From Imi and En.it electrolysers to produce hydrogen in Cagliari

The challenge in the name of decarbonisation passes through green hydrogen produced by electrolysers built in the Cagliari area. Carrying out this ambitious project, looking towards the horizon of the 'green future', are the two companies Imi and En.It, which have started a collaboration to set up the supply chain. The starting point is the plant of over 16 thousand square metres in the industrial area of Macchiareddu in the province of Cagliari, where the engineering and construction of the new hydrogen systems is developed: the latest step forward for the company, which was founded in 1955, designs and manufactures valves and hydraulic drive systems for petrochemical industry applications.

"We started the development of the Imi Vivo Electrolyser in 2021, as part of a 'Growth Acceleration' programme aimed at identifying and creating solutions to support the energy transition," says Alessandro Lauria, Imi Vivo sales manager. "IMI's aim is 'Breakthrough Engineering for a Better World'. i.e. Breakthrough Engineering for a Better World, and this new product demonstrates this in a concrete way. Working together with our customers, and thanks to our engineering skills, we can make a contribution to a safer, cleaner and greener world'.

To carry out the project, mainly internal company resources are employed, as Lauria points out, which "include highly specialised engineers with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the oil and gas sector. "For the design and construction of the electrolysers in the Imi Vivo range," Lauria further argues, "Remosa, Imi's partner, makes its structure and personnel available. The company is solid, with over 260 employees. In the Engineering and R&D department, the team consists of 45 experts in various disciplines, including Mechanics, Hydraulics, Instrumentation and Control". A challenge that looks at markets all over the world since, as the sales manager points out, "Imi Plc is a multinational company present in 50 countries around the world with an extensive network". For the manager, who calls 2023 'a memorable year for technological development and achievements' and 2024 the right one for 'consolidating the Imi brand among the main players in the Pem electrolysis sector', the future will be in green hydrogen. 'Green hydrogen is attracting more and more attention as a clean and sustainable energy source,' he adds, 'green hydrogen could play a significant role in the energy future. It has been identified as the new energy carrier that will drive the decarbonisation of sectors such as mobility and transport, while also reducing emissions for the chemical and heavy industry. This vast market covers different applications, sizes and locations, and could account for up to 24% of final energy demand by 2050, thanks to growing government funding."

Downstream then the agreement with En. It, which, as CEO Mattia D'Amato emphasises, "was created as part of the initiatives promoted in the green hydrogen sector". As for the estimated amount of green hydrogen that can be produced, as part of the collaboration worth an investment of 5 million, D'Amato clarifies that: "the project envisages the production of around 40 tonnes per year of green hydrogen as defined by European taxonomy, fuelled by renewable energy from a photovoltaic plant. The hydrogen produced will be used for local transport, allowing for a gradual replacement of traditional fuel by cutting fossil emissions'.