SAFE S.p.A. Supports Completion of Sicily’s First Renewable Hydrogen Valley, H2-FARM

SAFE S.p.A., the Italian manufacturer of advanced compression systems for natural and renewable gases, has announced the successful completion of its contribution to Agrobiofert S.r.l.’s H2-FARM project, following the formal completion-of-works notification for the renewable hydrogen facility located in the industrial district of Priolo Gargallo, Syracuse, Sicily.

Developed with financial support from the PNRR NextGenerationEU programme under Mission 2, Component 2, Investment 3.1, H2-FARM represents an important milestone in Italy’s transition toward a renewable hydrogen economy. According to Agrobiofert, the facility is currently the first Hydrogen Valley in Sicily to formally complete construction and among the earliest projects of its kind to reach this stage nationwide.

The plant has been designed to generate renewable hydrogen through water electrolysis using two 1 MW PEM electrolysers, providing a combined installed capacity of 2 MW. At full operation, the system is expected to produce approximately 37 kilograms of hydrogen per hour, corresponding to an annual production capacity exceeding 324 tonnes.

The integrated facility encompasses renewable electricity generation from non-biological renewable sources, hydrogen production via electrolysis, compression, temporary storage, and loading operations for tube trailer transportation. Within this process, SAFE supplied the complete hydrogen compression solution.

The company delivered a 30-foot containerised compression unit equipped with a duplex hydrogen compression system based on its high-efficiency TDE + MDH hydraulic compressors. Entirely designed and manufactured in Italy, the system combines three compression stages capable of delivering hydrogen at pressures of up to 450 bar. The package also includes the associated control systems, logic panels and cooling equipment.

The duplex architecture allows each compressor to operate independently, improving operational flexibility, supporting uninterrupted production and minimising downtime risks. In addition, SAFE’s hydraulic compression technology enables hydrogen flow regulation without relying on variable-frequency drives, instead using the system’s integrated hydraulic circuit to deliver efficient, reliable and simplified operation.

The completion of H2-FARM comes at a time when the renewable hydrogen sector is shifting its attention from announced projects to facilities that have been physically completed, certified and are ready to serve industrial demand.

“The completion of H2-FARM demonstrates what can be achieved when technological expertise and a shared vision are successfully combined to create real infrastructure,” said Giovanni Maccini, Sales Director of SAFE S.p.A. “We are proud to have supplied our hydrogen compression technology to a project that shows renewable hydrogen is becoming a practical solution not only for industrial applications, but also for local development, agriculture and the broader energy transition.”

For SAFE, participation in H2-FARM further strengthens its position as a technology partner for renewable gas infrastructure, reinforcing its expertise in hydrogen compression and distribution systems as the European hydrogen market continues to mature.

About SAFE

Established in 1975 and headquartered in San Giovanni in Persiceto, Bologna, SAFE S.p.A. is an international provider of gas compression and treatment technologies with extensive expertise in biomethane and renewable gases. The company combines engineering, manufacturing and after-sales services to deliver customised solutions focused on operational efficiency, safety and long-term reliability.