Spain to have the largest European green hydrogen factory

The town of Puertollano (Ciudad Real) has an important industrial hub, which also houses the National Hydrogen Center. The development and construction of the plant will generate 700 jobs and, once operational, will prevent the emission of 39,000 tCO₂/year.

Iberdrola will be responsible for the production of green hydrogen from 100% renewable sources. The solution will consist of a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant; a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh; and one of the largest systems for producing hydrogen by electrolysis in the world (20 MW).

The hydrogen will be used in the Fertiberia ammonia plant already existing in Puertollano. The plant, which is already one of the most efficient in the European Union, has a production capacity of more than 200,000 t/year. The new facility (Fig. 1) will allow the plant to produce green fertilizers with green hydrogen.

Fertiberia will be able to reduce the plant's natural gas needs by more than 10%. Furthermore, it will be the first European company in the sector to develop a large-scale experience in the generation of green ammonia.

Fertiberia

The company has a staff of more than 1,400 employees and 14 industrial activity centers distributed throughout the Iberian Peninsula. The company also claims to be "one of the world's leading operators in the ammonia market". Fertiberia, which declared sales in 2019 worth 710 million euros, belongs to the Swedish-German multinational Triton Partners. Owned by Grupo Villar Mir, in August 2019, it sold the Spanish company as part of its divestment policy to reduce its debt.

Iberdrola

Multinational company that produces, distributes and markets electricity. It as a workforce of more than 35,000 people and assets in excess of 122 billion euros. In 2019, the company recorded "a turnover of 37 billion euros and a net profit of 3 billion euros".

Source: energynews.es