This section involves the study of regulatory reforms; the role of CERs in the construction of plants designed to use green hydrogen; and the reconversion of abandoned industrial areas for the construction of green hydrogen production and distribution centers. 

WP7 focuses primarily on three research areas of interest to administrative law. 

First, the project focuses on the analysis of the important regulatory reforms that the energy transition path undertaken by our country has made necessary in order to effectively implement the investments envisaged under the PNRR, with particular attention to procedural simplifications and the reduction of timescales envisaged for authorization and for certain environmental procedures (EIA and VAS). 

Secondly, the project focuses on studying the role that renewable energy communities can play in the construction of plants designed to use green hydrogen, in light of the provisions of Legislative Decree 199 of 2021, implementing Directive (EU) 2018/2001, and the additional legislative changes introduced by Legislative Decree No. 17 of March 1, 2022, the so-called "bollette decree," converted into Law No. 34 of April 27, 2022. 

Thirdly, the research will examine the projects submitted by the Regions and autonomous provinces that will be approved, relating to the conversion of abandoned industrial areas for the construction of green hydrogen production and distribution centers, particularly given that conversion into green hydrogen production and distribution centers could represent, at least in part, a solution to the lack of enabling infrastructure necessary for hydrogen mobility.

Furthermore, in WP7, economic evaluation of the developed technologies will be investigated. Emphasis will be placed on risk and cost analysis related to the development of technologies that involve the use of hydrogen. In particular, comparative assessments will be conducted looking at the profitability of hydrogen for transportation and storage in relation to batteries, taking into account recent developments in the European Union's green taxonomy. Particular attention will be paid to the remuneration for green hydrogen storage (and mobility) projects used in energy communities.

In addition assess the level of knowledge and attitudes of the public and key stakeholders regarding hydrogen-based technologies will be assessed, with specific attention to the perception of widespread risk in local communities and the resulting mechanisms generating potential resistance and conflict. This will provide public and private decision makers with useful information for identifying possible information, discussion, and engagement strategies capable of incorporating the diverse perspectives of the stakeholders involved in a process of co-designing technologies and their implementation processes. Within this framework, specific attention will be paid to engaging and raising awareness among energy communities to explore the potential of hydrogen-based technologies both as storage systems for energy produced from renewables and as integration with mobility services.

Finally, the environmental impacts of the proposed prototypes will be determined. An LCA assessment will be conducted for both the systems' production and use phases. The production aspects with the greatest impact will then be identified and potential solutions proposed for their limitation. Particular attention will be paid to recyclability and end-of-life.

WP 7 is divided in 6 tasks.