Ben Pawlowski
SPAIN’S fledgling ‘green’ hydrogen industry has been given a major boost after the European Commission approved an investment package worth €1.2billion.
The state support, sourced from Spain’s share of the post-Covid EU recovery fund, was approved by officials from the executive arm of the European Union as part of an effort to support zero-carbon, renewable energy initiatives across the continent.
The scheme will allow production plants and factories with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more to bid for money to develop ‘hydrogen valleys’.
Subsidised projects may also include the production of renewable fuels derived from hydrogen, the storage of renewable hydrogen, and the production of renewable electricity.
Spain already has one hydrogen valley – GreenHysland – on the island of Mallorca.
‘Green’ hydrogen is hydrogen produced by the electrolysis of water, splitting it into its key compounds of hydrogen and oxygen.
The production of ‘green’ hydrogen causes significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than the production of ‘grey’ hydrogen, which is derived from fossil fuels, and is seen as a key part of decarbonising industry and reducing CO2 emissions which cause climate change.
Spain has publicly stated an ambitious target to have 11 gigawatts of electrolyser capacity for green hydrogen production by 2030, the highest in Europe.
Across the EU, the region’s governing body hopes to produce 10 million tonnes of green hydrogen a year.
The European Commission’s executive vice-president for competition policy, Margrethe Vestager, said: “This €1.2billion plan will allow Spain to accelerate the deployment of renewable hydrogen capacities, in line with the EU Hydrogen Strategy and the European Green Deal”.
She added: “The plan will also help Spain to reduce its dependence on imported fossil fuels, while minimising any potential distortion of competition”.
