Repsol, Naturgy, and Reganosa project a 200 MW renewable hydrogen hub in Meirama

Press Release 09/12/2022 10:30

In the initial phase of the project, which is scheduled for start-up in 2025, 30 MW of power will be achieved. In the complete development of the project, the plant will have an output of 200 MW and a total production of 30,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year.
The plant will supply the Repsol refinery in A Coruña and other consumers.
The project is located in the A Coruña municipality of Cerceda, a Just Transition zone affected by the closure of the Meirama thermal power plant, and will provide an opportunity for sustainable economic development in Galicia.
It is an innovative project in its entire value chain, from production to final use, and demonstrates the feasibility of hydrogen deployment. The plant will supply Repsol's refinery in A Coruña and other large-scale renewable consumers.

09 December 2022 - 10:30 CET | PDF | 138.19 KB

Repsol, Naturgy, and Reganosa join forces to develop a renewable hydrogen production center in Galicia. The project involves the installation of an electrolysis plant powered by 100% renewable energy on the grounds of the former Meirama thermal power plant in the municipality of Cerceda (A Coruña). With the promotion of this energy vector, the three companies reinforce their commitment to a fair energy transition.

The renewable hydrogen plant will have an initial capacity of 30 MW, scalable in different phases up to a total potential of 200 MW. It will produce more than 4,000 tons of renewable hydrogen per year in the first phase and reach a total production of 30,000 tons per year.

The renewable hydrogen generated will be destined for industrial use to replace the conventional hydrogen currently used by the Repsol refinery in A Coruña. Other industries, such as mobility will use the renewable hydrogen, and it will be injected into the gas grid to be mixed with natural gas. All these uses will reduce the area’s carbon footprint and demonstrate the feasibility of mass production of renewable hydrogen and its distribution to the end consumer.

Renewable hydrogen is one of the pillars of Repsol's strategy to achieve net zero emissions by 2050. According to Tomás Malango, the company's Hydrogen Director, "this project is part of Repsol's renewable hydrogen strategy in Galicia and is a milestone in the transformation of the A Coruña refinery into a multi-energy hub that provides decarbonized products to society.”

The director of New Business of Naturgy, Silvia Sanjoaquín, said that "this project will accelerate the introduction of hydrogen in sectors such as energy, industry and transport, in addition to having a great impact on the local economy, in a fair transition site such as Meirama". Barredo also indicated that "in Naturgy we want to be protagonists of the energy transition and hydrogen is one of the essential vectors to achieve a decarbonized economy, so we want to cover the entire value chain, from production to end use.”

The general manager of Reganosa, Emilio Bruquetas, emphasized that "15 years ago we provided Galicia with a key infrastructure for the arrival of gas, and the competitiveness of our industry improved substantially. Now, under the leadership of the Xunta de Galicia and surrounded by the best partners, we are participating in the configuration of a new energy ecosystem. The Galicia of the future, which is already in the making, will be green, digital and inclusive, and we are proud to be able to foster this transformation that we all long for.”

Innovation and value creation

The project’s innovation appears in all stages of the value chain: in the production plant itself, in its uses in industry, with injection into the gas grid, in commercialization through Guarantees of Origin (GoOs), and in its use for sustainable mobility. It is a project that contemplates multiple demands.

The publication of Royal Decree 376/2022 establishes a system of renewable hydrogen GoOs- its definition and shipping conditions will undoubtedly favor the deployment of hydrogen so that it can reach all industrial consumers with significant decarbonization needs.Especially in those sectors where electrification is difficult and whose location does not coincide exactly with where renewable hydrogen is produced.

In this context of decarbonization and energy transition, renewable hydrogen is a key pillar in the industrial transformation of Repsol's A Coruña refinery to manufacture products with low, zero or even negative carbon footprint, such as renewable fuels and different components for healthcare, textile or food packaging sectors, among others.

In this way, the project will demonstrate the feasibility of using renewable hydrogen to decarbonize industry and reuse existing facilities in an area affected by the closure of a thermal power plant. In addition, this project will promote stable employment and high quality training for professionals.The project will lead to a high level of job creation and bring benefits in the social sphere, thus contributing to the fulfillment of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

A commitment to renewable hydrogen for a decarbonized economy

The project approach validates and promotes a model that is aligned with the Hydrogen Roadmap approved by the Ministry for Ecological Transition, the European Green Deal, the RePo-werEU, and the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), which promote the development of renewable gases. The initiative also fits with the Law of Administrative Simplification and Support for the Economic Reactivation of Galicia, the Galician Climate Change and Energy Strategy 2050, and the Galician Energy Agenda 2030.

This hydrogen hub is part of the strategic energy initiatives promoted by the Xunta de Galicia within the framework of the EU Next Generation program and the national Recovery and Resilience Plan. Its objective is to promote economic growth, employment generation and the development of a competitive, sustainable and circular business fabric.

In addition, this joint project of Naturgy, Repsol and Reganosa can position Galicia as a world reference in producing, distributing and consuming renewable hydrogen, thus favoring the region’s economic growth. The uniqueness of the project and its large scale give it a high potential for replication in other locations, both nationally and internationally. The three companies are essential agents in developing this type of industrial initiatives by contributing their capacity and global knowledge throughout the plant's value chain.