EDP completes the environmental processing for the renewable hydrogen valley in Campo de Gibraltar
The company has received Integrated Environmental Authorization to develop 130 MW of capacity in electrolysis for the central of Los Barrios
EDP boasts the most developed and renowned renewable hydrogen projects of this scale in all Europe
EDP has completed the environmental processing of the project that will transform the central of Los Barrios, Cadiz, in the renewable hydrogen valley at Campo de Gibraltar (Green H2 Los Barrios). To be precise, the company has received Integrated Environmental Authorization (IEA), which means almost 200 million euros in investment. Now that it has overcome the processing, EDP’s project stands among the most developed in Europe.
Transforming the central of Los Barrios involves two main phases. The first one will include electrolyzers with 130 MW of total potency. The second one will introduce additional potency up to over 500 MW, should the market prove favorable.
Achieving the environmental processing reflects maturity and realism on EDP’s part and their project for Los Barrios. This initiative, determined strategic by the European Commission in regards to decarbonization goals for the continent, has been designated an Important Project of Common European Interest (IPCEI). This consideration meant 78 million euros in economic aids by the Government for the development of the first phase. This is in addition to 18 million euros received in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Pioneros del PERTE ERHA programme, carried out through the IDAE agency.
The goal of this project for Los Barrios is the production of renewable hydrogen. Both grounded wind and solar power plants will provide the energy required for electrolysis. It is important to emphasize that renewable hydrogen produced via electrolysis is a key energy vector for decarbonization in hard-to-electrify economic sectors.
EDP leads the European renewable hydrogen scene. No other company has successfully carried out the environmental processing for two such projects, which furthermore count themselves among the most renowned by the European Commission: Green H2 Los Barrios (Cadiz, Andalusia) and Asturias H2 Valley (Aboño, Asturias).
EDP’s renewable hydrogen initiative for Los Barrios is placed in the company’s project to turn their thermic power plants into “green hubs”. These will be linked to this energy sector, energy storage, flexibility in the grid and renewable energies. This way, EDP aims to leave coal behind in 2025 and to be 100% by 2030.