Rome, August 28th, 2024 – The first complete research on the state of hydrogen production in the 27 European countries, a topic of growing importance in the context of the energy transition, is due to three Italian university professors, Cosimo Magazzino, Marco Mele and Angelo Leogrande. The three economists, of whom Prof. Marco Mele also holds the role of Sole Director of a state-owned company of the GSE Group (SFBM), through the use of complex Machine Learning models have managed to generate a sophisticated classification of countries based on their hydrogen production profiles, revealing results that would not have been evident through traditional modeling.
The paper, published in the prestigious journal Regional Science and Environmental Economics, focuses on the economic policy implications that cause disparities in hydrogen production among the various European countries. Thus adding a further level of originality to the research that connects technical aspects of hydrogen production with long-term economic and strategic considerations.
Combining energy policy, industrial economics and advanced data analysis, this interdisciplinary research entitled “Regional Disparities and Strategic Implications of Hydrogen Production in 27 European Countries” positions the results obtained as a new and innovative contribution to the ongoing discourse on sustainable energy transition in Europe.
As for Italy, which belongs to the same cluster as Spain in the modelling, its favourable climate conditions and solid industrial bases would allow our country to become a key player in the hydrogen sector.
However, it will be necessary for Italy’s extensive natural gas infrastructure to actually accommodate hydrogen, and not just partially (in the SNAM network only partial blending is possible, reaching a maximum of 10% hydrogen and 90% methane). In addition, despite the high production capacities of both Italy and Spain, these countries will face challenges in fully utilising their potential due to long-standing infrastructural and technological constraints.
Hydrogen production in Europe presents a diverse landscape, reflecting different levels of industrial development, resource availability and political support.
Continued international collaboration, research and development and supporting regulatory frameworks will be essential to achieve a Europe where hydrogen will play a key role in the sustainable energy transition.
