The Council of Ministers, at the proposal of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), approved the “Hydrogen Roadmap: a commitment to renewable hydrogen.” With this planning, the Government promotes the deployment of this sustainable energy vector, which will be key for Spain to achieve climate neutrality no later than 2050. The development of renewable hydrogen will encourage the creation of innovative industrial value chains in the country, the technological knowledge and the generation of sustainable employment, contributing to the reactivation of a green economy with high added value.
The document, whose development is contemplated in the Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) 2021-2030, features 60 measures and sets national objectives – aligned with the European Hydrogen Strategy – to 2030. Some of the goals are 4 gigawatts (GW) of installed power of electrolyzers, a minimum of 25% of hydrogen consumption by the industry that must be renewable and the implementation of hydrogen fueling stations, trains and heavy transport vehicles powered by this fuel. The achievement of the 2030 objectives reflected in the Roadmap will facilitate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 4.6 million tons of CO2 equivalent (CO2eq).
In the first place, the commitment to renewable hydrogen will activate the development of value chains. New opportunities are being opened for the generation of sustainable employment and economic activity in areas such as the manufacture of electrolyzer assemblers, fuel cells, components (electronics, control, automotive, mechanics), vehicles, shipyards, pressure tanks, renewable hydrogen production plants or service stations, as well as their management, large-scale storage solutions, equipment for the transport of hydrogen or mobility services based on renewable hydrogen.
Regarding mobility, a fleet of at least 150 buses, 5,000 light and heavy vehicles, and two lines of commercial trains powered by renewable hydrogen are expected by 2030. Similarly, a network with a minimum of 100 filling stations and handling machinery powered by hydrogen should be implemented in the first five ports and airports.
Source: Ministry for Ecological Transition
