientific publication of  2024 has been recently published.

The researchers of the Hydrogen technologies and Resilient Energy Systems (HyRES) Unit of the Center for Sustainable Energy  just published the article "Integration of a solid oxide electrolysis system with solar thermal and electrical energy: A testing campaign for operation and control strategy definition" on the IET Renewable Power Generation journal. 

Congratulations to the authors Elena Crespi, Davide Ragaglia, Francesca Panaccione and Matteo Testi!

Abstract

The EU project PROMETEO has the scope of testing a 25 kW solid oxide electrolysis system integrated with a concentrated solar power plant via thermal energy storage in a relevant environment. Given the plant layout and the hydrogen demand characteristics, this work aims to identify how to operate the system effectively when renewable electricity is unavailable and how to modulate the load during hydrogen generation, thus defining the system's operation modes and control strategy. A 5 kWe stack has been tested at the FBK facility. The hot standby tests show that feeding a reducing gas at the negative electrode and air at the positive electrode, without polarizing the stack, effectively keeps the stack hot at 750°C and prevents degradation. Conversely, the electric protection approach leads to significant stack degradation (15% voltage drop in 200 h for one cluster). Regarding modulation of hydrogen generation, with low steam flowrates, the stack current and the flow rate of produced hydrogen mainly depend on the steam flow rate, while it is not affected by the stack temperature; conversely, with high steam flowrates, the current depends only on the stack temperature (from 25 A at 670°C to 65 A at 760°C). Based on the results, two hot standby modes and two load control strategies to be implemented and tested in the PROMETEO prototype are proposed.

Acknowledgment

This work is part of the project PROMETEO. The project has received funding from the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (now Clean Hydrogen Partnership) under Grant Agreement n◦ 101007194. The Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program, Hydrogen Europe and Hydrogen Europe Research. 

Read the article here: https://ietresearch.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1049/rpg2.13141 

The Midterm-Conference of AMETHyST Project

The AMETHyST Project’s mid-term conference, “Hydrogen for the Future of the Alps,” brought together local and European leaders, researchers, and industry experts to discuss the critical role of hydrogen in advancing a sustainable energy transition in the Alpine region. The presence of Key stakeholders was also the occasion to launch the SkHyline platform, a collaborative initiative designed to unite efforts across regions, fostering knowledge-sharing and accelerating hydrogen deployment in sectors essential to the Alpine economy, such as transport, industry, and tourism.

Hydrogen as a Pillar of Alpine Sustainability

The conference underscored the growing potential of hydrogen as a flexible, clean energy source uniquely suited to meet the specific needs of the Alpine environment. Hydrogen is viewed as a fundamental pillar for decarbonizing energy-intensive sectors and creating a sustainable, self-sufficient ecosystem for transport, tourism, and heavy industries in mountainous areas. Highlighted projects and strategies showcased how hydrogen can contribute to reduced emissions, particularly in traditionally challenging sectors like heavy mobility, industrial applications, and remote energy access.

Building a Local Hydrogen Ecosystem 

A wide range of stakeholders from Trentino public and private sectors discussed about the potential, current situation and local synergies for hydrogen in the region. Infrastructure are being created for large H2 plants, projects are being implemented in collaboration with multinational companies, innovative systems have emerged and are being tested in industries. It is clear that expectations and interest in this energy vector are high. Network, policies and fundings are needed to place the various stakeholders on the entire supply chain.

AMETHyST is developing a holistic approach to hydrogen, envisioning an ecosystem that integrates production, storage, transport, and multi-sector applications. Notable initiatives include the establishment of “hydrogen valleys” for industrial clusters, hydrogen-fueled transport networks, and eco-friendly energy solutions for tourism infrastructure. Large projects representatives brought their experiences and expectations, as well as challenges and solutions. The Alpine region’s unique environmental challenges make hydrogen an ideal energy vector, with projects aimed at powering snow groomers, boats on Alpine lakes, and even supporting grid stability through energy storage.

A Call for Cross-Regional Collaboration and Policy Support

The Alpine macro-regional strategy provided the political foundation for the conference, with representatives advocating for policies and funding to advance hydrogen initiatives. Presenters emphasized the importance of a unified, cross-regional framework to foster public-private partnerships, incentivize renewable hydrogen projects to address the high upfront costs and technical complexities of hydrogen infrastructure, but also the need to raise awareness to promote public acceptance and improve skills through trainings. In this context, the newly launched SkHyline platform will facilitate ongoing collaboration, providing a structured network to support innovation, resource-sharing, and coordinated project development across borders.

Challenges in Hydrogen Deployment

A recurring theme throughout the conference was the challenge of scaling hydrogen technologies due to high production costs and limited existing applications. The need for financial support mechanisms and market incentives, for clear regulatory standards and certified operators emerged as critical factors to enable cost-effective hydrogen adoption. Experts from both local and European levels called for long-term investment strategies and cohesive policies to create demand and reduce economic risks for early adopters, as the current high cost of hydrogen technology presents a barrier to widespread deployment.

Education and Awareness Initiatives

The increasing interest and number of activities with hydrogen showed the need for skilled and trained workers in all fields that will need to deal with this vector through the entire supply chain. There is the need for continuous learning, during university but also within companies and through synergies with sectorial associations. 

Recognizing the need for greater awareness and of educating policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the public on the benefits of hydrogen as part of the Alpine region’s clean energy future. Knowledge dissemination is central to AMETHyST’s objectives, ensuring that decision-makers understand hydrogen’s role in reducing greenhouse gases, boosting energy independence, and fostering sustainable growth. 

Conclusion of the Conference

The “Hydrogen for the Future of the Alps” conference concluded with a resounding consensus on hydrogen’s potential as a transformative energy source for the Alpine region. The event highlighted the collective ambition to overcome technical and economic challenges through coordinated action, knowledge-sharing, and supportive policy frameworks. With the establishment of the SkHyline platform and the strong backing of regional governments and industry partners, the Alpine hydrogen community is well-positioned to lead Europe’s transition to a resilient and sustainable hydrogen economy. 

The event “Hydrogen for the Future of the Alps”  took place on 16 October 2024 organised and hosted by Fondazione Bruno Kessler in Trento. 

The individual parts of the conference are published on the project Youtube-Chanel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLG660u7JJMTs3G3vONbbfVuqK1bxAAlBo 

Read the press release on FBK Magazine: https://magazine.fbk.eu/it/news/paving-the-way-for-a-hydrogen-powered-future-in-the-alps/ 

Read the press release in Italian: https://magazine.fbk.eu/it/news/preparare-il-terreno-per-un-futuro-a-idrogeno-nelle-alpi/ 

Last November 8, Michele Bolognese was an invited speaker in "Festival Città Impresa" that took place is Bergamo.

Michele discussed with Silvia Bodoardo (Politecnico di Torino) and Andrea Bolla (VIVI Energia) different aspects of the energy transition. In fact, the HyRES Unit researcher participated in the panel "TRANSIZIONE ENERGETICA: RICERCA, INNOVAZIONE E SFIDE GLOBALI" chaired by the journalist Luca Pagni.

While Silvia Bodoardo focused on batteries and the challenge with bigger countries as China, Michele Bolognese outlined how to produce green hydrogen and how to face the challenge of high costs. The researcher underlined the need for different technologies to exist to reach the energy transition and the importance to use green hydrogen, e.g. produced by renewables energy sources. The production costs will be decreased through the reduction of the costs to produce the technology and through incentives that will support the creation of the supply chain and a new market.

Since 2008, Città Impresa-Festival dei Territori Industriali has been a place of international debate on the key issues of the economy and contemporary society: every year, in spring and autumn, Città Impresa turns the spotlight on the cities of Vicenza and Bergamo, protagonists of the debate on the issues of economy, politics and culture, becoming a center of aggregation for opinion leaders, entrepreneurs and actors of civil society.

In the case you could not participate in the event, you can still see it online:  https://www.youtube.com/live/V097S1N2Trk 

Today, Snam organised and hosted the event "Evolving Horizons - Innovation Day" which aimed to highlight the latest advancements in technological innovation, discuss the emerging trends that are transforming the energy sector, and forge connections that will drive the future of the energy transition.

After the Inspirational Speech and some Startup Spotlights, the event proceeded with three parallel panel sessions: 

1. CORPORATE VENTURE BUILDING: The new frontier of Open Innovation.

2. CLEAN TECH AND INNOVATION: Leading the Green Revolution

3. TOMORROW’S ENERGY COMPANY: Transforming Industrial Processes through Cutting-Edge Technology

Our Director Luigi Crema, in his role of Hydrogen Europe Research President, participated in the second round table.

Luigi discussed with Pere Margalef-Valldeperez - Director Decarbonization Technologies at Snam and Andrés Galnares - CEO of H2SITE about the latest research and innovations in Clean Tech technologies, identifying opportunities and challenges.

Read more about it here: https://lu.ma/dga2tvqh

Read the brochure at this link.

The researchers of the Battery and Electrification Unit (BET) of the Center for Sustainable Energy Marcin Buchajczyk, Saman Korjani, Mattia Duranti and Edoardo Gino Macchi just published the article "Techno-Economic Analysis and Sizing of RFB and Supercapacitor-Based HESS for an EV Charging Station".

Abstract

This paper presents a techno-economic analysis for the optimal sizing of a Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) integrating a Redox Flow Battery (RFB) and a Supercapacitor (SC) for an Electric Vehicle (EV) charging station. The SC is used for shaving noisy peak loads and ensuring grid stability, while the use of RFB is optimized through genetic algorithm-based multi-period optimization considering time-of-use (ToU) pricing and energy arbitrage. The profitability of HESS is analyzed and evaluated, and the results indicate that, with the current capital costs, utilizing HESS for this specific use case may not always be directly profitable. However, if installation costs were to decrease, employing HESS can become economically advantageous. Additionally, the management tool and optimization algorithms developed for HESS can be highly beneficial in a wide range of other scenarios.

This work's results are part of the project SMHYLES, co-funded by the Εuropean Union through the granting authority European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) under the Horizon Europe grant [No 101138029].

Read the article here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10736734/references#references

You can find the article in Open Access on Zenodo, at this link.

The series of videos with FBK researchers who conduct research and development activities in collaboration with industry, academia and public institutions in the energy sector.

The Sustainable Energy research center promotes the efficient and effective implementation of innovative energy solutions. The underlying belief is that this will help balance our ecological footprint and ensure a sustainable future for the next generations. 

To move in this direction, investment in research and innovation is crucial. At the same time, since these are major social and infrastructural changes, they will only be possible if there are broad collaborations, system-wide actions and transformations of production chains.

Giulia di Gregorio is a PhD student of the Doctorate Program in Industrial Innovation at the University of Trento, hosted by the Centre for Sustainable Energy of Fondazione Bruno Kessler in collaboration with the company ENPHOS S.r.l.  

Her research concentrates on the development of innovative materials for hydrogen production via electrolysis, particularly focusing on anion exchange membrane water electrolysis. With a strong background in materials science, she is dedicated to applying advanced fabrication techniques, such as radio frequency magnetron sputtering, to produce platinum-group-metal-free electrocatalysts aiming to improve their efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

Giulia possesses expertise in both physico-chemical and electrochemical characterization techniques, which are critical for evaluating material performance. Through her research, she contributes to the advancement of renewable hydrogen solutions that support the transition towards a climate-neutral future.

If you wish to know more, have a look at Giulia's Spotlight: 

https://youtu.be/1RRqr4piUXk?feature=shared 

Watch all the Spotlights on the YouTube Playlist of FBK - Sustainable Energy: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLY3KsH4gpiNq64bIDjNhpsehInuhw8JBu 

On October 30, in collaboration with the italian Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security (MASE), Confindustria organized and hosted in Rome the conference Italian companies and the challenge of the SoutH2Corridor. 

The conference saw the participation of institutions and many sector associations and focused on the opportunities for the country system linked to the Southern Hydrogen Corridor, a trans-national project for a hydrogen transport infrastructure which, by connecting the Italian and Central European centers of potential consumption, will also be able to enable the import of green hydrogen, produced at competitive costs in Mediterranean Africa.

The role of the Corridor within the Italian Strategy and the relevance of the regulation for the development of hydrogen transport infrastructures were explored in depth both for the construction of local sustainable hydrogen production plants and for the export of technological know-how.

Our Director Luigi Crema, in his role of H2IT VicePresident, participated in the panel "Le partnership con i Paesi dell’Africa mediterranea per la produzione di idrogeno rinnovabile  e low carbon: potenzialità e strumenti". Luigi discussed about the potential and tools to pruduce green hydrogen in the North African counties with representatives of Confindustria, Proxigas, SACE, Cassa Depositi e Prestiti S.p.A.