Green hydrogen is essential for “Zero emissions” And renewable energies, but its production through electrolysis requires critical raw materials, with challenges in supply and sustainability. A recent study by AREA SCIENCE PARK E Milan-Bicocca University It highlights these constraints and suggests innovations in research and recycling
Sustainable mobility: in Italy the first green hydrogen train
Green hydrogen is emerging as one of the most promising solutions for the transition to a future at low carbon emissions, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional energy sources. A concrete example of how this technology can be applied is the new train Which will enter the Brescia-Iseo-EDOLO line, the first in Italy to use hydrogen as a feeding source. This train will replace traditional diesel convoys, significantly reducing air pollution and co emissions2without compromising operational efficiency.
The project, which is part of the H2iseo initiative, not only marks a turning point in the sphere of rail transport, but also demonstrates the potential of green hydrogen in the decarbonize high intensity sectors of emissions such as transport.
With the installation of plants for the production of renewable hydrogen in Iseo, Edolo and Brescia, this project represents a model of how green hydrogen can sustain the entire regional transport system sustainablely, contributing tangiblely to the fight against climate change.
Green hydrogen: an important role
Green hydrogen is produced through water electrolysis, a process that uses renewable energy to separate water in hydrogen and oxygen. This type of hydrogen, unlike that “grigio” (produced by fossil sources), does not emit greenhouse gases and represents a promising solution to decarbonize sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as heavy transport and industry.
However, its diffusion is hindered by the growing demand for critical raw materials, essential for the construction of technologies such as fuel cells and electrolysis.
The research of Area Science Park and Milan-Bicocca University
The study conducted by Area Science Park (Riccardo Priore and Marinella Favot) e Milan-Bicocca University (Marco Compagnoni), presented during the conference “IRTC25: From Raw Material Policies to Practice” In Ljubljana (Slovenia), he examined two fundamental aspects: technological innovation in green hydrogen and the evaluation of the necessary critical raw materials. THE’analyses It focused on patents related to technologies such as fuel cells and electrolysis, using a large database of patents (Patstat) from 2000 to 2023.
The results show that patent applications for hydrogen technologies have increased considerably, with a peak of 5,380 questions in 2022, bringing the total to over 45,600 from 2000 to 2023
Dependence on raw materials among the main concerns
One of the main concerns that emerged from the study concerns the growing dependence on critical raw materials such as nickel, platinum and lithium, essential for the production of fuel cells and electrolysis.
About 13% of the patents analyzed refers to these raw materials, underlining the centrality of their role. However, their supply is concentrated in a few countries, which involves risks related to price volatility, the safety of the supply and geopolitical dynamics.
Innovation and recycling for the recovery of critical raw materials
To ensure sustainable growth in green hydrogen -based technologies, further research must be developed to identify alternative materials and reduce dependence on limited resources. In parallel, it will be essential to implement effective recycling strategies to recover the critical raw materials used in technologies. In this way, it will be possible to reduce the environmental impact and improve the overall sustainability of the sector.
Conclusions
The study conducted as part of the project North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley (Nahv) highlights that, if on the one hand the increase in patents highlights a global push towards green hydrogen solutions, on the other the dependence on critical raw materials such as nickel, platinum and lithium raises concerns related to the risks of supply, the volatility of prices and to geopolitical addictions.
To ensure sustainable growth in hydrogen technologies, it will be crucial to develop new research on alternative materials and, at the same time, strategies and effective recycling chains.