The Italian hydrogen mobility scenario implementing the European directive on alternative fuels infrastructure (DAFI 2014/94/EU)

The European commitment to promote a sustainable (green and clean) mobility has been strengthening in recent years. An important milestone is the DAFI Directive 2014/94/EU, targeting the deployment of an alternative fuels infrastructure in the European Union, to be implemented through national policy frameworks. The DAFI Directive has been implemented in Italy through the Legislative Decree n. 257 (December 2016), including hydrogen in the list of alternative fuels. Concerning the hydrogen mobility, this paper describes the methodology and the main results of the Scenario MobilitàH2IT. On behalf of the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, it summarized the common vision of several stakeholders joined in the initiative “Mobilità Idrogeno Italia” (MH2IT), established in June 2015. Moreover, these results are reproduced in the Annex III of the Legislative Decree n. 257, thus representing an official reference. With a 2050 time horizon, the applied methodology considers: (1) Sizing of the FCEV fleet and hydrogen demand at the refueling stations; (2) Hydrogen production for the transport sector and integration of renewable electricity with hydrogen storage; (3) Sizing of the hydrogen refueling stations; (4) The consumer perspective; (5) Reduction of CO2 emissions and other harmful pollutants; (6) Measures to support the national policy framework. This methodology can be replicated in other national studies and the Italian results can be checked as a comparison term.