Naturgy, Enagas and Exolum have presented the materialization of a joint agreement by which a network of 50 hydrogenerators will be created throughout mainland Spain. Hydrogen for everyone?
The hydrogen fuel cell is for many the definitive answer in terms of electrification and sustainable mobility, but this technology has several drawbacks that, for now, make it little more than a project for the future.
Unlike the ‘conventional’ electric car, which is already in full expansion phase, the one of fuel cell It still has a long way to go and one of the main aspects is the inability that any potential user has to refuel in Spain at the moment.
The objective is to create a network of supply points that are between them of the order of 300 km
But that could change in the medium term, as Naturgy, Enagas and Exolum have presented the project Win4H2, which has been conceived with the aim of jointly studying and developing green hydrogen production, distribution and supply infrastructures in the mobility sector throughout the national territory.
This is the first major hydrogen alliance for mobility corridors that, with a network of 50 hydrogenerators, should offer a homogeneous penetration in our country of this energy vector, so that any user can choose the solution of the green hydrogen having a guarantee of supply in 100% of mainland Spain.
Óscar Magro has already tested a hydrogen car, the prominent Toyota Mirai.
The objective is to establish a network of renewable hydrogen supply points that are between them in the order of 300 km and cover the entire country, allowing the establishment of national logistics routes with a guarantee of supply and its connection with international routes.
This configuration will make it possible to supply a 150 km radius area of influence or service around each facility. To do this, it is expected to have a green hydrogen production capacity of approximately 4,000 to 7,000 tons per year in a first stage, through a scalable design depending on the evolution of the market.
Do you want to know more about hydrogen and its application in the automotive industry? do not miss this article prepared on the matter.
Madrid – Valencia – Murcia
According to the preliminary report, the deployment of the network will be carried out progressively and seeking the necessary public-private collaboration through public aid to comply with the Hydrogen Roadmap published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. , facilitate the development of the hydrogen industry in Spain, and reduce the Emissions of greenhouse gases in mobility.
The first of these routes has already been projected and will allow the supply of green hydrogen in Madrid, Valencia and Murcia / Cartagena, as well as their respective interconnection through a hydrogen corridor. According to the statement, “the choice of this first route has been carried out taking into account the high volume of heavy transport, both freight and passengers.”
The current hydropower plants
Currently, the network of hydrogenerators available in Spain is really scarce, among other things due to the specific needs of hydrogen transport and storage.
This must be stored at a pressure of not less than 350 bars, which also makes it highly flammable. As a result, the technology required is expensive and the number of potential customers is low.
Currently, there are just 375 hydropower plants in the world and only six of them are located in Spain: in Madrid, Seville, Zaragoza, Huesca, Albacete and Puertollano. But the worst is not that, but that none of them are for public use and it is intended exclusively for fleets of collaborating companies or with a view to developing this type of technology.
Will Win4H2 change the fate of the hydrogen vehicle in Spain?