Area Science Park’s Hydrogen Ecosystem
A Hub for Research and Technological Innovation
We have launched a long-term strategy aimed at establishing, at the Basovizza Campus, an advanced hub for research, testing and innovation in hydrogen technologies. This vision is embedded within the international framework defined by the NAHV (North Adriatic Hydrogen Valley) and NASCHA projects, which promote the development of a regional and cross-border ecosystem dedicated to renewable hydrogen and the adoption of innovative technological solutions across the North Adriatic area.
The hydrogen infrastructure system is based on three strongly integrated functional components — real-plant experimental testing, analytical modelling and digital tools, and scientific and technological research on materials — which together contribute to the creation of a unique research and innovation ecosystem focused on scalability, sustainability and competitiveness of hydrogen technologies.
An advanced experimental system will be established, structured into two integrated laboratories:
- Analysis, Design, Storage and Utilisation Laboratory (APSU) of Area Science Park, dedicated to the experimental study of the entire hydrogen value chain. Activities include hydrogen production through AEM and PEM electrolysers, storage via high-pressure systems and metal hydrides, and hydrogen utilisation through fuel cells and hybrid storage systems.
- Hydrogen Value Chain Measurement Laboratory (MFI) of the University of Trieste, conceived as an instrumental extension of APSU. The laboratory integrates a network of advanced sensors for the physical and functional monitoring of processes across the entire value chain.
Within the two laboratories, plant behaviour will be assessed under variable operating conditions, including critical and stress scenarios, in order to assess efficiency, operational stability, service continuity and technical resilience. APSU will operate under an open-access model, available to the scientific and industrial communities.
This component is dedicated to the management, analysis and modelling of experimental data, with the objective of transforming measurements collected in the APSU and MFI laboratories into predictive digital tools supporting technological innovation.
Data generated by APSU and MFI will be acquired and organised through a scalable and interoperable data management system designed according to FAIR principles and hosted at the ORFEO Data Center. This infrastructure will ensure data quality, traceability and reusability in support of simulation and optimisation activities.
The Laboratory of Data Engineering (LADE), in collaboration with the International School for Advanced Studies – SISSA, will use these data to develop advanced mathematical models, dynamic simulations and the Digital Twin of the APSU plant. The digital twin will enable the virtual replication of system behaviour, exploration of operating conditions that are difficult to test experimentally, and generation of reliable performance forecasts.
The integration of experimental data and modelling will enable virtual stress testing, evaluation of complex scenarios, optimisation of production and storage strategies, and predictive diagnostics, contributing to the design of resilient and efficient energy infrastructures.
The third component focuses on the study and advanced characterisation of key materials across the renewable hydrogen value chain, leveraging the expertise and infrastructure of the Laboratory of Electron Microscopy (LAME) at Area Science Park.
Activities focus on the development and application of in situ and in operando characterisation techniques, enabling direct observation—at atomic and nanometric scale—of materials and functional components under conditions close to real operating environments.
This approach allows quantitative analysis of critical phenomena such as catalyst degradation, membrane poisoning and ageing, structural and electronic evolution of electrodes and storage materials, linking microscopic mechanisms to performance, reliability and system lifetime.
Socio-Economic Impact on the Territory
The deployment of renewable hydrogen depends not only on technological maturity but also on raw material availability, supply chain resilience and the economic and social sustainability of the value chain. For this reason, technological development is complemented by in-depth analysis of socio-economic impacts and sustainability dynamics across the entire value chain.
Research activities focus on the analysis of innovation dynamics, sustainability and competitiveness of emerging value chains, with the objective of supporting a robust, competitive and long-term energy transition.
Main Research Lines:
In collaboration with Italian and European research centres, ongoing studies focus on critical and strategic materials used in key green hydrogen technologies, particularly electrolysers and fuel cells.
The analysis aims to:
- quantify material intensity across the full technology life cycle;
- assess end-of-life recovery, valorisation and reuse potential.
In parallel, an international analysis of innovation processes in the green hydrogen sector is being conducted through quantitative and qualitative examination of global patent filings since 2000. The objective is to reconstruct technological evolution and identify key development trends, with particular reference to technology dependence on CRM.
Current activities focus on the assessment of the state of the art, literature data analysis and applied case studies concerning end-of-life components. Expected results will contribute to defining the technological, economic and organisational conditions required to activate efficient recycling value chains, strengthening the resilience of hydrogen value chains.
A second strategic research stream concerns the analysis of hydrogen value chains, both in their current configurations and in potential future scenarios. Through advanced methodologies — including targeted surveys, web scraping, scenario analysis and production system modelling — research activities aim to:
- define optimal supply chain configurations;
- identify bottlenecks and constraints affecting scalability and replicability of hydrogen valleys;
- determine the socio-economic and policy conditions necessary for the development of hydrogen-based ecosystems.
Special attention is given to University–Industry collaboration, considered a key factor in developing specialised skills and new professional profiles across the entire value chain.
Looking ahead, research will extend to increasingly relevant regulatory and market aspects, including certification schemes, guarantees of origin, and carbon credit generation and valorisation mechanisms — essential elements to strengthen transparency, reliability and economic sustainability across the entire value chain.
Contacts
For collaboration proposals and partnership opportunities: urp@areasciencepark.it