Castile and León is charting a new energy horizon. Having been a region that exports renewable electricity, it now aspires to become one of the drivers of renewable hydrogen, a fully sustainable energy vector set to play a key role in the decarbonisation of industry, transport and the economy.
In 2024, the autonomous community increased its renewable energy generation by 7.6% and recorded 25,142 gigawatt-hours (GWh), according to the data provided by Red Eléctrica. This figure makes it the region that produces the most clean energy in Spain.
In addition, 92.8% of all the energy generated in the community came from renewable sources, including wind, hydro and solar power. This figure places it at the top of the national leaderboard in terms of its production volume and the proportion of renewable energy in its energy mix. In other words, almost all the electricity generated in Castile and León is green.
Another key indicator is the installed power; the community has considerable capacity to generate the country’s renewable energy, thanks to the combination of large wind farms, hydroelectric plants and photovoltaic power stations. This well-established infrastructure makes Castile and León a strategic territory when it comes to the development of renewable hydrogen.
This kind of hydrogen is produced by means of water electrolysis, a process that emits no CO2 when powered by renewable electricity. Within a European context which is requiring a comprehensive cut in emissions, green hydrogen has become the clean alternative to fossil fuels, particularly in sectors in which direct electrification isn’t feasible, including chemical industries, cement factories, metallurgy and mobility.
Castile and León currently boasts over 60 active projects linked to renewable hydrogen, many of which have reached an advanced stage in their processing. Altogether, these actions will mobilise around 6.6 billion euros in investment and allow the creation of about 3,200 direct and indirect jobs. The aim is for Castile and León to cover 25% of the domestic production of green hydrogen.
The plan for Castile and León will mobilise nearly 6.6 billion euros in investment, with the aim of covering 25% of domestic renewable hydrogen production
The CyLH2Valley initiative, coordinated by the CARTIF Technology Centre, the H2CyL Association and the University of Burgos, is driven by a consortium grouping together 35 partners, 22 of which have work centres and operations in Castile and León, and made up of 9 pilot projects, including four hydrogen production plants (two of which are linked to green ammonia or methanol) and a hydrogen refuelling station.
The first stage of the CyLH2Valley initiative will conclude with the implementation of the nine pilots, while a second phase will add a tenth project along the Burgos-Valladolid axis to replicate capacities and consolidate the regional ecosystem.
In this regard, Castile and León’s technological leadership goes hand in hand with an excellent industrial opportunity; each year, the Valley will produce at least 16,800 tonnes of renewable hydrogen derived from products such as ammonia and clean methanol and feed zero-emission mobility systems.
From an environmental standpoint, the project will prevent the generation of up to 152,000 tonnes of CO₂ each year as a result of the replacement of fossil fuels in industrial processes and transport.
One of the largest projects is Compostilla Green, located in Cubillos del Sil (León) and promoted by RIC Energy. This initiative envisages a green hydrogen and renewable synthetic kerosene (eSAF) plant, with its electrolysis capacity amounting to up to 250 MW.
Its economic impact will be considerable; investment totalling 700 million euros, the creation of over 2,000 jobs during the construction phase and 240 stable jobs when it goes into operation. Work on the project, which has already received financial support from the IDAE within the framework of the call for large renewable hydrogen clusters, is due to start in 2028 and the plant will become operational by 2030, making it a flagship in Castile and León and Spain as a whole.
In addition to these projects, there are other strategic initiatives, such as the green hydrogen plant in La Robla, which will enhance León’s standing as a hub for energy innovation. It’s a renewable hydrogen plant with a production capacity that can be as high as 280 MW.
Moreover, seven additional projects in Valladolid, León and Burgos have received a favourable Environmental Impact Statement and reached different stages of execution, with a combined investment totalling close to 930 million euros.
While the regional leadership is evident, no hydrogen ecosystem would be viable without national and European connections. It’s at this moment when Enagás, the company currently leading the design of the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone Network to connect production and consumption sites, comes to the fore.
A total of 347 kilometres of hydrogen pipelines spread around 99 municipalities in León, Salamanca, Zamora and Burgos will pass through the autonomous community
A total of 347 kilometres of hydrogen pipelines in this backbone network, spread around 99 municipalities in León, Salamanca, Zamora and Burgos, will pass through the autonomous community A compressor station will also be located in Coreses (Zamora).
Castile and León will also have an international connection with Portugal known as CelZa, linking Celorico da Beira and Zamora.
Castile and León will also have an international connection with Portugal known as CelZa, linking Celorico da Beira and Zamora. This infrastructure, together with the interconnection between Spain and France (BarMar), forms part of the H2med project, the first green hydrogen corridor in the European Union, which will connect production on the Iberian Peninsula with the main consumption centres in the centre of Europe.
