EN.IT, an Italian company with significant achievements in renewable energy, has embarked on an ambitious project to develop a 350 MW green hydrogen facility in La Romana, Dominican Republic (DR). This initiative aligns with the DR’s drive towards cleaner energy sources, with EN.IT leading the way in harnessing wind and solar energy for hydrogen production.
Already involved in constructing a photovoltaic park in La Romana, EN.IT’s venture into green hydrogen is seen as a natural progression. Studies conducted by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL) have explored the economic viability of producing green hydrogen locally. These studies reveal that the cost of production per kilogram of hydrogen could range from $4.35 to just over $12, influenced by factors such as the cost of renewable energy and the efficiency of power plants.
Despite the potential, the creation of a local market for green hydrogen in the DR faces challenges, notably the high costs of renewable energy. Experts suggest that for green hydrogen to be economically viable, renewable energy costs must fall below three cents per kilowatt-hour.
EN.IT’s involvement in this project highlights the global importance of green hydrogen as a sustainable energy source. In collaboration with the Dominican Ministry of Energy and Mines and GIZ, EN.IT is contributing to the development of a National Renewable Hydrogen Strategy to facilitate the country’s foray into this sector.
Mattia D’Amato, Managing Director of EN.IT SpA, expressed the company’s unwavering commitment to unlocking the potential of hydrogen production technologies. He anticipates that these technologies will play a significant role in the global energy landscape over the next three decades, marking green hydrogen as a key renewable energy source.
The project in La Romana, expected to produce an estimated 46,000 tons per year of hydrogen, aims to reduce the DR’s reliance on fossil fuels and diversify its energy mix. EN.IT plans to reach a final investment decision on this project by 2026, with commercial operations beginning towards the end of 2028.
D’Amato, highlighting the DR’s rich natural resources, sees this project as a glimpse of the country’s potential. He hopes that the economic and social benefits from this transformation will inspire other regions less developed in renewable commitments to embrace similar sustainable initiatives.
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