Spain’s hydrogen dream is reaching into the stars, thanks to the news that Iberdrola, one of the nation’s leaders in renewable energy production, has successfully launched the 100 MW Puertollano green hydrogen plant to serve the industrial sector in the country. Green hydrogen has become as popular as the latest iPhone, spouting new and pioneering projects around the world. Now, Spain is aiming to become a regional, and potentially global, leader in the green hydrogen sector.
Iberdrola has commissioned its largest-ever green hydrogen plant in Spain
The company has noted that the successful commissioning of the Puertollano green hydrogen plant comes as the firm has become a market leader in renewable energy solutions. With over 100 years of operating in the energy sector, Iberdrola can safely say it is one of the largest energy companies in the world in terms of market capitalisation.
The new Puertollano green hydrogen plant features a 100 MW photovoltaic solar system, along with a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh. That makes it one of the largest electrolytic hydrogen production systems in the world, all while relying on 100% renewable energy resources to produce the green hydrogen.
“With an investment of 150 million euros, the initiative will create up to 1,000 jobs and prevent emissions of 48,000 tCO2/year. The green hydrogen produced there will be used by Fertiberia’s local ammonia plant.” – statement on Iberdrola’s website
The facility is already a marvel of modern engineering and is one of the most efficient plants in the European Union, boasting a production capacity of more than 200,000 t/year. The green hydrogen produced on site will go to Fertiberia’s local ammonia plant and will serve the Spanish renewable energy market for the years to come.
The Puertollano green hydrogen plant has been built in a strategic location
The new plant was specifically located near Spain’s National Hydrogen Centre and significantly advances the nation’s green hydrogen production capacity. The 100 MW facility has even won awards due to its astonishing progress in the green hydrogen sector.
“Thanks to the work carried out for the development of the plant, we have received the prize for the best Hydrogen Project of the year, awarded by AAE Spain Chapter, during the 4th International Congress of Energy Engineering iENER23, held in Valencia.” – Iberdrola statement
Iberdrola has also launched a new initiative to foster increased development of the green hydrogen sector in the region, and the company has noted its plans, along with a few partners, to develop 830 MW of green hydrogen with an investment of 1.8 billion euros until 2027. This marks a shift in the European energy sector as nations turn to green hydrogen production, some for the first time.
While other European nations are taking massive leaps forward in developing the green hydrogen sector, Spain’s proclivity for the renewable energy sector has never been clearer. Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser was selected as the preferred company for the construction of the hydrogen production system by electrolysis, which will be based on the company’s Proton PEM® solution.
Several other companies have jumped into the Spanish hydrogen pool recently
The new and astonishing 100 MW Puertollano green hydrogen plant is not the first hydrogen project in Spain, and it certainly won’t be the last. Repsol has also recently announced its plans to construct a hydrogen facility in Cartagena, pointing to a wider acceptance and embrace of the hydrogen sector in Spain. With the world facing a potential environmental crisis due to the ongoing reliance on fossil fuels, developing new hydrogen projects could reshape the global energy market, and the world will be better off for it. There can be no question over Spain’s feelings for the hydrogen sector.
