The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, through the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), has approved the reallocation of up to €211 million in IPCEI Hy2USE funding to Castellón. With the support of this funding Iberdrola España and bp are continuing to explore opportunities to increase green hydrogen production at the Castellón refinery.
The initiative will be aligned with the EU's recently announced emergency package, ACCELERATE EU, which aims to drive a more decarbonised Europe and strengthen energy supply independence.
The partnership between Iberdrola España and bp on green hydrogen projects contributes to decarbonisation and the development of new energy solutions in the Valencia region, replacing the use of natural gas with domestically produced renewable energy in industrial processes. Some of the green hydrogen produced could also be used in sectors where decarbonisation is particularly challenging, such as the ceramics and chemicals industries.
Iberdrola España and bp have completed the construction phase, through the joint venture Castellón Green Hydrogen S.L., of a 25 MW green hydrogen plant at the Castellón refinery and have now begun the commissioning testing phase. The plant is expected to start producing green hydrogen before the end of this year and to become Spain's largest operational green hydrogen facility by 2026.
The green hydrogen plant involves the participation of the Energy Technology Institute (ITE) in Valencia and has also secured €15 million in funding from the Innovative Value Chain and Knowledge in Renewable Hydrogen programmes under the Spanish Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with funds to be allocated by the European Union's NextGenerationEU.