Spain will invest 1.5 billion euros from Next Generation EU in the production of green hydrogen, obtained from renewable sources. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, speaking on 18 November at the event Hidrógeno renovable: una oportunidad para España, confirmed his country's ambition to become a leading player in the production and export of this energy carrier. In total, combining public and private investment, the country will allocate 8.9 billion euros to hydrogen over the next ten years.

The Spanish government is highly ambitious. By 2030 it aims to build 4 gigawatts (GW) of electrolysers, with an intermediate step of 300–600 megawatts (MW) by 2024. In doing so, green hydrogen should meet 25 per cent of hydrogen consumption in industry within the next ten years. Over the same period, 100 refuelling stations will serve at least 5,000 cars and lorries and 150 buses. Dedicated refuelling points for ports and airports will be built at the country's five busiest maritime sites. Finally, two railway lines are set to run on green hydrogen.

Spain's strategy for green hydrogen

These figures describe the national hydrogen strategy, the Hoja de Ruta del Hidrógeno, approved by the government on 6 October. Following the strategy adopted by the European Commission on 8 July, Spain aims to increase the use of this carrier to decarbonise its economy. In particular, the government will focus on the key sectors of transport — both road and air — energy-intensive industrial processes, and energy storage. To achieve this, it has devised a series of phased financial and regulatory measures: it will promote the development of pilot projects, stimulate research and development, and build a technology hub dedicated exclusively to green hydrogen production.

To encourage companies to submit new projects, the government has also launched an expression of interest. The deadline for submitting proposals is 19 December. Several companies have already responded swiftly: Iberdrola, Enagás, Repsol, Naturgy and Endesa have presented their plans. To give just one example, as early as late October Iberdrola and Fertiberia, a company active in fertiliser production, announced their intention to use the renewable carrier at the Fertiberia ammonia plant in Puertollano to produce fertilisers with a lower environmental impact.

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The national integrated energy and climate plan

Spain's green hydrogen strategy is provided for under the Plan nacional integrado de energía y clima, the so-called Pniec (which Italy too has had to draw up and submit to the European Commission). The Plan sets out the national policies and measures through which energy objectives will be met over the coming decade.

By 2030 Spain wants to shut down all its coal-fired power stations, given that many already exceed the emission limits set by the most recent regulations and that in the first half of 2020 coal generation fell by 59 per cent compared with the same period in 2019 (figures from the national electricity grid operator Red Eléctrica de España – Ree).

In July the government had announced the closure of seven power stations generating 5.1 GW of energy: Meirama owned by Naturgy, Andorra by Endesa, Puente Nuevo by Viesgo, Velilla by Iberdrola, and Compostilla II, Narcea and La Robla, also owned by Naturgy. Six power stations producing 4.7 GW remain active today: Lada owned by Iberdrola, As Pontes and Litoral by Endesa, Abono and Soto de Ribera by Edp, and Barrios by Viesgo.

Also central to the Pniec is the issue of transport electrification. Numerous initiatives are under way at national level, including one by Endesa, Spain's leading electricity company, which will install around 2,000 charging points in public spaces by the end of this year for recharging electric and hybrid vehicles. It will do so thanks to financing of 35 million euros granted by the European Investment Bank. The measure provides for 8,500 charging posts to be positioned across the country over the next four years. This initiative is in addition to that of Iberdrola which, as part of the agreement signed with Seat and the Volkswagen Group, plans to build 150,000 fast-charging points.

An alliance between Spain and Italy for decarbonisation

Spain is pursuing the path of energy transition with conviction. It is doing so alongside Italy, with which it has forged an alliance to accelerate the adoption of sustainable policies. Italian environment minister Sergio Costa and Spain's minister for ecological transition Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, following a bilateral meeting held the previous month, expressed their shared determination to work together to improve forest management and to make cities, industry and port infrastructure central players in a sustainable economic recovery.

Spain and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a green, sustainable and inclusive recovery.

Sergio Costa, Minister of the Environment

The commitment was renewed during a further bilateral meeting between the respective environment ministers, held as part of the plenary session of the nineteenth Italy-Spain intergovernmental summit on 25 November. "Spain and Italy have reaffirmed their commitment to promoting a green, sustainable and inclusive recovery that makes it possible to provide a joint response to the period of acute difficulty we are experiencing, to build a better future for young people and to set us on the path towards climate neutrality by 2050," said environment minister Sergio Costa.

In the plenary session that followed the meeting, 11 common objectives and shared commitments were identified with regard to the international events of 2021. Among these: promoting a sustainable and inclusive recovery and the objective of cutting carbon emissions by at least 55 per cent by 2030 compared with 1990, as a milestone on the path to climate neutrality. After all, the Covid-19 pandemic has also shown that together we are stronger in facing even the deepest crises — and in becoming leaders in sustainability at the global level.