Report on Italian Hydrogen Valley and HRS

Decarbonization involves lowering CO₂ emissions by replacing high-impact activities with more sustainable solutions, enabling a true ecological transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. Since climate change is one of the major consequences of greenhouse gas pollution, decarbonization represents the first essential step to mitigate its negative effects. The European Union has set ambitious targets: reducing emissions by at least 55% by 2030 and achieving climate neutrality by 2050, through the gradual replacement of fossil-based technologies with high-efficiency solutions that rely on renewables and alternative energy carriers such as hydrogen. Within this framework, technologies related to hydrogen—especially when produced from renewable sources—play a central role across multiple sectors, including power generation, industry, and mobility, where it can fuel vehicles powered by fuel cells. However, hydrogen deployment is still limited by the lack of adequate infrastructure for its production, transport, and storage, by an insufficient regulatory framework, and by the relatively high cost of green hydrogen. This report provides a clear definition of the “Hydrogen Valley” concept and examines their deployment, along with the diffusion of Hydrogen Refuelling Stations, both currently implemented and under development in Italy. It also offers an overview of Hydrogen Valleys and refuelling infrastructure in selected European countries, as well as in California and China, which are particularly advanced in this field. The goal is to assess the development level of these infrastructures and analyze the corresponding national regulatory context, offering a comprehensive picture of hydrogen-related initiatives and of the broader dynamics of the energy transition. Hydrogen Valleys emerge as strategic elements contributing to the energy independence of each nation.