Renewable hydrogen has reached a decisive phase. The perspectives that appeared on paper in previous years are turning into actual projects driven by investment decisions with practical applications in industry. According to the most recent census of the Spanish Hydrogen Association, there are currently almost 400 renewable hydrogen projects with a combined budget totalling over 33 billion euros spread across the entire value chain, ranging from research to commercial initiatives. The census includes 124 research projects, 125 demonstration projects in real or relevant environments and 145 projects corresponding to commercial goals.
The census also estimates that the electrolysis capacity in 2030 will lie above the previous national targets. More specifically, 13.3 gigawatts (GW) are mentioned, a figure higher than the 12 GW established in the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). If all the 145 registered commercial projects are deployed, the total capacity could amount to 20 GW, with 2.65 million tonnes of hydrogen produced each year, according to the above census.
There are nearly 400 renewable hydrogen projects in Spain, with a joint budget exceeding 33 billion euros
It’s no coincidence that there is a broad portfolio of renewable hydrogen initiatives. It’s a reflection of the strategic roadmap to decarbonise hard-to-electrify sectors, including heavy transport and intensive industry, while building an energy transition with jobs, technology and greater autonomy. We outline some of the projects that are already underway below.
The Cartagena Large-Scale Electrolyser project is a renewable hydrogen plant planned for the Cartagena Hydrogen Valley (Murcia), next to the Repsol industrial complex and refinery. The facility will consist of a 100 MW electrolyser that uses electricity from renewable sources (such as solar and wind) to separate water into oxygen and hydrogen without producing any carbon emissions. This will lead to the production of up to 15,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year, positioning Cartagena as a European benchmark for this kind of clean energy.
The project has been designated as strategic by the European Commission and the Spanish Government within the IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) programme, and it will receive 155 million euros of public aid from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (NextGenerationEU). The total budget for the infrastructure exceeds 300 million euros, and it is expected to become operational in 2029.
Once it does, the renewable hydrogen which is produced will be directly used at the refinery to replace fossil-based grey hydrogen in industrial processes, thus reducing its carbon footprint and supporting the decarbonisation of the local industry. The project also envisages that it could be incorporated into the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone Network in the future, thereby driving industrial processes in Cartagena, the region and the rest of the country.
BP and Iberdrola are building a renewable hydrogen plant in Grau de Castelló, a district of Castellón de la Plana, in order to produce 2,800 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The 25 MW electrolyser will use electricity from renewable sources such as wind and photovoltaics, thanks to a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with Iberdrola.
This mega-project, located next to the BP refinery and covering an area 20,000 m2 in size, is expected to come into operation in the second half of 2026 and contribute to decarbonising key industries in the region, including ceramics, chemicals and heavy transport.
Castellón Green Hydrogen is a project with an investment close to 70 million euros, while it has also obtained financing from the incentive programmes to promote innovation in value chains and knowledge of renewable hydrogen in the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan with NextGenerationEU funds.
The Bilbao Large-Scale Electrolyser project promoted by Petronor will seek to produce up to 15,000 tonnes of green hydrogen each year to replace part of the grey hydrogen currently used at the Muskiz refinery. With a capacity of 100 MW, it is expected to enter operation in 2029 and reduce the emissions associated with the refinery’s industrial processes, besides opening up the door for this renewable hydrogen to be used as a feedstock in other industrial sectors.
The infrastructure has been designated as a Project of Common Interest (PCI) by the European Commission, and it will receive around 160 million euros through the NextGenerationEU funds of the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. The project will require an investment close to 292 million euros.
Petronor, together with the Ente Vasco de la Energía (EVE) and Enagás Renovable, have set up the Basque Hydrogen company to construct and operate a 10 MW electrolyser in the Port of Bilbao. It is expected to be able to produce 1,593 tonnes of green hydrogen each year and, at the same time, bring about an annual fall in CO2 emissions amounting to approximately 10,000 tonnes.
With an investment close to 45 million euros, the initial aim of this electrolyser is to supply renewable hydrogen to the synthetic fuels demonstration plant which is also located in the Port. Basque Hydrogen is scheduled to begin production in the first half of 2026.
| Proyecto | Capacidad (MW) | Producción H₂ (t/año) | Inversión total (M€) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cartagena Large Scale Electrolyzer | 100 | 15,000 | 300 |
| Bilbao Large Scale Electrolyzer | 100 | 15,000 | 292 |
| Castellón Green Hydrogen S.L. | 25 | 2,800 | 70 |
| Basque Hydrogen | 10 | 1,593 | 45 |
By the authors, with public data for each project
The Public Participation Conceptual Plan (PPCP) launched in 2025, which constitutes a milestone for the development of the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone Network, is scheduled to be completed in 2026. The main purpose of the Plan is to explain the infrastructure and compile the contributions of the public administrations, organisations and general public of the 13 autonomous communities through which almost 2,600 kilometres of hydrogen pipelines will pass.
Other important milestones in the development of the renewable hydrogen infrastructure in Spain and Europe in 2026 include the completion of the third auction of the European Hydrogen Bank, the candidatures for the third list of PCIs (Projects of Common Interest) and the draft bill for the transposition of the European Hydrogen Package in Spain announced by Sara Aagesen, Third Vice-President of the Spanish Government and Minister for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge during the 4th Enagás Hydrogen Day.
In parallel, the H2med corridor, set to connect the Iberian peninsula with north-western Europe and consisting of two major cross-border infrastructures, will enter a decisive phase in 2026. Firstly, BarMar (the approximately 400-kilometre underwater pipeline connecting Barcelona to an industrial hub near Marseille) will finalise the conceptual engineering of the compressor station, deploy the PPCP in Spain and France and complete the environmental studies of the pipeline. As for Celza (the interconnection between Celorico da Beira in Portugal and Zamora in Spain), the milestones due to be reached in 2026 include the completion of the detailed engineering and the environmental impact study of the Spanish section, together with the drawing up of the environmental impact assessment studies of the Portuguese section.
These infrastructures will prove decisive when it comes to integrating production, distribution and consumption and facilitating the decarbonisation and competitiveness of European industry.
