Asturias has already been assigned the first batches of European funds to launch green hydrogen production projects, the energy vector of the future. EDP will obtain 35 million euros for its plans to transform the Aboño and Soto de Ribera coal-fired power plants into renewable gas production centers and the consortium formed by Hunosa, Duro Felguera, Nortegas and Alsa will receive another 4 million to produce green hydrogen with mine water in the Fondón well, in Langreo.
The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, who yesterday attended the presentation of Cepsa’s “megaplan” in San Roque (Cádiz) to build one of the largest projects in Europe in the production of green hydrogen in Andalusia – with an investment of more than 5,000 million euros–, announced that there were already provisional resolutions for aid in the second line of the Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE) of Renewable Energies, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage. Specifically, 29 projects were selected –within the categories of pioneers and the hydrogen value chain– which will distribute 250 million euros and which will channel a total investment of close to 900 million euros.
Of these 29 projects, there are four in Asturias, although in reality there are three since two correspond to two phases of the same plan: the “Asturias H2 Valley” for hydrogen production at the Aboño thermal power plant promoted by EDP. The energy company will receive aid of 14.2 million for the start-up of a 5 megawatt (MW) electrolyser powered by renewable energy and another 15 million to scale the project with another 20 MW electrolyser.
EDP will also receive aid of 5.7 million for the “GH2 Soto” project to transform the Soto de Ribera thermal power plant into a renewable storage and generation center. The aid will be for a 5 MW electrolyser. From EDP it was described as very good news that these “realistic and transformative projects of the Asturian economy” receive the first public aid. EDP has more avenues open to receive new public support for these transition projects towards emission-free energy.
For its part, the consortium formed by Hunosa, Duro Felguera, Nortegas and Alsa will receive 4.2 million for the “H2UDF Phase I Pozo Fondón” project to generate hydrogen with mine water with a 2.5 MW electrolyser. “This is great news for an important future project for the company,” said Gregorio Rabanal, president of Hunosa.
The Ministry of Industry also described the provisional granting of these aids as “extraordinary news”, “which confirms the potential of Asturias to lead the development of green hydrogen in Spain, as the Executive had stated from the outset.”
Oviedo-based EDP Spain has also obtained aid for projects in Andalusia and Galicia and the owners of Asturiana de Laminados for their green aluminum production projects in Castilla y León.