Iberdrola to switch to alkaline tech for new H2 plants

Market: Hydrogen
12/10/23

Spanish energy firm Iberdrola will be deploying alkaline electrolysers for its upcoming large renewable hydrogen projects in Spain, the firm's hydrogen business developer Carolina Perez told Argus on the sidelines of the World Hydrogen Congress in Rotterdam.

Alkaline electrolysers offer the most established and developed technology, Perez said.

Iberdrola has a pipeline of three larger projects in Spain which are yet to start construction.

The firm already operates a 20MW plant in Puertollano — the largest renewable hydrogen project currently running in Europe — which uses proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers supplied by Norwegian manufacturer Nel.

PEM was the most suitable choice for this plant because the project has space constraints and PEM stack sizes are relatively small, Perez said. But for the upcoming larger plants, the more established alkaline technology will be the preferred choice, she said, adding that no choice of supplier has been made yet.

Iberdrola expects to take a final investment decision (FID) in the first quarter of next year on a 200MW project in Palos de la Frontera, in southwest Spain, but it is still waiting for the release of funds under the Important Projects of Common European Interest (IPCEI) programme. The project is expected to start operating in 2026, and approximately half of the output will be supplied to fertiliser company Fertiberia, while the remaining half will be exported as green ammonia.

A second facility in Puertollano, also with 200MW capacity, is expected to start in 2027 or 2028. And a third project with 380MW capacity is planned for Palos de la Frontera in 2030.

Iberdrola is also considering to build a facility in the US to export green ammonia to Northern Europe, Perez said. This could allow the company to capitalise on US industry incentives as well as the EU's goal to have 10mn t/yr of imports of green hydrogen.

Iberdrola is also running a 2.5MW electrolyser for a mobility project in Barcelona. Since 2022, eight buses have been running on hydrogen. Next year, the company plans to double the refuelling station capacity to 5MW to be able to supply 36 buses, Perez said.

On average, buses can run around nine hours, needing one charge during the night, she added.

By Pamela Machado

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