Canal Isabel II, the water management company for Madrid, Spain’s capital, has announced plans to open the country’s first green hydrogen plant produced from reclaimed water in 2024.
The construction and operation of the plant, with an initial investment of €7.3 million (US$7.88 million), will be completed over the next 13 months, making the facility operational by mid-2024.
The innovative hydrogen plant will be located in Pinto, at the Arroyo Culebro Cuenca Media Alta treatment plant, and is set to have an initial capacity of around 80,000 kilos of hydrogen per year. What sets this project apart is that Canal Isabel II will produce hydrogen from reclaimed water using electrolysis, combining two renewable technologies: photovoltaic solar generation and biogas cogeneration from the treatment plant’s waste.
The construction process is expected to take 13 months, with the facility becoming operational by mid-2024. Through the tertiary treatment employed at the plant, Canal Isabel II will be able to supply regenerated water to meet the water demand required for the electrolysis process. This makes the hydrogen plant unique as it will derive all its energy from renewable sources generated on-site, eliminating the need for external energy sources. Additionally, this will be the first plant in Spain to utilize recycled water rather than drinking water for hydrogen production.
Moreover, the oxygen produced as a byproduct during the electrolysis process will be used to enhance the wastewater treatment at the plant, where pollution generated by 1.2 million residents is treated.
This groundbreaking project opens new avenues for sustainable mobility, the electrification of heavy transport, and the decarbonization of industrial processes. Renewable hydrogen is emerging as a crucial energy vector of the future due to its storage and transportability, climate neutrality, and absence of polluting emissions during production and consumption.
