The British multinational Hive Energy and Enagás have announced plans for a major green hydrogen project in Albacete, with an investment of up to 10 billion euros. The project will focus on the production, storage, and transport of green hydrogen, which is a priority for the European Union. Hive Energy and Enagás have signed a collaboration agreement with the local government to carry out the project.
The project is expected to create around 10,000 jobs, with an estimated 20,000 hectares already secured for the project. The construction could start in 2025, with hydrogen production slated to begin in 2027. The project also includes the construction of a gas pipeline to connect Albacete with the Levante network.
According to Estanislao González, director of the hydrogen project for Albacete, the project could be a game-changer for the province. “It can be a real barbarity for the province,” he emphasized.
The CEO of Enagás, Arturo Gonzalo, explained that the company’s role in the project is to ensure the viability of a green hydrogen transport axis from Albacete to the Mediterranean, to the Levante Axis. Enagás has already included the project in proposals for European projects of common interest.
The Spanish Minister of Sustainable Development, José Luis Escudero, has been working on the project for two years. He explained that a renewable hydrogen project requires a powerful network of wind and photovoltaic energy parks, something in which Castilla-La Mancha excels. The second requirement is to bet on storage and transport infrastructures.
The European Union has marked renewable hydrogen as a priority sector to decarbonize the economy. “It is possible that Brussels conceives it as a priority project and advancing that branch of that mesh plot between Albacete and the Valencian Community,” says Escudero, “would place us in a situation of advantage over other regions.”
The collaboration between Hive Energy, Enagás, and the local government is a positive step towards achieving the EU’s goal of decarbonizing the economy. With the project expected to create thousands of jobs and significantly boost the local economy, it is sure to have a positive impact on the region.
