Fusion Fuel has entered into a commercial agreement with Duferco Energia SpA to jointly develop the green H₂ ecosystem in Italy and select markets in the MENA region. A subsidiary of Duferco Group, the multinational steel and commodity trading company, Duferco Energia is a focused on the management of energy production assets and marketing of energy services. The companies expect to leverage Duferco’s local sales network, knowledge of local markets and deep shipping and logistics expertise to develop a pipeline of development opportunities and turnkey technology-sale projects.

The inaugural project under the agreement is a 1.25-MW green H₂ pilot project to be developed at Duferco’s industrial site in Giammoro, Sicily. Fusion Fuel is expected to supply 50 of its HEVO-Solar trackers for the proposed project, which would be installed in 2024. The facility would produce roughly 46 tpy of green H₂, which would be used to power a molten carbonate fuel cell system, adding a unique and innovative aspect to the project.

Nuno Filipe, Fusion Fuel’s Head of Commercial for Europe said, “This is an exciting development for Fusion Fuel as we begin to expand our commercial operation beyond Iberia into Southern Europe. This agreement not only represents our entry point into the Italian market, but more importantly the start of what we hope will become a strong anchor relationship with Duferco Group to sell our technology and develop projects in Italy and, ultimately, in adjacent markets like Tunisia and Algeria. We are thrilled that Duferco has chosen Fusion Fuel as its partner of choice for clean hydrogen solutions as it looks to operationalize its sustainability strategy and accelerate the energy transition from fossil fuels to green sources.”

Marco Castagna, CEO of Duferco Energia said, “Duferco is proud to have signed this agreement with Fusion Fuel to use and promote the HEVO technology within the industrial sector in Italy and the Mediterranean region. Duferco is committed, through its industrial presence in different sectors, to commercially developing the application by adapting it to different industrial contexts and thus accelerating the decarbonization process within the hard-to-abate sectors.”

Zach Steele, Co-Head of Fusion Fuel, added, “As a small player in the nascent green hydrogen sector, it is critical that we remain laser-focused on the markets in which we have a compelling value proposition and material competitive advantage. Italy is one such market, and we believe this partnership with Duferco will serve as a platform for both companies to establish a significant near-term commercial footprint. Our goal is to replicate the approach we have taken in the Iberian Peninsula by developing a mobility backbone in the southern part of the country, beginning with 2-4 refueling projects, as well as industrial projects centered around key industrial regions in Northern Italy. We believe this multifaceted strategy, enabled by our best-in-class technology, will position Fusion Fuel as an early mover in the region.”