Solid state hydrogen storage program to support solar power plants in Puglia, Italy

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  The project, dubbed INGRID was expected to cost a total of €23.9 million

A consortium of seven partners supported by €13.8 million in financing from the European Commission’s Seventh Framework Programme for European Research and Innovation are to build a solid state hydrogen storage plant designed to balance power supply and demand of renewable energy installed in the Puglia region of Italy, which employs around 3.5GW of solar, wind and biomass energy resources.

The project, dubbed INGRID was expected to cost a total of €23.9 million, including consortium participation from Italian, ICT technology firm, Engineering Ingegneria Informatica, Agenzia per la tecnologia e l'Innovazione (ARTI, Puglia, Italy), representing the operational arm of Puglia regional authority for the innovation and technology transfer and Enel Distribuzione, Italy's largest utility.

Other firms involved in the project include, Belgium-based hydrogen generator supplier, Hydrogenics and French-based McPhy Energy, which is a developer of solid and safe hydrogen storage. Italian research institution, Ricerca sul Sistema and Spanish research centre Energetico TECNALIA are also taking part in the project.