In brief
At Pignataro Maggiore near Caserta, the SIAD Group has commissioned an integrated facility combining photovoltaic electricity, battery storage, PEM electrolysis and high-pressure hydrogen distribution. The project demonstrates a practical approach to supplying renewable hydrogen to existing industrial customers.
On 30 September 2026, the Italian industrial gases and engineering group SIAD inaugurated its Green Hydrogen IGAT project at Pignataro Maggiore in Campania, Southern Italy.
The facility, located at the existing IGAT industrial gases production site, represents an investment of more than €12 million, including €8 million in funding under Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), supported by the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience Facility.
An integrated renewable hydrogen system
The project combines renewable electricity generation, energy storage, hydrogen production and industrial gas distribution at one location:
- Photovoltaic generation: 2.37 MWp installed solar capacity.
- Battery energy storage: 1 MW rated power, supporting the management of solar electricity.
- PEM electrolysis: A 2 MW proton exchange membrane electrolyser producing hydrogen from water.
- Hydrogen compression and distribution: Hydrogen with a reported purity of 99.999%, compressed to pressures of up to 500 bar and distributed through cylinder bundles or tube trailers.
The electrolyser was supplied by the Italian IMI Group, which manufactures this technology in Cagliari, Sardinia.
By integrating these components at an existing industrial gases facility, SIAD has established a local production and distribution chain for renewable hydrogen.
Renewable hydrogen for existing industrial customers
IGAT already produces and distributes industrial gases, including nitrogen, oxygen and argon. Renewable hydrogen now extends its portfolio.
According to SIAD, the hydrogen will primarily be marketed to companies already using hydrogen in their chemical, physical or industrial manufacturing processes.
The project therefore focuses on replacing conventionally produced hydrogen in existing applications, rather than creating entirely new hydrogen markets. Distribution through cylinder bundles and tube trailers enables SIAD to supply customers without dedicated hydrogen pipelines.
Potential industrial applications include chemical synthesis, metal processing and specialised manufacturing. However, these are general examples of hydrogen use, not confirmed applications of the IGAT project.
SIAD has not disclosed the names of specific customers, contracted delivery volumes or the precise industrial processes in which its renewable hydrogen will be used.
European technology and investment
The project also illustrates the role of European technology suppliers and public investment in developing renewable hydrogen infrastructure.
The PEM electrolyser comes from an Italian manufacturer, while the project received substantial funding through Italy’s PNRR programme, supported by the European Union.
Unlike many larger hydrogen projects still awaiting final investment decisions or construction, the Pignataro Maggiore facility has reached inauguration and commissioning.
Its relatively modest 2 MW electrolyser capacity demonstrates a decentralised approach to hydrogen production, designed around the existing infrastructure and distribution capabilities of an industrial gases supplier.
W2E perspective
Green Hydrogen IGAT provides a concrete example of how renewable hydrogen can be integrated into an established industrial supply chain.
The combination of on-site photovoltaic generation, battery storage, PEM electrolysis and high-pressure distribution is particularly relevant for industrial customers requiring hydrogen as a chemical feedstock or process gas.
The project also illustrates a practical route towards defossilisation: substituting fossil-derived hydrogen in existing industrial applications without waiting for the development of large-scale hydrogen pipeline networks.
However, several indicators remain important for assessing its actual contribution to industrial decarbonisation:
- Annual hydrogen production and electrolyser operating hours.
- The share of electricity supplied directly by photovoltaics, from battery storage or from the grid.
- Commercial hydrogen deliveries and actual substitution of fossil-derived hydrogen.
- Verified greenhouse-gas reductions over the complete production and distribution chain.
These data have not yet been published.
The next milestone will therefore be the demonstration of reliable commercial operation and measurable displacement of conventionally produced hydrogen.
Category: Green C/H – Hydrogen
Location: Pignataro Maggiore, Campania, Italy
Project: Green Hydrogen IGAT – SIAD Group
Inauguration: 30 September 2026
Technology: PEM electrolysis, integrated with photovoltaics and battery storage
Electrolyser capacity: 2 MW
Solar photovoltaic capacity: 2.37 MWp
Battery storage power: 1 MW
Hydrogen purity: 99.999% (company specification)
Compression pressure: Up to 500 bar
Investment: More than €12 million, including €8 million PNRR funding