Noccioni (Baker Hughes), Pratesi (Alboran Hydrogen)

We continue with our overview of companies. Now we have as guests Paolo Noccioni, President of Nuovo Pignone (Baker Hughes), and Simone Pratesi, President and Founder of Alboran Hydrogen. Good morning. I'll start with you, after all the earlier talks on hydrogen projects. I want to focus on technical feasibility — materials, valves, compressors, turbines. How do we manage this new complexity? At Baker Hughes, Florence is your research hub. How do you approach technical feasibility and the changing skill sets required?

I often hear that the current gas network can host 100% hydrogen. Is that true? Various projects are reviewing distribution networks, like in the Netherlands. So it's case by case, right?

In your research center in Florence, you need advanced technical skills. Where do you recruit? What kind of graduates do you look for now compared to the past?

Thank you. From technical feasibility, I move to economic sustainability. Simone, with Alboran you have several projects. Briefly, what are you doing? And how do you operate in a market that is just emerging? Do you need incentives?

I founded Alboran Hydrogen with Alessandro Amato in 2019 when few spoke of green hydrogen. We aimed to be among the first producers globally. The pandemic and NRRP accelerated things. Our first hydrogen valley in Puglia is a 400 MW solar plant with over 200 MW electrolyzers, the world’s largest, in Taranto, Cerignola, and Brindisi. We partnered with Saipem, Snam, and Edison. A second project in Morocco uses wind for green ammonia production, and a third in Albania blends hydrogen into the TAP pipeline. We also work with railways and the Apulian aqueduct for circular water–oxygen exchange. The main challenge is electrolyzer cost, which we expect to drop 70-80% by 2025-26, making green hydrogen cheaper than blue. But we need a clear incentive framework for the first 2-3 years, and faster authorizations — currently only 1 GW/year is authorized, but we need 10 GW/year just for renewables.

You mentioned investing in Nemesis. When looking at a new technology or startup, what criteria do you use? What makes you invest or not?

We have two minutes left for the topic of obstacles: bureaucracy and administrative hurdles for renewables and hydrogen. The government aims for 70 GW renewables by 2030 and passed a simplification decree. Concretely, what's not working? Give me two numbers.

Today 1 GW per year is authorized, but we need 10 GW. Adding hydrogen makes it worse. The simplification decree and regional collaboration are helpful, but I dream of a simple rule: give us a maximum 180 days for authorization, not silent assent. Without clear incentives and swift permits, we cannot plan. Our first hydrogen authorization was submitted over a year ago — we're still waiting. If authorized today, we could produce 300 million tonnes of hydrogen in Puglia within 18 months.

Beyond the NRRP, we need continued support for the hydrogen economy, with cost cushions. More importantly, we must build a system — not just companies, but institutions, universities, and research bodies — to foster an energy culture. I thank Paolo Noccioni and Simone Pratesi for their contributions.