Repsol S.A. (Madrid, Spain), Naturgy and Reganosa are joining forces to develop a renewable hydrogen production center in Galicia, Spain. The project involves the installation of an electrolysis plant powered by 100% renewable energy on the grounds of the former Meirama thermal power plant in the municipality of Cerceda (A Coruña). With the promotion of this energy vector, the three companies reinforce their commitment to a fair energy transition.
The renewable hydrogen plant will have an initial capacity of 30 MW, scalable in different phases up to a total potential of 200 MW. It will produce more than 4,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year in the first phase and reach a total production of 30,000 tons per year.
Repsol is also installing an electrolyzer at its Petronor refinery, producing renewable hydrogen from biomethane at its Cartagena Industrial Complex and earlier this year announced the launch of SHYNE, the Spanish Hydrogen Network. Spanish firm Cepsa recently announced plans to deploy the largest hydrogen hub in Europe.
The renewable hydrogen generated will be destined for industrial use to replace the conventional hydrogen currently used by the Repsol refinery in A Coruña. Other industries, such as mobility will use the renewable hydrogen, and it will be injected into the gas grid to be mixed with natural gas. All these uses will reduce the area’s carbon footprint and demonstrate the feasibility of mass production of renewable hydrogen and its distribution to the end consumer.
Renewable hydrogen is one of the pillars of Repsol’s strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. According to Tomás Malango, the company’s Hydrogen Director, “this project is part of Repsol’s renewable hydrogen strategy in Galicia and is a milestone in the transformation of the A Coruña refinery into a multi-energy hub that provides decarbonized products to society.”
The director of New Business of Naturgy, Silvia Sanjoaquín, said that “this project will accelerate the introduction of hydrogen in sectors such as energy, industry and transport, in addition to having a great impact on the local economy, in a fair transition site such as Meirama”. Barredo also indicated that “in Naturgy we want to be protagonists of the energy transition and hydrogen is one of the essential vectors to achieve a decarbonized economy, so we want to cover the entire value chain, from production to end use.”
The general manager of Reganosa, Emilio Bruquetas, emphasized that “15 years ago we provided Galicia with a key infrastructure for the arrival of gas, and the competitiveness of our industry improved substantially. Now, under the leadership of the Xunta de Galicia and surrounded by the best partners, we are participating in the configuration of a new energy ecosystem. The Galicia of the future, which is already in the making, will be green, digital and inclusive, and we are proud to be able to foster this transformation that we all long for.”
In addition, this joint project of Naturgy, Repsol and Reganosa can position Galicia as a world reference in producing, distributing and consuming renewable hydrogen, thus favoring the region’s economic growth. The uniqueness of the project and its large scale give it a high potential for replication in other locations, both nationally and internationally. The three companies are essential agents in developing this type of industrial initiatives by contributing their capacity and global knowledge throughout the plant’s value chain.