Snam gauging market interest in hydrogen and CO2 transport and storage

Italian energy infrastructure operator Snam, in cooperation with Confindustria, has officially launched a market test on hydrogen demand in Italy and, in partnership with Eni, a collection of non-binding expressions of interest for the transport and storage of CO2 within the framework of the carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in Ravenna.

The cooperation with Confindustria will help identify and explore two strategic markets associated with manufacturing and energy-intensive sectors, to achieve Italian and European decarbonization goals.

The information gathered will be shared with relevant institutions involved in defining the regulatory framework and will serve as a key reference for planning the development of hydrogen and CCS sectors in Italy, Snam said.

The dedicated hydrogen market test is being conducted to gather technical and economic data and information to delve into the current and prospective state of play on the consumption and production of hydrogen, both as an energy vector and as a raw material. This information will also be used to assess the market’s alignment with national and European targets.

The collection of expressions of interest for transporting and storing CO2 is designed to inform stakeholders about the Ravenna CCS project jointly developed by Eni and Snam. It involves gathering basic data from interested emitters, and, in a non-binding manner, their interest in this decarbonization solution.

Both initiatives will end on April 5, and the results will be shared in aggregate form by the third quarter of 2024.

“In the current energy scenario, security and energy transition are two sides of the same coin. Snam, besides ensuring continuous energy supplies, is committed to developing an infrastructure system ensuring the transportation of decarbonized molecules in Italy and Europe,” said Piero Ercoli, Executive Director of Decarbonization at Snam.

“With the launch of the dedicated hydrogen market test and the collection of expressions of interest for the Ravenna CCS project, we aim to confirm Snam’s key-role in facilitating the achievement of Italy’s decarbonization goals, taking into account the characteristics of its industrial fabric“.

The Ravenna CCS Hub project, which is also known as Italy’s first CCS project, was launched in October 2023.

Phase 1 of the project covers the capture of 25,000 tons of CO2 emitted from Eni’s natural gas treatment plant in Casalborsetti. Once captured, the CO2 will be piped to the Porto Corsini Mare Ovest platform and injected into the homonymous depleted gas field offshore Ravenna.

Over 500 new jobs are expected to be available during Phase 1 of the project. The project start-up is expected in 2026.