Eni and Enel Partner on Green Hydrogen

Eni (NYSE: E) revealed Wednesday that it is working together with Enel to develop green hydrogen projects.

The company said the two partners are planning to produce green hydrogen through electrolyzers powered by renewable energy. The electrolyzers will be located near two of the Eni refineries where green hydrogen appears to be the best decarbonization option, Eni noted.

Each of the two pilot projects will feature an electrolyzer of around 10 megawatts and are expected to start generating green hydrogen by 2022-2023, Eni outlined.

“This partnership in green hydrogen is part of Eni’s broader energy transition strategy,” Eni’s chief executive officer (CEO), Claudio Descalzi, said in a company statement.

“Our goal is to accelerate the reduction of our carbon footprint by implementing the best applicable low carbon solution, either green or blue, to reduce our direct emissions as well as switching to bio products to supply our clients,” he added.

Francesco Starace, Enel Group’s CEO and general manager, said, “we are interested in exploring with Eni the promising green hydrogen sector”.

“Together, we identified a couple of sites where we can start with the first projects. The overall system we have in mind will be working as a closed loop whereby the electrolyzer fed by renewable energy and the refinery will be at the same location, therefore avoiding the construction of complex transport infrastructure to move hydrogen around,” he added.

“We are looking forward to seeing green hydrogen supplying Eni’s refinery and biorefinery processes and are working to have the first operating system in place before the end of our current three-year plan,” Starace continued.

Eni describes itself as a global energy company that is changing direction to become a leader in the production and sale of decarbonized products. Enel is said to be a multinational power company and a leading integrated player in the global power, gas and renewables markets.

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