Brazil: keys to support its green hydrogen plans
Feb 5, 2024
Innovative
The third Enagás Hydrogen Day brings together the main active drivers of the hydrogen value chain in Europe and has established itself as the benchmark event in this field.
Throughout the day, industry leaders, policy makers and experts from across Europe explored the progress and challenges in consolidating renewable hydrogen as a pillar of the energy transition. It began with an institutional opening by the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, who reaffirmed the country’s commitment to renewable hydrogen as a core part of its energy strategy.
Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition at the European Commission, joined from Brussels, and the event was closed by Cani Fernández, President of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC).
Here, we look at how this edition marked a new milestone in the transition to a sustainable energy system.
At the opening ceremony, Pedro Sánchez reaffirmed Spain’s commitment to the energy transition and the development of green hydrogen, consolidating the country as a global benchmark in clean energy. “We are fully committed to green,” said Sánchez, highlighting Spain’s strategic role in the sector.
The President of the Government pointed out that green hydrogen is “an alternative that is growing exponentially because of the immense possibilities it offers”. He also stressed that Spain has attracted investment in recent years to make it a world leader in this energy source.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), Spain is home to 20% of the green hydrogen projects announced in the world, despite representing only 1.3% of global GDP. The country also ranks second in the Hydrogen Investability Index, reflecting private sector confidence in its potential.
Pedro Sánchez: “Renewable energies are our passport to energy sovereignty, and hydrogen is a key vector for achieving this”
“It is estimated that by 2030 we will produce 20% of all green hydrogen in the European Union,” said Sánchez, highlighting the impact this technology will have on the decarbonisation of the continent. In this sense, three of the seven projects selected in the first auction of the European Hydrogen Bank are Spanish.
In addition, Spain plans to export 2 million tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year, strengthening the European Union’s energy security and reducing its dependence on imported fossil fuels
For his part, the Chairman of Enagás, Antonio Llardén, highlighted the role of green hydrogen in Europe’s energy security. He recalled that recent international events have highlighted the urgency of achieving energy independence.
Llardén also emphasised that cooperation between administrations, industry and businesses will be crucial to linking production centres with demand centres, thus stimulating the development of the sector.
Enagás continues to lead the energy transition with the development of key green hydrogen infrastructures. In his presentation, Arturo Gonzalo, CEO of the company, confirmed that the European Projects of Common Interest (PCI) are progressing as planned in the execution schedule and that four new sections of the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone have been submitted to the second PCI call.
With regard to the H2med corridor, Gonzalo reiterated its strategic importance as it will allow the Iberian Peninsula to link its renewable hydrogen production potential with the main industrial centres in Europe.
Gonzalo pointed out that H2med consolidates its position as the most advanced pan-European hydrogen corridor in Europe, following the Call For Interest launched by Spain, Portugal, France and Germany The market response has been overwhelming, with 528 projects presented by 168 companies from all over Europe, reinforcing the demand for green hydrogen and positioning Spain as a strategic hub in the sector.
H2med consolidates its position as the most advanced European hydrogen corridor in Europe after the Call For Interest carried out by the operators from Spain, Portugal, France and Germany
Commenting on H2med, Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s Executive Vice-President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, stressed in a video message from Brussels that this corridor will play an essential role in the creation of a European hydrogen ecosystem, promoting efficient connections between producers and consumers across the continent.
During the event, Arturo Gonzalo presented some of the projects underway at Enagás. The company is driving the development of the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone, a key infrastructure for decarbonisation and energy security. In 2025 and 2026, the company will carry out the largest Public Participation Plan (CPPP) in its history, in collaboration with the Spanish Government, autonomous communities and local entities. This project covers a route of approximately 2,600 km and involves more than 1,000 stakeholders.
The main objectives of the Public Participation Plan are to facilitate the administrative process towards the final investment decision in November 2027 and to ensure a transparent dialogue with the territories and stakeholders.
The CEO of Enagás also announced that, as part of its commitment to green hydrogen, the company has submitted four new sections to the second PCI call:
These proposals are based on the results of the Call For Interest presented at the 2nd Enagás Hydrogen Day in 2023.
In his speech, the CEO of Enagás underlined how much of a priority green hydrogen is becoming for Europe and its strategic autonomy project. “A year ago in this very same place we were talking about the progress that would be made in the next twelve months, and a year later we can see that this progress has been made,” he explained. And 2024, according to Gonzalo, marked “a before and after.”
Key milestones include the publication of the final list of European Projects of Common Interest in April, which included H2med and the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone; the announcement of the results of the first auction of the European Hydrogen Bank – with a second auction to be held in December with 50% more funds – and the approval of the Hydrogen and Decarbonised Gas Directive and Regulation in June.
According to the Enagás CEO, 17 EU countries have included electrolysis targets in their energy and climate plans, with a total capacity of 53 GW. In addition, 48 projects with a total pipeline length of 21,000 km have already been approved, with an estimated investment of 60 billion euros. “Green hydrogen is the perfect meeting point between the competitiveness agenda and the green agenda,” he said.
The 3rd Hydrogen Day featured a number of discussion panels and keynote speeches. Arturo Gonzalo moderated the round table “Building a European hydrogen network together”, with Pascal De Buck, CEO of Fluxys; Stefano Venier, CEO of Snam; Rodrigo Costa, Chairman and CEO of REN; Dominique Mockly, Chairman and CEO of Teréga; and Maria Rita Galli, CEO of DESFA.
Thomas Hüwener, CEO of Open Grid Europe, and Pierre Duvieusart, Deputy CEO of GRTgaz, then gave the technical presentation on H2med, highlighting the results of the first Call For Interest for a pan-European hydrogen corridor.
Later, the Chairman of the Spanish Hydrogen Association, Javier Brey, moderated the debate on “Decarbonisation of industry with green hydrogen and other molecules.” Participants in this debate included Maarten Wetselaar, CEO of Moeve; Carles Navarro, General Manager of BASF in Spain; Nadja Håkansson, CEO of Thyssenkrupp Uhde; Andreas Lippert, Vice Chairman and General Manager of Electrolysers at Accelera by Cummins; and Joan Batalla, President of Sedigas.
This was followed by a round table discussion on the challenges facing Europe in decarbonisation and the role of green hydrogen, with the participation of the CEO of Hydrogen Europe, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis; the Deputy Head of the CINEA Innovation Fund Unit of the European Commission, María Alfayate; the International Relations Officer of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy, Carlos Álvarez, and the Director of the European Network of Hydrogen Network Operators (ENNOH), Abel Enríquez. The debate was moderated by Luis Parada, Director of EU Energy Policy & Regulation at Enagás.
The role of innovation in the development of hydrogen also featured prominently. Susana de Pablo, General Manager of Engineering, Technology and Digitalisation at Enagás, gave a presentation on the importance of technology and innovation, highlighting the work of the Hydrogen Technology Observatory.
This was followed by a discussion on the role of hydrogen in German imports from the 2030s onwards, with the participation of Gunther Grathwohl, Head of Division at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action; Barbara Fischer, General Manager of FNB Gas; Matthias Obert, Executive Director of Trading at EnBW; Matthias Deutsch, Hydrogen Programme Lead at Agora Industry; and Timm Kehler, Chairman and CEO of the German Gas and Hydrogen Association for Industry. Nora Vogt, Deputy Head of Division at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, moderated the panel discussion.
In the afternoon, the event continued with a speech by Raúl Yunta, Chairman of the Iberian Gas Market (Mibgas), who presented the Iberian Hydrogen Price Index. Later, Claudio Escarpenter, energy and natural resources partner of Bip Group, presented the report on the potential of renewable hydrogen in the Iberian Corridor, prepared for the European Commission. Along the same lines, Natalia Latorre, General Manager of Energy Transition at Enagás, and Jesús Gil, Director of Hydrogen at Enagás, discussed the importance of public participation in the deployment of the hydrogen backbone.
The closing of the event was marked by a debate on hydrogen as a key vector for sustainable mobility. Moderated by Eugenia Sillero, Secretary General of Gasnam-Neutral Transport, the panel included the participation of the Executive Director of Navantia, Javier Herrador; the Chair of the Alliance for Sustainable Air Transport, Margaret de Gregorio; the Chairman and CEO of Toyota Spain, Miguel Carsi; and the CEO of Disfrimur, Juan Jesús Sanchez.
Finally, the institutional closing was carried out by Cani Fernández, Chair of the National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC), who highlighted the role of hydrogen in Spain’s energy transition and sovereignty within the European framework.