Energy: Italy hosts the first international meeting of IPCEI hydrogen projects

The general assembly of IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) hydrogen projects, an annual event bringing together the main European stakeholders in the sector, was held in Rome this year. The assembly aimed to provide an overview of the development potential of the hydrogen technology value chain, assess its impact on the decarbonisation of hard-to-abate sectors, and address challenges related to production, regulation, end-uses, and infrastructure.

Following the 2023 and 2024 editions in Berlin and Paris, Rome hosted the 2025 edition, confirming Italy’s role as a key player in developing the hydrogen value chain as a strategic energy vector for achieving the European net-zero targets by 2050. The event in Rome was organized by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT), with support from ENEA and the Bruno Kessler Foundation.

The assembly was attended by representatives from numerous member States, major international and European institutions—including the International Energy Agency, the European Commission, and the European Investment Bank—alongside more than one hundred leading Italian and European companies engaged in hydrogen innovation, participating as direct, indirect, or associate partners within the four IPCEI Hydrogen project clusters (Hy2Tech, Hy2Use, Hy2Infra, and Hy2Move).

The assembly provided an opportunity to review and discuss the progress of the projects. Key challenges and obstacles to sector development were presented, including high costs, complex regulations, and infrastructure gaps. Industrial applications of hydrogen were also examined, particularly in the steel, chemical, and heavy transport sectors, highlighting opportunities to generate positive industrial, economic, environmental, and social impacts. Cooperation among European Union member States was emphasized as essential for achieving competitiveness in an emerging strategic technology sector like hydrogen.

Besides the participation with its own IPCEI Hy2Tech project, since the early stage ENEA has supported MIMIT throughout the implementation of Italian IPCEI hydrogen projects, and contributed to several conference sessions during the general assembly in Rome.

During the Competitiveness in hydrogen technologies for industry and public-private partnerships roundtable, Giulia Monteleone, Director of ENEA’s Department of Energy Technologies and Renewable Sources (TERIN), emphasized the importance of research and innovation in supporting hydrogen competitiveness as a decarbonization tool. “Despite todays’ challenges, we should not stop” she stressed, “but rather work harder to support the establishment of the value chain with research and new technological developments. Let us not forget that Europe has just reaffirmed its climate targets for 2040, and hydrogen will continue to play a key role”.

At the public authority board roundtable, Alberto Giaconia, Head of ENEA’s Hydrogen and new energy vectors laboratory within TERIN Department, focused on the main critical issues in implementing hydrogen projects. “The major barriers,” he explained, “are not related to the maturity or reliability of technologies already available on the market. Delays in many projects are primarily due to financial aspects linked to uncertainty in the demand for green or low-carbon hydrogen, the still-high electricity prices in Europe, and the uneven infrastructure development across the continent. Appropriate measures should be implemented to reduce business risks across all segments of the value chain—from offtakers’ demand to production—to ensure project bankability.”

The event also featured a discussion by Gilberto Dialuce, former ENEA President, on the challenges and opportunities of hydrogen in Italy and Europe. “Hydrogen” he noted, “connects the electricity system with fuels, enabling the energy transition for sectors that cannot be decarbonised through direct electrification. Europe is already a leader in energy policy and innovation, and now it is time to transform this into industrial competitiveness”.