Date: November 20, 2024
The Italian newspaper La Repubblica, through the Italian Tech section of its Bologna edition, has highlighted the activities of the National Research Council (CNR) in the field of hydrogen, dedicating an in-depth article to the European project HYDRA.
Published on November 20 and authored by journalist Lavinia Lundari, the article features an interview with Alessio Bellucci, a researcher at the Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC-CNR) in Bologna. Bellucci elaborates on the significant role of the CNR in HYDRA, a project funded by the Horizon Europe program, which aims to assess the potential climate and environmental impacts of transitioning to a hydrogen-based economy.
In the interview, Bellucci emphasizes how the CNR, leveraging its expertise in climate modeling, is developing advanced climate change scenarios to evaluate the risks and benefits associated with large-scale hydrogen adoption. “The project explores various levels of ambition in hydrogen use to provide future projections and equip policymakers with robust scientific data,” he explains.
Bellucci also highlights potential risks, noting that hydrogen emissions into the atmosphere could indirectly alter concentrations of greenhouse gases like methane and ozone or affect water vapor levels in the stratosphere, a significant greenhouse gas. However, hydrogen offers a unique opportunity to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and advance decarbonization efforts.
HYDRA, which brings together partners from across Europe, including Spain, the United Kingdom, Belgium, and Greece, will also investigate the impact of hydrogen on land use and water resources. With a four-year timeline, the project has already completed its first year of activities, with the first climate simulations scheduled for the second half of 2025.
