{"id":8367,"date":"2025-07-23T11:30:43","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T09:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/goodnewenergy.enagas.es\/uncategorized\/the-chemical-industry-and-the-energy-transition-green-hydrogens-key-role-within-spain\/"},"modified":"2025-07-23T11:31:39","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T09:31:39","slug":"hidrogeno-verde-industria-quimica","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/goodnewenergy.enagas.es\/en\/innovative\/hidrogeno-verde-industria-quimica\/","title":{"rendered":"The chemical industry and the energy transition: Green hydrogen\u2019s key role within Spain"},"content":{"rendered":"

Transforming emission-intensive sectors is one of the great benefits behind green hydrogen<\/strong>. After analysing how this energy vector will redefine the metallurgical industry’<\/a> s value chain, making it more sustainable, this time we are covering the impact of renewable hydrogen on the chemical sector<\/strong>, which has become one of the most decisive players in this transition.<\/p>\n

The chemical industry, according to data from the National Statistics Institute (INE), is one of the industrial branches with the highest energy consumption<\/strong> due to its high demand for electricity and gas. It<\/strong> consumes 15% of the national total<\/strong>, including the manufacture of products such as fertilisers, plastics, paints and medicines.<\/p>\n

The sector therefore faces the challenge of reinventing its production processes with no competitiveness loss. In this regard, green hydrogen is emerging as a catalyst<\/strong> for this transformation. But what exact role is it playing?<\/p>\n

Why is green hydrogen fundamental to the chemical industry?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The chemical industry has been using hydrogen for decades<\/strong>. However, it <\/strong>has traditionally obtained it through natural gas reforming<\/strong>\u2014a carbon-intensive process that generates around 10 tonnes of CO\u2082 for every tonne of hydrogen produced, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Conversely, electrolysis allows hydrogen to be obtained with no direct emissions provided it is powered by renewable energy.<\/p>\n

Replacing grey hydrogen with green hydrogen would allow companies to meet climate targets without compromising their operations<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hydrogen is essential in processes such as ammonia production, methanol, fertilisers, resins, and hydrocarbon refining<\/strong>. In the case of Spain, the Spanish Chemical Industry Federation (FEIQUE) estimates that the sector represents around 11.6% of industrial GDP<\/strong>, making it the second largest exporter of the Spanish market. It is also an industry that directly employs 240,100 people, and up to 816,200 people if indirect and induced employment is taken into account.<\/p>\n

Replacing<\/strong> grey hydrogen<\/strong> with green hydrogen<\/strong> would allow companies to meet climate targets without compromising their operations<\/strong> or relying on technologies that are not mature yet.<\/p>\n

The impact of green hydrogen on the chemical industry<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are two main ways in which hydrogen can play a key role within the primary chemical manufacturing process:<\/p>\n