Catalina Project – to produce hydrogen and green ammonia on a large scale in Spain with Enagás, Naturgy, Fertiberia and Vestas
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners is developing the first phase of the Catalina Project together with Enagás, Naturgy, Fertiberia and Vestas. Catalina is a pioneering project at a global level for the production of hydrogen and green ammonia, which will connect the excellent renewable resources of Aragon with the centers of industrial consumption on the east coast of Spain through a sustainable infrastructure. Once fully implemented, the project will reach 5GW of wind and photovoltaic solar energy in Aragon that will supply a 2GW electrolyser. In this sense, the Catalina Project could produce enough hydrogen to cover 30% of the current demand for hydrogen in Spain.
The first phase, Catalina I, is in an advanced stage of development. It is expected to obtain all the necessary permits in the next two years and construction will begin at the end of 2023. Catalina I will have 1.7GW of wind and solar photovoltaic energy connected to a 500MW electrolyser that will produce 40,000 tons of green hydrogen per anus. The project will connect Aragón and Valencia through a hydro pipeline that will transport this hydrogen to a newly built ammonia plant, which will produce 200,000 tons of green ammonia per year.
The green ammonia will be used for the production of sustainable fertilizers in the plant that Fertiberia has in Sagunto (Valencia), which will mean a great advance in the decarbonisation of the agricultural sector. The green hydrogen will also be used to decarbonize other industrial processes and to be injected into the natural gas network. Catalina I has requested connection to the network in Andorra (Teruel), in the Mudéjar contest, where it will have a great impact on the socioeconomic development of the area.
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Catalina I will reduce CO 2 emissions by one million tons per year and up to 2.5 million when the project is fully built, the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of almost 2 million homes.
Collaboration with local agents and local socioeconomic development are priorities for this project and the members of the consortium firmly believe in the value of Catalina as an engine of employment, development of R&D&I programs and the creation of new value chains associated with the reactivation of the economy in the area. Thus, during the construction and installation of the first phase of the project, Catalina I will contribute to the creation of more than 5,000 jobs in Aragón and Valencia.
The Catalina Project will constitute a major contribution to the Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE) of Renewable Energies, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage (ERHA), which aims to position Spain as a benchmark in the production of green hydrogen worldwide.
The members of the consortium have signed a collaboration agreement to carry out the project. The final investment required, as well as the percentage of participation of each of the members will be confirmed during the development of the project.
Søren Toftgard, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, said:
I am very proud to announce Project Catalina, a pioneering initiative in Europe for the large-scale production of hydrogen and green ammonia.
“Spain and, specifically Aragon, offer very good conditions for the development of this technology given its excellent wind and solar resources, political support and proximity to the centers of demand. We will continue to work together with our partners to carry out this project.”
Marcelino Oreja, CEO of Enagás, pointed out that
This project for the development of green hydrogen in Spain is the result of a common agreement between these international leaders in the sector.
“It reflects our goal of contributing to decarbonisation, in a way that is compatible with promoting a competitive industry and job creation, as well as bringing the energy transition to all territories without leaving anyone behind”.
Jorge Barredo, General Director of Renewables, New Businesses and Innovation at Naturgy, also indicates:
This new project will boost one of the lines of investment in our Strategic Plan and will be added to the other projects we have underway in Spain.
“At Naturgy we want to be protagonists of the energy transition and hydrogen is one of the essential vectors to achieve a decarbonised economy; That is why we want to cover the entire value chain, from its production to its final use, and our gas infrastructure is a clear ally for transporting it to the consumer sectors”.
Javier Goñi, CEO of Grupo Fertiberia, assures that
Our participation in the Catalina Project allows us to maintain our leadership position in the decarbonisation of the plant nutrition sector in Europe.
“The green ammonia generated by this consortium will be used as raw material for the production of green fertilizers at the plant that Grupo Fertiberia has in Sagunto. In addition, it will have other industrial uses of this highly efficient carbon-free molecule. Sagunto will thus become the third plant of the Group that will use green hydrogen and ammonia, after those of Puertollano and Palos de la Frontera, and will be 100% decarbonized, which demonstrates, once again, the firm commitment of our company with the ecological transition in the agricultural sector”.
Vestas Vice President of Development for Europe, Latin America, Middle East, Europe and Africa, Íñigo Sabater:
As a world leader in sustainable energy solutions, we at Vestas are proud to participate in this historic and innovative project. Thanks for staying up to date with Hydrogen Central.
We hope that Catalina will show the enormous socioeconomic impact that PtX renewable projects can generate not only for the decarbonization of our societies, but also in terms of economic growth and employment”
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Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners announces a consortium with Enagás, Naturgy, Fertiberia and Vestas to produce hydrogen and green ammonia on a large scale in Spain, 02-01-2022
