Renewable energy company Masdar and German firm Verbund Green Hydrogen have inked a deal to explore the development of a green hydrogen plant in central Spain. The project aims to leverage the abundant renewable resources in the Castilla-La Mancha region to produce green hydrogen, catering to industrial demand in Spain and central Europe.
Anticipated to be operational by the end of the decade, the planned facility is poised to serve the industrial sector and potentially contribute to the decarbonization of heavy transportation in both Spain and central Europe. The agreement, formalized during COP28 in Expo City Dubai, solidifies a prior understanding reached between the two companies at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in January 2023, focusing on green hydrogen opportunities to meet European demand.
The envisaged plant is expected to utilize renewable energy generated by solar power plants, which may include Masdar's proposed gigawatt-scale solar facility in Castilla-La Mancha, along with wind farms. Mohammad Abdelqader El Ramahi, Masdar's Chief Green Hydrogen Officer, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, emphasizing its potential to address the challenge of decarbonizing hard-to-abate industries in Europe.
El Ramahi stated, “Our successful collaboration on this project paves the way for further development of green hydrogen and a vital pipeline linking centers of production with end-use markets. At COP28, as the world looks for ways to accelerate the journey to net zero, partnerships such as this serve as a powerful example of what can be achieved if we work together with purpose and at pace.”