Italian energy infrastructure company Snam has announced the start of a market test targeting hydrogen demand and interest in carbon capture.
Both hydrogen and carbon capture and storage (CCS) are essential elements of the company’s efforts to support Italy’s transition to greener energy solutions.
In fact, Snam is already working with fellow energy provider Eni on a project to set up a CCS hub off the coast of Ravenna. This would help curb the emissions of industrial CO2 emitters, which are notoriously difficult to reduce.
Emissions collected from these emitters will be permanently stored deep under the seabed by 2050, with a capacity of around 300 million tonnes of CO2, according to calculations by the European House think tank.
Last month, Snam also announced a huge investment of $12.5 billion by 2027 to support Italy’s energy infrastructure, including the LNG pipeline and the carbon capture hub initiative mentioned above.
And while the use of CCS has been recognized by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as a key element in mitigating climate change and reducing emissions, opponents of the technology argue that CCS is They argue that it could act as a line and give emitters an excuse. To keep pumping oil and gas.
Related: Italy’s Snam to invest $12.5 billion by 2027 to strengthen gas infrastructure, including carbon capture
Another project, in which Snam is also involved, known as the SoutH2 corridor, will see the construction of a pipeline to transport green hydrogen from North Africa to Italy, Germany and Austria.
To better understand the current market demand for both hydrogen and CCS solutions in Italy, the gas grid operator will collaborate with local employers’ lobby group Confindustria.
Market testing activities have already begun and are said to continue until April 5, 2024, after which results will be shared in the summer.
read more: Eni and Snam launch first carbon capture project in Italy