The race to decarbonise transport is intensifying as target dates such as 2030 approach. The combination of hydrogen and mobility is becoming increasingly powerful and tangible. However, this is taking place within a highly complex framework involving large-scale investment in diverse sectors such as automotive, aviation, logistics (including maritime, rail and road transport) and energy.
The combination of hydrogen and mobility is becoming increasingly powerful and tangible
The “Fit for 55” package of measures includes various measures aimed at reducing EU greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. And given that the transport sector is one of the main consumers of final energy and responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions, many of the measures in this legislative package are targeted at the transport sector.
In line with these objectives, the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) is setting the pace for change in Spain. Its most recent revision has also set the bar higher: while the 2021–2030 plan set a target of 2.1% combined use of hydrogen and renewable gases in transport, in its latest update, it points to 17.26%. There is, therefore, a strong political will and a clear call for the private sector to adapt to a new energy paradigm as quickly as possible.
The National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) is setting the pace for change in Spain
The question naturally arises: Are we prepared for such a transformation? What role will hydrogen play in the different modes of transport? How does each sector respond to the technical, economic and regulatory challenges posed by this energy revolution? The solution can be found in the prominent voices in the industry.
During the last Enagás Hydrogen Day, this topic was the focus of a roundtable discussion in which various experts shared their insights on the latest developments in energy being made in the field of mobility.
Electric mobility is not a universal solution. Miguel Carsi, President and CEO of Toyota Spain, maintained this position, and defended an inclusive technological approach that does not depend exclusively on batteries and plugs. ‘We will not be able to electrify planet Earth,’ he stated bluntly. ‘In certain regions—such as Africa or Latin America—the electrification of transport will not be possible, no matter how hard we try, for obvious economic or political reasons.’
Toyota, which launched its first hybrid car 30 years ago, has been preparing the ground for the energy transition for decades. According to Carsi, ‘we know from experience that technological deployments are slow and face resistance.’ For this reason, the Japanese brand believes in technological coexistence, in which hydrogen has a strategic role, especially through the fuel cell, applicable not only to passenger cars, but also to buses and trucks. ‘We are doing tests with trucks. The potential is there.’
‘What is clear,’ adds Carsi, ‘is that we do not know which technology will dominate in 20 or 30 years. However, it will be crucial to pay attention to all options, even those that do not yet exist.’
The aforementioned package of measures ‘Fit for 55’, sets a 45% emissions reduction target for heavy-duty transport vehicles, both freight and passenger, by 2030. The target is even more ambitious in the case of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, given that these segments are set to achieve 100% emissions reduction by 2035.
Aviation, one of the most difficult sectors to decarbonise, has also entered a period of change. As of January 2025, The ReFuelEU Aviation Regulation has been in force, mandating the introduction of a 2% SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel) in the kerosene blends used by aircraft. But this is just the beginning: by 2030, at least 1.2% of the fuel must be non-biological synthetic fuel, a figure that will increase to 35% by 2050.
Margaret of Gregory, president of the Alliance for Air Transport Sustainability, highlighted that the sector is watching the development of hydrogen technology with great hope. ‘The aviation industry’s decarbonisation goals are very ambitious, and half of them rely on hydrogen,’ he said. The other half is based on advanced biofuels, RFNBO (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin) and recycled carbon technologies.
Spain, the third European country in biomass availability per million inhabitants, holds a strategic opportunity: to become the largest SAF producer in Europe. ‘Billions of tonnes of SAF will be needed, as well as all the infrastructure required to deliver it to airports in the same way that kerosene is delivered today. It’s a national project.’
The challenge is immense: Aviation has already optimised its routes and engines to improve efficiency. ‘The only thing left is fuel,’ said de Gregorio. And that’s where hydrogen plays a key role.
Maritime transport, responsible for a large part of international trade, is one of the sectors facing the greatest challenges in its decarbonisation. That said, compromises are on the table. The European regulation FuelEU Maritime sets out a clear roadmap: a progressive reduction in emissions from the current 2% to 80% by 2050.
Javier Herrador, director of Navantia Seaenergies, highlighted the maritime sector’s main handicap is how complex it is. ‘It’s probably the last to be updated, because its technical, logistical, and economic complexity is extreme,’ he acknowledges. There are three major barriers:
On top of this, the sector is highly dispersed: A regional ferry is not the same as an ocean-going freighter. ‘The needs and technologies are very different. The sector is fragmented and that complicates its evolution.’
Still, Herrador was optimistic: the European Green Deal and the IMO (International Maritime Organization) objectives have charted a clear course. AND hydrogen and its derivatives —like the green ammonia— will be key pieces in that transformation.
LNG (liquefied natural gas) also plays a key role in the transition to more sustainable maritime transport, as it significantly reduces polluting emissions, virtually eliminating sulphur and nitrogen oxides, and reducing CO₂ emissions. In addition, LNG It contributes to improving air quality in port environments and facilitates the decarbonisation of the maritime sector thanks to its cleaner and more efficient nature as a fuel.
LNG (liquefied natural gas) also plays a key role in the transition to more sustainable
The road remains the backbone of transportation in Spain. According to Eurostat data, 95% of merchandise moves on wheels. At the border with France alone, around 20,000 trucks cross the border every day, according to the Spanish Confederation of Freight Transport (CETM), which gives an idea of the magnitude of the challenge.
Juan Jesús Sánchez, general director of Disfrimur, said that the transport company has tried all available alternatives for truck mobility, including a recent trial with combustion engines fuelled with hydrogen, in collaboration with Enagás. ‘The test was satisfactory,’ Sánchez stated, ‘but clear legal certainty is required. Without it, we cannot make large-scale investments required.’
Hydrogen, in all its forms and increasingly so, will be one of the essential pieces of the 21st-century energy puzzle.
The new PNIEC not only increases ambition: it multiplies the opportunities. With 12 GW of electrolysers planned and a clear strategy of renewable hydrogen, Spain can position itself as a European leader in production and export of green hydrogen and advanced biofuels.
This would not only benefit the environment. It would also enable the reindustrialisation of rural areas, create quality employment, increase the competitiveness of the business community, and reduce dependence on foreign energy sources.
Hydrogen, In all its forms, will increasingly be one of the essential pieces of the 21st-century energy puzzle. And Spain is in a strong position to play a leading role on that stage.
