Iberdrola gets approval for Puertollano hydrogen project PV plant

Spain's Iberdrola has received approval for a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant with battery storage in Puertollano that will be used to supply a 20 MW green hydrogen electrolyzer, Spain's Transition Ministry said Dec. 2.

The Puertollano II plant has been granted the approval to install a 5 MW battery storage facility at the site that will be able to supply four hours of additional output, or 22.8 MWh, according to the publication in the state gazette.

Iberdrola also will use the PV plant to try out its new bifacial panels and string inverters, both of which aim to increase longevity and efficiency of the plant.

The project was initially expected to come online in 2021, having received its environmental approval in December 2020.

The company signed an agreement with fertilizer group Fertiberia in July 2020, by which Fertiberia will use the hydrogen produced from the plant to feed its 200,000 mt/year ammonia plant at Puertollano, making it a first largescale mover in the green ammonia sector in Europe. Investment is seen at Eur150 million ($170 million).

Iberdrola sees fertilizers and gasoline refining as two sectors that provide a clear demand for hydrogen at present, while others from the industrial and transport sectors will follow.

The Puertollano green hydrogen project is the first in an initiative between the two companies to place Spain at the forefront of green hydrogen in Europe, with the installation of 800 MW of electrolysis by 2027 and a total investment of Eur1.8 billion.

Within this plan, Iberdrola intends to put into operation the equivalent of 20% of the national target, which envisages the installation of 4 GW green hydrogen by 2030.

Separately, Iberdrola announced Dec. 2 it signed an agreement to build a 1 GW green hydrogen plant in the Iberian peninsula to fuel 2 million mt/year of green steel production.

The group said it agreed with Swedish partner H2 Green Steel to invest Eur2.3 billion for the new plant, which could come online in 2025 or 2026.