Hydrogen for renewable energy communities

This research area is connected to Hydrogen for remote and off-grid applications, extending its concepts to more structured and decentralised energy systems such as Renewable Energy Communities (RECs).
While hydrogen is traditionally investigated as a solution for isolated or off-grid systems, here the focus shifts towards its role within interconnected and decentralised energy infrastructures, where it can support system flexibility and resilience.
In this context, hydrogen is primarily used as a long-term and seasonal energy storage solution, complementing short-term storage technologies such as batteries. This hybrid approach enables more efficient management of renewable energy variability and enhances self-consumption at community level.
In addition, hydrogen is explored as a versatile energy carrier for local end-use applications, including hard-to-abate sectors such as heavy transport and energy-intensive industries, further strengthening its role within integrated, multi-vector energy systems.

Research activities target the design, integration and operation of multi-energy systems in which hydrogen acts as a key energy vector to enhance flexibility and resilience in local energy communities.
A flagship example is the H2SCORE project, coordinated by Politecnico di Torino, which develops and demonstrates innovative hydrogen-based solutions tailored for RECs and local multi-energy microgrids. The project aims to enable complex, resilient and low-carbon energy systems through the integration of hydrogen technologies with existing electrical and thermal infrastructures.

The research focuses on integrated Power-to-Hydrogen-to-Power (P2H2P) systems, combining multiple technologies:

• Electrolysers (PEM and high-temperature systems)
• Hydrogen storage (including metal hydrides)
• Fuel cells (PEMFC and reversible Solid Oxide Cells – rSOC)
• Integration with renewable energy sources (e.g. PV)
• Coupling with district heating network

A key feature is the dual hydrogen architecture, combining:

• low-temperature systems for fast response and short-term balancing
• high-temperature systems for efficient cogeneration and enhanced flexibility

Research is strongly oriented towards real-world implementation through high-TRL demonstration sites.
Within H2SCORE, a full-scale demonstrator is being deployed in Quarona (Italy), within a Renewable Energy Community in the Valsesia region. The system integrates hydrogen technologies with both the local electrical grid and the district heating network, enabling:

• increased renewable self-consumption
• long-term and seasonal energy storage
• improved grid stability and reduced emissions

A key objective of the research is to ensure that hydrogen-based solutions can be effectively replicated and adapted across different energy communities and geographical contexts.
H2SCORE includes dedicated replication studies to evaluate how the proposed concept can be transferred beyond the demonstration site, considering technical, economic, environmental and social factors. These studies analyse different renewable mixes, demand profiles and climatic conditions, and provide guidelines for optimal system sizing and configuration.
The approach is validated across multiple case studies, including:

• existing energy communities in Switzerland
• hydrogen valleys in Spain
• remote and off-grid communities in Canada
• additional RECs in Italy

This ensures the development of scalable and transferable solutions, supporting future deployment of hydrogen technologies in diverse real-world applications.

The research supports the deployment of hydrogen in energy communities by:

• enabling long-duration and seasonal storage
• increasing flexibility and resilience of local energy systems
• supporting sector coupling between electricity and heat
• providing validated design tools and replication strategies