Sardinia: ARST completes three green hydrogen plants for trains in Macomer, Mandas and Alghero, worth over €76 million

ARST, the public transport company of the Region of Sardinia, announced on 5 November that it had met, on schedule, the targets of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the hydrogen network and for cycling mobility. The three green hydrogen production plants, in Macomer, Mandas and Alghero, have been completed.

The figures. According to ANSA, the investment in the three plants exceeds €76 million. The hydrogen will power the new trains of the island’s narrow-gauge rail network. The first train, worth about €15 million, has been purchased and is in Switzerland for the tests that precede its entry into service. Separately, the second lot of the Ciclovia della Sardegna, more than 120 km between Barumini, Terralba, Oristano and Bosa, received €33 million.

What the company says. ARST’s sole administrator Giovanni Mocci said reaching the PNRR target was “a result of great importance” and that the company “is building a chain in which the energy of the sun is used to produce green hydrogen”. Central director Carlo Poledrini said the in-house energy chain “goes beyond the simple introduction of a new technology” and steers the company towards progressive energy autonomy.

The technical details. According to the news site Sbircialanotizia, which cites the regional project sheets, the Mamuntanas plant near Alghero has two electrolysers of 2 MW each, a capacity of around 1,500 kg of hydrogen per day and its own photovoltaic field. Manufacturer Stadler puts the start of passenger service in 2028, with Sassari–Alghero and Sassari–Sorso as the first lines.

Context. The project has its critics: in Alghero, some residents of the surrounding hamlets opposed the works, and the Democratic Party previously argued that hydrogen trains suit areas that are hard to electrify, which in its view is not the case for the Nurra area, Alguer.it reports. For passengers, there are no new services for now.