With the H2Med corridor almost underway for a recent conflict, the first Iberian index of the Price of established renewable hydrogen and a recent million -dollar injection of European funds, Spain has everything to emerge as a leader in this sector. The ambition has come to stay.
Injection of funds. The Government of Spain has announced that it will allocate 1,214 million euros of the Nextgeneu funds to seven projects located in Aragon, Andalusia, Castilla y León, Cataluña and Galicia to develop hydrogen valleys.
These European aid will be distributed among green hydrogen production and distribution projects to decarbonize several energy and industrial sectors, under the H2 Valles program. The companies that are behind the projects are Moeve, Enagás, Reolum, Repsol, Ric Energy, Capital Energy, Fertiberia or Ercros, among others.
The goal. In a press release, the vice president and minister for the ecological transition, Sara Aagesen, stressed that “it is a call for strategic relevance that advances on the decarbonization agenda.” In addition, he has stressed that this new proposal “will create about 9,000 jobs direct and about 11,000 indirects, during the construction and operation of this initiative. “In addition, requirements such as the commitment to Buy at least 60% of production by industrial consumers.
The Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), attached to the miteco, manages this line of incentives to integrate hydrogen into the energy mix and reduce CO2 emissions. Spain is consuming 500,000 tons per year of gray hydrogen (of fossil origin), so this new form of hydrogen will help change to be dynamic.
Hydrogen valleys. The seven selected projects will add 2,278 MW of electrolysis power for the production of renewable hydrogen in 11 facilities, since the bases of the call allow more than one cluster site if the distance between them is less than 100 km.
These plants will use renewable energy (solar and wind) to generate green hydrogen, and many will be integrated with ammonia or fertilizer facilities to reduce industrial emissions. In addition, 90% of electrolyzers will be manufactured in Europe and most promoters have opted for alkaline electrolysis technology, considered efficient and scalable.
Aid distribution. The distribution of European funds is carried out prioritizing projects with greater impact. Starting with the community with the largest renewable cluster: Aragon, which will receive 384 million euros for two hydrogen valleys, one of them shared with Catalonia. They are followed by Andalusia with 304 million, Castilla y León with 259 million, Galicia with 170 million and Catalonia with 98 million.
In addition, three of them will be located in municipalities with demographic challenges, such as Andorra in Teruel and Cubillos del Sil and Robla both in the province of León. All this to promote local economic development and job creation in these places where there is less industrial activity.
It should be added that the initial budget of 1,200 million, framed on the Repower EU agenda of the recovery, transformation and resilience (PRTR) plan (PRTR) was extended to an additional 10%, reaching the current amount of 1,214 million euros.
Horizonte 2030. The development of these projects seeks to consolidate an advanced green hydrogen infrastructure so that within five years it is integrated into sectors such as industry, aviation and maritime transport. Spain has invested more than 3,100 million euros in the last two years to consolidate its position in the green hydrogen sector in Europe.
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