Eni and Enel have announced that they are working together on two green-hydrogen pilot projects that will supply the zero-emissions gas to two Eni refineries. The two plants will use electrolysers — machines that split water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen — of about 10MW each that will be powered by renewable energy. They will be located close to the refineries to avoid potentially expensive transportation costs, and are expected to be up and running in 2022-23. Hydrogen is used at oil refineries to remove Sulphur from crude oil, but this H2 is usually derived from methane — a process that results in nine to 12 tonnes of CO2 being released for every tonne of “grey hydrogen” produced. Green hydrogen is currently two to six times more expensive than grey, although that gap is expected to shrink rapidly as the nascent electrolyser sector scales up and industrializes over the coming years.
Exploring with Eni the promising green hydrogen sector. Together a couple of sites were identified where we can start with the first projects. The overall system we have in mind will be working as a closed loop whereby the electrolyser 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. This partnership in green hydrogen is part of Eni’s broader energy transition strategy. The 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.