In the world of imagination everything is invented. Spaceships, portable devices, home technology, and computers have been envisioned earlier in literature than in the real world. From this fateful fate, energy did not escape, as Jules Verne demonstrated Mysterious island (1874) proposed converting water into fuel. “I believe that water will one day become a fuel, and that the hydrogen and oxygen of which it is composed, whether used alone or in combination, will provide an inexhaustible source of energy and light…Water will be the carbon of the future.” And he was right.
Today, green hydrogen (produced through water electrolysis, which consists of separating oxygen and hydrogen molecules using electricity) is a promise for the future. “It is an energy carrier with huge potential, and a very important opportunity for this country. Because it allows us to generate energy mainly from wind and sun, which are resources we have in abundance, especially compared to the rest of Europe,” Belén Linares, Innovation Director at Moeve, admitted at an event organized by this company and EL PAÍS. “We are facing an opportunity that we should not miss, because we have the necessary resources… It is a very important moment that requires innovation, research and development.”
During the meeting, Linares mentioned that electrolysis goes through a learning curve very similar to that of renewable energies such as photovoltaics and wind energy. He stressed that “25 years ago, these industries invested in research and development, and today their prices have become competitive with the prices of any other source of energy.” He said that at Moeve he is betting on this innovation to accelerate cost reduction in green hydrogen production. “In addition, we need to store energy and manage it over time. It is essential that we have electrical networks and hydrogen transportation systems and technologies that allow energy to be transferred when we need it, not just when it is produced,” he explained. He explained that to achieve this, there must be a network that allows, for example, access to ports to ship hydrogen-derived fuel. “Hydrogen is a gas that does not remain stable on its own. Therefore, its distribution by land or its liquefaction requires complex technologies. We must ensure that this gas or its derivatives arrive in optimal conditions, whether in sea or air transport.”
In this sense, Linares pointed out that the development of technologies such as MOF (MOFs) is crucial, because these structures promise an efficient and scalable solution for hydrogen storage, which constitutes one of the main goals of developing this energy source. “At Moeve, we feel a great sense of urgency. We believe it is time to scale up solutions that already exist in this country, albeit on small scales, and which have been proven to work,” he stressed. All of this allowed the company to verify their commercial viability, which is essential, because these new technologies will only be able to replace traditional fossil models if they become economically sustainable alternatives. “This moment of investment and expansion is what we are trying to implement in the private sphere and in our enterprise valley. We need to take this step, connect the plants and start building facilities that allow us to generate enough hydrogen to not only decarbonize our traditional activity, but also to think about hydrogen-derived fuels that can decarbonize complex sectors, such as heavy mobility, that are traditionally based on fossil fuels.”
The race for green hydrogen has begun. Europe is rapidly seeking a clean source that will allow it to make the leap towards a carbon-free economy, one that does not reduce its competitiveness and, in turn, gives it independence. Germany, for example, has seen its future in this technology, having made significant investments (both in government and private projects) in the production, storage and transport of green hydrogen. “Germany’s commitment has been very decisive since 2021 and 2022,” admitted Anton Martinez, CEO of Enagás Renovables. “Hydrogen, which we all associate with decarbonisation, is a key vehicle for energy independence.” The Russian invasion of Ukraine highlighted how vulnerable gas dependence is, and Berlin has since invested heavily in infrastructure to increase its energy independence. “Not only in hydrogen projects, but also in regasification plants that did not exist before. This shows that energy independence is crucial to the competitiveness of companies. Therefore, many of these infrastructures are being built with Spanish involvement in engineering and technology.”
The need for alliances
Fernando Monasterio, H2 and Clean Energy Derivatives Coordinator at Exolum, added that collaboration and alliances are essential in the developing market. “Green hydrogen is a way for Spain to gain energy independence and security. Now is the time to strengthen the market, push production projects and logistics infrastructure that connect production to demand. We have the opportunity, the knowledge of the country and all the fundamentals to achieve this,” he added. For Monasterio, its adoption will be a gradual process, especially in sectors where reducing CO2 emissions is a challenge, such as maritime, aviation and heavy road transport. Green hydrogen is the critical element that links and enables the production of alternative fuels, such as synthetic kerosene (e-kerosene) for aviation and ammonia or methanol for shipping. “In addition, we are exploring how to reuse existing infrastructure using transportable hydrogen liquids, improving investment and generating feasibility in the early stages of the market.”
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