Project 1.3 on hydrogen technologies will study the processes of hydrogen production from the gasification of plastic waste and power-to-fuels processes.

Hydrogen from plastic waste: The main goal is the optimisation - at FABER's 400 kWth pilot plant - of plastic waste gasification technology for the hydrogen enrichment of the syngas produced and the increase of the overall process efficiency using an innovative hot syngas treatment system. The results of the experiment will allow the sizing of a demonstration plant to produce hydrogen from plastic waste specifically optimised for the reduction of production costs and the maximisation of energy and environmental performance. This technology could have a significant impact on the regional and national plastic waste management system, especially given the lack of sufficiently reliable competing technologies.

Power to fuels: The focus is on the optimisation - through bench and pilot scale tests - of the process of producing synthetic fuels (e-fuels) from renewable hydrogen and CO2, as well as innovative catalysts optimised for the specific application. The results will advance technological expertise on the production of e-fuels from green hydrogen and carbon dioxide separated from air. This technology is considered strategic by the EU's decarbonisation plans, especially for the potential applications to the so-called hard-to-abate sectors (mainly industry and heavy transport, which are otherwise difficult to decarbonise). Moreover, the application of power-to-fuels technologies is particularly promising in a context such as that of Sardinia, given its insularity and the wide availability of energy from solar and wind sources.