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Hydrogen stations

What is a hydrogen station?

Hydrogen as a fuel within everyone's reach

The European Union has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. To do this, the transportation sector must experience a transformation that allows a 90% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, while guaranteeing affordable solutions for citizens.

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What is a hydrogen station?

A hydrogen station is a facility that supplies fuel cell vehicles.

This infrastructure developed to refill hydrogen is not only for passenger cars, buses, and trucks on public roads, but also for trains and other special vehicles.

The European Union has committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2050. Electrification, renewable fuels, and hydrogen vehicles will be key vectors in achieving this goal. Hence, the Hydrogen Roadmap, designed by the Spanish government, is committed to the creation of a network of more than 100 hydrogen stations or hydrogen refueling stations by 2030 throughout Spain.

molecule of renewable hydrogen

How does a hydrogen station work?

The way a hydrogen station works is very similar to that of a conventional gasoline or diesel service station.

It has a storage place, a compressor, and a pump from which the hydrogen is supplied to vehicles. The renewable hydrogen is generated by using an electrolyzer or through the reforming of natural gas. The production can be carried out at the facility itself where the refueling station is located, which is known as a hydrogen station, or in a different location, which is known as hydroline station. In the case of hydroline stations, the hydrogen can be transported, either through a gas pipeline (called hydrogen pipeline) or by hydrogen bottles by road (what is known as MEGC).

The hydrogen is pumped into the vehicle using a dispenser very similar to the one that is usually found in gas stations, but with some differences adapted to the physical characteristics of hydrogen, which is an extremely volatile gas that's supplied at high pressure. This way, you only have to bring the car close to the pump and hook up the dispenser to refill hydrogen quickly, cleanly, and safely since it's a process that usually takes less than five minutes.

Main elements of a hydrogen station

These are the parts that a station to refuel renewable hydrogen has:

Pictograma Reciclaje

Storage

The hydrogen obtained through electrolysis is stored in tanks at the pressure coming out of the electrolyzer.

Compressor

This device is used to raise the pressure of the hydrogen stored to reach the pressure that is required in the refueling of the vehicle.

Pictograma Combustibles

Dispenser

Controls the transfer of hydrogen from storage to the vehicle tank. Includes a refueling control unit and a refueling hose.

Current hydrogen projects

Spain is in an advantageous situation compared to other countries to make the most of the opportunity presented by the new green hydrogen economy, thanks to its privileged access to wind and solar resources, as well as the industry's capacity to adapt, which has been able to make the most of existing infrastructures.

The European Green Deal includes in its development forecast the approval of several strategies and financing mechanisms for the promotion and development of the renewable hydrogen value chain. In Spain, the target set by the Hydrogen Roadmap, published in October 2020, points to 4 GW of installed capacity by 2030 and a deployment of more than 100 hydrogen stations, for which 1.55 billion euros will be allocated, coming from the Next Generation EU funds until 2024.

Repsol's hydrogen projects

Green hydrogen is one of Repsol's pillars in its commitment "net zero emissions by 2050". Its renewable hydrogen strategy has been developed in line with the objectives set by both the European Union and Spanish government. In this regard, Repsol has launched several projects to promote renewable hydrogen-based solutions.

  • Renewable hydrogen hub in Meirama:

Repsol has launched a project together with Naturgy and Reganosa to develop a renewable hydrogen production hub in Galicia. This project contemplates the installation of an electrolysis plant powered by 100% renewable energy with an initial power of 30 MW, scalable in different phases up to a total potential of 200 MW. Moreover, it will produce more than 4,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year and will achieve a total production of 30,000 annual tonnes. All these uses will allow the reduction of the area's carbon footprint and to demonstrate the feasibility of mass production of renewable hydrogen and its distribution to the final consumer.

  • Electrolyzers in industrial complexes:

It will also implement electrolyzers in the environment of its industrial complexes. The first will be installed in the Petronor refinery, in Bilbao, and will have a capacity of 2.5 MW. This plant will enter into operation in the first quarter of 2023 and will supply both the refinery and some facilities of the Margen Izquierda Technology Park.

  • I+D to promote renewable hydrogen:

A team of researchers from Repsol and Enagás has developed a pioneering technology for the production of renewable hydrogen from the direct use of solar energy, photoelectrocatalysis. This methodology simplifies the conventional process of electrolysis, as the device directly receives the solar radiation and a photoactive material generates the electrical charges that cause the separation of the oxygen and hydrogen particles. The next step will be the construction of a demonstration plant in the industrial complex that Repsol has in Puertollano, with the goal of reaching commercial maturity before 2030.

  • SHYNE project (Spanish Hydrogen Network): 

SHYNE is Spain's largest consortium aimed at promoting renewable hydrogen. Comprising 33 companies from different sectors, its aim is to promote renewable hydrogen projects in all areas of the Spanish economy and drive a quick and effective decarbonization in sectors that are difficult to electrify such as steal, aviation, and maritime transportation. In addition, the project aims to bring together the large regional clusters around hydrogen that are already being implemented, such as the Basque Hydrogen Corridor, the Hydrogen Valley of Catalonia, and the Hydrogen Valley of the Region of Murcia. On the other hand, SHYNE will promote the creation of two new innovation hubs in Castilla-La Mancha and Madrid, whose objective will be the development of competitive technologies that are still in the pipeline, such as photoelectrocatalysis or solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC), and that will help the country to maintain technological sovereignty in this new energy vector.