Spain – The Junta promotes the development of hydrogen and signs a collaboration agreement with Clean Hydrogen in Brussels
The Director General of Energy and Mines, Alfonso Arroyo, has signed the memorandum of collaboration between the Regional Energy Agency of Castilla y León (EREN) and the Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking. The objective of this agreement is to promote collaboration in the development of hydrogen in the Community in fields such as knowledge transfer; the development of capacities and skills for the management and exploitation of this technology; and joint collaboration in project management and financing programs.
This agreement, signed on November 21 in Brussels, is an important step towards consolidating green hydrogen in Castilla y León and creating an energy vector that contributes to maintaining and improving the current state of well-being. Clean Hydrogen JU is the only public-private entity in Europe that promotes and supports renewable hydrogen innovation and research projects that are being implemented on the continent, with the aim of accelerating, developing and improving them.
The Community has the challenge of incorporating hydrogen as one of the key elements for the decarbonisation of the territory. The Ministry of Economy and Finance is aware of the legislative, regulatory, economic and investment difficulties, as well as the public and private acceptance that exist. Therefore, this memorandum signed in Brussels facilitates the path by participating and being actors in the development of renewable hydrogen and its applications.
Leader in renewable generation
Castilla y León is the leading Community in electricity generation from renewable sources, with electricity generation in 2023 from these sources of 24,662 GWh, which far exceeds regional demand, 12,998 GWh, so it has an excess of renewable resources that allows Spain to meet its global commitments in terms of renewable energy.
In recent years, more than 50 initiatives or projects have emerged in the Community that seek to take advantage of a large part of this renewable potential by developing green or renewable hydrogen generation projects, in order to use it as a raw material for the development of chemical products, such as methanol or ammonia, which are in high demand in the industrial sector; or as an energy use, as a substitute for current fossil fuels.
Currently, the proposed projects or initiatives have to face two challenges. On the one hand, the existing technical, economic, legislative and regulatory barriers that the promoters of this type of project have to deal with. And, on the other hand, the low demand expectations that the promoters currently face when it comes to ensuring the consumption of green hydrogen, either as a raw material or as an energy vector.
However, despite these challenges, the first green hydrogen production plant will be launched in the coming weeks, promoted by the Junta de Castilla y León through the Public Infrastructure and Environment Company (Somacyl) for industrial use in the Environmental Business Park (PEMA) located in Garray (Soria).
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Spain – The Junta promotes the development of hydrogen and signs a collaboration agreement with Clean Hydrogen in Brussels, source
