The European Commission (EC) has approved funding of €400 million to support Spanish projects for the production of renewable hydrogen. This funding is part of the Auctions-as-a-Service mechanism of the European Hydrogen Bank, aimed at facilitating the “green” transition and reducing dependence on fossil fuels. This was reported in a press release from the EC.
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“The funding will enable the construction of up to 345 MW of electrolyzer capacity and the production of up to 221,000 tons of renewable hydrogen. This will help avoid emissions of approximately one million tons of CO₂,” the document states.
Support Objectives and Environmental Impact
According to the plan, this initiative will help achieve Spain’s goal of installing 12 GW of electrolyzers by 2030. Support will be provided in the form of a direct subsidy for each kilogram of hydrogen produced over a maximum of ten years. It is important that the projects meet the European Union’s requirements for renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO), particularly regarding energy sources.
Selection Procedure and International Context
The selection procedure is coordinated by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Agency (CINEA). All applications are evaluated on a competitive basis, ensuring transparency and minimizing the impact on competition within the European Union. This scheme is part of broader efforts under the REPowerEU program and the EU Green Deal and mirrors similar initiatives already approved for Germany, Austria, and Lithuania.
It is worth noting that the European Commission recently approved Germany’s €5 billion program to assist companies covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) in decarbonizing their production processes. The program includes bilateral agreements for a carbon contract lasting 15 years.