The Compañía Energética Aragonesa de Renovables (CEAR) and Enagás Renovable have announced their plan to build a green hydrogen plant in El Burgo de Ebro, Spain, which will involve an investment of €180 million and create 40 stable direct jobs.
The project has obtained €14.3 million in European financing and includes the installation of three wind farms and two photovoltaic farms that will supply renewable energy to the new facility, which is expected to be operational in three years.
The DGA has approved the project’s declaration of General and Autonomous Interest to speed up the processing. It is one of the 22 projects selected by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition throughout Spain to attract European financing in the decarbonization process of the Spanish industry. The plant will have a generating capacity of 60 MW and produce green hydrogen by electrolysis, derived from electrical energy generated by the wind and photovoltaic farms.
The energy produced will be used for four purposes: as a raw material for the industrial production of hydrogen peroxide, as a clean fuel, to supply hydrogen buses, and for storage and discharge to the general electricity network. A hydrogen pipeline will supply hydrogen to an industrial plant located in La Zaida (Zaragoza), which will pass through El Burgo de Ebro, Fuentes de Ebro, Quinto, and Azaila.
The Vice President of Aragon and Minister of Industry, Arturo Aliaga, has highlighted that it is a “pioneering” project that has obtained the “highest” ratings in the country, and the promoters’ track record guarantees “sufficient solvency” for it to come to fruition. The plant’s water supply will be channeled through a pipe coming from a raft on the Canal Imperial de Aragón.
The project’s implementation faces several challenges. Firstly, the hydrogen industry is still in the early stages of development and has not yet achieved mass commercialization. Secondly, the plant’s location near residential areas and agricultural fields could raise concerns about safety and health. Additionally, the project’s cost and regulatory hurdles could pose challenges for its implementation.
In conclusion, the green hydrogen plant promoted by CEAR and Enagás in El Burgo de Ebro is a pioneering project that has obtained high ratings in the country. It will contribute to the decarbonization process of the Spanish industry and create job opportunities. However, its implementation faces several challenges, and it remains to be seen how the project will overcome these challenges and achieve its goals.
