Spain aims to become the first major green hydrogen hub in the world and to be the protagonist of what is expected to be a new energy revolution that will promote decarbonisation. Energy and industry groups already have a ‘mega walletOne of the nearly one hundred projects for the production of renewable hydrogen, which uses electricity from renewable energies in its production, has spread throughout the country. And the government has already planned a network of extensive pipeline corridors to transport the new green gas both within the country and to Europe.
Faced with business projects in preparation and the billion-dollar investment that the construction of major hydro channels will require, Spain is launching its first major market test to find out what this means.Genuine interest of energy companies in producing green hydrogen and the big industry that will consume it.
enagas, The manager of the Spanish gas system and the operator of the gas pipeline network is preparing to activate the process. Temporarily measure the volume of supply and demand for the first time The presence of green hydrogen on the Spanish market could control the willingness of energy companies and industry to use the main corridors to transport hydrogen, which they plan to build in the coming years. Next week, Enagás will present the properties and targets of the ‘macrotest’ to hydrogen producers, industrial consumers, energy traders and brokerage market representatives.
X-ray of the future explosion
After the public presentation, the group will open from September 22 and run for two months. ‘Call for attention’ Manufacturers and consumers submit non-binding offers to use the future tube network. While this is not binding on companies for now, it will be the first hydrogen supply and demand matching mechanism on the Spanish market.
“A more precise X-ray is needed to know where the opportunity for renewable hydrogen production and consumption lies in Spain,” he explains. Arturo Gonzalo Aizpiri, CEO of EnagásAt the VIII Energy Forum organized by El Economista. “You need to review the initial projects to have more precise information on the operating dates, trade information and indicative prices.” The group will announce the results of this first ‘rate call’ in the first quarter of next year.
Acquisition of tube customers
A new process will be opened to receive now binding offers from companies throughout 2024. ‘open season’) and this will mean the effective start of attracting customers for future hydro channels. It’s a kind of pre-sale of the capacity of cylinders to transport hydrogen from production centers to industrial centers where it will be consumed.
Green using hydrogen incoming electricity renewable energy for its own production – in economic sectors where it is difficult to electrify processes, it will be one of the next big shake-ups in the energy sector in a few years to replace natural gas with an emission-free green gas.
Enagás has worked for years on the design of the so-called Spanish hydrogen backbone, which includes the construction of major internal transport corridors and international connections for around €7,000 million. Expansion and development plannedThe production and demand for green hydrogen, which does not produce CO2 emissions, is increasing because it is produced only with electricity obtained from renewable energies.
Interior corridors and H2Med
The market test, which is now under way, is designed to check for interest in using an internal network of intermediaries to transport hydrogen within Spain. Spain has planned the construction of two large internal green hydrogen transport corridors and submitted a petition to the European Commission to have them recognized as green hydrogen transport projects. EU’s common interest and thus they will use European funds to finance the necessary investments.
It is a great corridor to merge Huelva, Puertollano (Ciudad Real), Zamora and Gijón and another one to connect Gijon, Barcelona and Cartagena. In addition, the Administration is also seeking EU funding to build two underground hydrogen storage facilities in salt caverns in Cantabria and the Basque Country. Enagás calculates that an investment of 4 billion 670 million euros will be required for domestic facilities.
The inner corridor network will be used to transport hydrogen between production and consumption centres, but will also feed the future major link with Europe. Spain, France and Portugal agreed to promote the first major hydrogen corridor in the European Union and later joined Germany in the initiative. A huge project called H2Med, which is planned to invest almost 200 million Euros 2,500 million euros.
The original plan, agreed between Madrid, Paris and Lisbon, was to connect the three countries by a two-section corridor that was expected to be operational between 2028 and 2030. One section will connect Spain to Portugal (between them). Celorico da Beira and Zamora350 million investment) and other France (between Barcelona and Marseille, with an underwater tube that will cost 2.135 million). After the addition of Berlin, the tube network will extend across French territory until it reaches Germany, with the aim to distribute it to other countries in northern and central Europe.
one hundred projects
The Spanish groups have specific plans to build a total of 94 green hydrogen production plants before 2030, with the combined power of the electrolyzers (which drive the process that allows the hydrogen molecules to be separated from the water) to nearly 200 litres. 17,200 megawatts (MW), according to the most recently updated data collected by the Head of Hydrogen Studies, Pontifical University of Comillas.
The combined strength of a portfolio of projects designed by energy companies and industry groups 56% above the target set by the Ministry of Ecological TransitionThe new version of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), which has not yet been approved by Brussels, is led by vice-president Teresa Ribera.
The revised green ‘mega-plan’ envisions a prediction that Spain will reach 2030. electrolysis It will produce 11,000 MW of green hydrogen. A new target that has already nearly tripled the modest target of just 4,000 MW set in the previously approved Hydrogen Roadmap.