Aragon: strategic location, renewable resources and innovation for green hydrogen

When it comes to green hydrogen in Spain, Aragon is one of the key locations. In Enagás’s 2023 Call for Interest to identify potential production and consumption centres for this energy vector in Spain, Aragon had the highest number of hydrogen projects at various stages of planning and development. Furthermore, according to data from the PNIEC (National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan), the capacity of these projects exceeds 1,100 MW, surpassing the plan’s own forecasts for this community in 2030.

Why does Aragon have the potential to lead the way in green hydrogen development?

There are various structural factors that explain why this autonomous community is set to play a leading role in the production and distribution of renewable hydrogen. The three most relevant are:

• Innovation. The Aragon Hydrogen Foundation is an example of the autonomous community’s interest in developing this vector as a renewable energy source. Emerging in 2003 as a government initiative, it has since established itself as a research centre focused on technological development and industrial adaptation to contribute to the region’s energy transition through hydrogen. It currently has 93 members (mainly private companies) and has promoted over 100 projects related to the transport, production and storage of hydrogen.
• Exceptional renewable resources. Aragon has some of the highest wind and solar production rates in Europe, particularly in Los Monegros and the province of Teruel. This facilitates its competitiveness in the production of hydrogen from renewable sources.
• Industrial fabric in transformation. The community is home to industries with high hydrogen demand that need to be decarbonised. The chemical, fertiliser and steel sectors represent direct consumption for local production.
• Geographical location. Aragon acts as a hinge between the northern part of the peninsula, the Mediterranean axis and the European connection. It is strategically located between the main infrastructures of the future hydrogen backbone network.

The 191 kilometres of pipeline to be deployed in Aragon will be integrated into the Ebro Valley Axis

The Conceptual Public Participation Plan (PCPP) for the hydrogen backbone in Aragon: an exercise in transparency and social listening

The Conceptual Public Participation Plan (PCPP) of the Spanish hydrogen backbone network is an active listening process deployed by Enagás, the promoter of the infrastructure, in the 13 autonomous communities through which the future network will run. The aim is to transparently inform and involve all stakeholders at an early stage of the project. This allows preventive and/or corrective measures to be incorporated into those aspects identified in order to guarantee the preservation of the different environments in the territories.

In the case of Aragon, the PCPP, carried out between April and May 2026, has considered the 28 municipalities through which the 191 kilometres of hydrogen pipeline will pass. This public consultation is conducted via participatory workshops at local and regional levels. It also includes explanatory materials, information points in the municipalities, an email address and a website. These various channels of dialogue are permanent and available to everyone.

Where will the Spanish hydrogen backbone in Aragon go?

The 191 kilometres of pipeline to be deployed in Aragon –in Spain there will be a total of 2,600 kilometres– will be integrated into the Ebro Valley Axis and will run along two sections. The first is the Haro–Zaragoza route, 60 km long, which will link up with La Rioja, and the second is the Zaragoza–Tivissa route, 131 km long, which will link up with Tarragona.

The route of this hydrogen infrastructure network covers 28 municipalities in the provinces of Zaragoza and Teruel. In Zaragoza: Bárboles, Bardallur, Bisimbre, Boquiñeni, Cadrete, Caspe, Cuarte de Huerva, Escatrón, Fréscano, Fuentes de Ebro, Gallur, La Zaida, Luceni, Maella, Magallón, Mallén, María de Huerva, Mediana de Aragón, Pedrola, Pleitas, Quinto and Zaragoza. In Teruel: Azaila, Calaceite, Castelnou, Jatiel, La Puebla de Híjar and Samper de Calanda.

A key technical feature of this pipeline is that most of its route runs alongside the existing natural gas network, reducing environmental impact and facilitating territorial integration.

Six green hydrogen projects in Aragon: from production to innovation

1. The Catalina Andorra Project, promoted by Copenhagen Infrastructure in partnership with Renato PTX in Andorra (Teruel), is a 500 megawatt electrolysis plant, capable of producing approximately 39,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The final resolution of the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE) granted aid of 245 million euros out of an eligible cost of almost 535 million euros.

The project also includes plans for a pipeline to connect Andorra with the hydrogen backbone in Caspe, following the route of the existing pipeline to Alcañiz. In March 2026, the government included it among the seven hydrogen projects benefiting from the Recovery Plan.

2. HyBERUS, a project by Alkeymia (a company linked to Capital Energy), proposes three electrolysis plants on the banks of the Ebro: in Caspe, Fabara and Ascó, in Catalonia. These will have a combined power output of 360 megawatts and produce over 43,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year, making it one of the most productive projects planned in Aragon. The IDAE also ratified almost 139 million euros in aid and the project is also on the list of the seven projects favoured by the Recovery Plan.

Within HyBERUS, two sub-projects coexist and complement each other. The first, called PILAR, is being developed by Walia Energy in Caspe and also plans to produce green ammonia using the Haber-Bosch process, which has been used for a century to manufacture fertiliser. The total investment amounts to 700 million euros, and the design includes two wind farms (Los Sarmientos and Sanjosías) to guarantee renewable self-consumption. The Government of Aragon declared it an investment of regional interest.

The second, named Pilatus, is managed directly by Alkeymia. It adds a green methanol plant that would operate in parallel to PILAR and be interconnected with it, as well as being connected to the future hydrogen network. Construction is expected to begin by the end of 2026, with the plant becoming operational in 2028.

HyBERUS, a project by Alkeymia (a company linked to Capital Energy), proposes three electrolysis plants on the banks of the Ebro  

3. HyLoop+ is a pioneering hydrogen meter calibration laboratory. It is equally strategic and one of the most unique facilities on the European hydrogen scene. It is being carried out at the Enagás Metrology and Innovation Centre in Zaragoza. The goal is to design, build and operate Europe’s first hydrogen meter calibration laboratory.

Why is this so important? Because the large-scale deployment of hydrogen infrastructure requires reliable and standardised measurement instrumentation. Before hydrogen can circulate in transmission networks, be commercialised, or be used as an energy source on a large scale, it must be possible to accurately measure flow rates. HyLoop+ is developing the technical standards that will enable this measurement. The laboratory is expected to be operational in 2026.

4. Acciona Energy’s alliance with the American company Plug Power (operating under the name Accionaplug) is developing a 25-megawatt plant in Zaragoza, which will be powered by a 40-megawatt photovoltaic facility. Construction is scheduled to start in mid-2026 with a total investment of around 59 million euros, and the plant is expected to be operational by the end of 2027.

5. In Huesca, DH2 Energy is developing HySencia, a 20-megawatt electrolysis plant accompanied by 47 megawatts of solar power. In September 2025, the Government of Aragon granted it the declaration of Project of Regional Interest, facilitating its administrative processing and prioritising it in the bureaucratic processes that usually delay this type of initiative.

6. In Utrillas (Teruel), the consortium formed by Grupo Térvalos, Fertinagro Biotech and EDP is pursuing a different approach with the Ver-Armonía project: not only will it produce hydrogen, but also convert it into green ammonia for use in the fertiliser industry. Two nearby facilities – one with 35 megawatts of mixed wind and solar renewable generation and the other with a 25-megawatt electrolyser – are set to produce around 2,700 tonnes of hydrogen per year. The total budget exceeds 117 million euros, with 53 million euros of aid ratified by the IDAE.

 In conclusion, Aragon exemplifies how planning and the combination of infrastructure, production and innovation can accelerate the deployment of green hydrogen in an orderly and sustainable manner. The Spanish hydrogen backbone network, combined with projects such as Catalina and technical capabilities such as HyLoop+, puts the region in a strategic position within the new energy map of Spain.