Hysencia thus becomes one of the few commercial renewable hydrogen production projects to have this permit in Spain and Europe.
This follows on from Hysencia being one of the winners in the first European renewable hydrogen auction last April, in which the European Commission selected only seven projects out of 132 submitted across Europe.
99 MWh solar electricity yearly to power the electrolyser
“Obtaining the Integrated Environmental Authorization represents an important milestone for the Hysencia project and DH2 Energy’s significant portfolio of projects under development. Hysencia is one of the most advanced commercial-scale renewable hydrogen production plants in Spain.
This project has a territorial vocation and will have a very positive impact in Aragon, during both the construction and operational phases for the generation of its green hydrogen as a clean energy vector” declared DH2 Energy’s Renewable Hydrogen Projects Development Director for Spain, Raquel Fernández Corzo.
DH2 Energy, headquartered in Madrid, will begin construction of the plant in early 2025. The facilities will occupy a 100-hectare site in Plasencia del Monte, in the municipality of La Sotonera, Aragon. The project uses its captive solar energy plant to produce 99 gigawatt hours of renewable electricity each year to power the electrolyser and also entails a 10 MW connection to the electricity grid.
1,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually
Hysencia will produce 1,700 tonnes of renewable hydrogen each year and avoid the emission of around 16,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The green hydrogen will be supplied to the mobility and industrial sectors.
Also see: Switzerland to build ten-megawatt hydrogen electrolysis plant
Hysencia’s location is effectively ideally suited for the supply of renewable hydrogen to the transport sector as it is close to different land communication axes including the Huesca-Canfranc railway line.
Region with extensive experience in the renewable hydrogen sector
The Aragon region has extensive experience in the renewable hydrogen sector, notably through its institutions and the Hydrogen Aragon Foundation, maintains a strong commitment to green hydrogen and supports its entire value chain.
The Aragon Hydrogen Foundation has also adopted a Hydrogen Master Plan, the first version of which dates from 2007. In addition, last year the region tested one of the first hydrogen pilot trains in Spain on the Huesca-Canfranc railway line. (hcn)