EDP has just began the environmental processing of the project with which it aims to transform the plant of Los Barrios, in Cadiz, into the green hydrogen valley of Campo de Gibraltar. Specifically, the energy company has presented the documentation to develop 130 MW of electrolyzers in the thermal plant, which imply an investment of 195 million euros. The processing will be carried out following the guidelines of the Unidad Aceleradora (Unity of Acceleration) of the Junta de Andalusia.

This action reflects the realism and maturity of EDP’s initiative for Los Barrios, judged as strategic by the European Commission, being considered an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI). Likewise, the granting of aids has also been suggested by the Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE).

The documentation presented for this environmental processing has two main stages. The first sums up a total power of 130 MW of electrolyzers and its launching is planned for beginning of 2026. The second stage of the project, if the market conditions are favorable, will count with other 400 MW of electrolyzers and will be operational by the end of 2030.

The goal of EDP’s project for Los Barrios consists in the production of green hydrogen, which electricity supply will come from renewable energy generation plants (wind, solar and terrestrial).

Green hydrogen, produced by electrolysis through water molecules and electricity of renewable origin, reveals itself as a key energy vector for decarbonization of the sectors with hard electrification, like the iron and steel industry, and other industrial and transport sectors, and as clean raw material for the manufacturing of fertilizers, for example.

EDP, that sticks with its strong ambition to abandon the production with coal by 2025, has a realistic project to transform its thermal power plants into “green hubs” linked to four energy axes: green hydrogen, energy storage, renewable energies and flexibility of the electric system.

These projects frame within EDP’s Business Plan for the period 2023-2026, through which it expects to make 25,000 million euros investments, in order to accelerate the deployment of renewable energies, the flexibility of the electric system and the design of innovative solutions for its customers.