The hydrogen ecosystem in Catalonia generates 426 million euros

Catalonia currently has 140 companies (more than 1,300 workers) with a turnover of 426 million euros that together make up the hydrogen ecosystem in Catalonia.

On Monday 18 July, ACCIÓ-Catalonia Trade & Investmemn presented the first edition of the study of these characteristics that analyses the hydrogen sector in Catalonia.

Hydrogen, as the study states, can be classified into eight types, depending on the method of production. Green hydrogen, obtained thanks to the electrolysis of water using renewable energy sources such as hydraulic, wind and solar energy, is the only climate-neutral variable.

In fact, the global turnover of green hydrogen will reach 16 million dollars in 2025, with a year-on-year growth of 56%. The potential of this resource to decarbonise the economy is driving global investment in this field, which will exceed 340,000 million dollars by 2030, favoured by the fall in production costs, which will be 62% in 2030 compared to 2020.

During his speech at the presentation of the study, Castellanos stressed that “green hydrogen is strategic for Catalonia and a key element in achieving a sustainable, distributed and decentralised energy model”.

The Secretary for Business and Competitiveness added that “Catalonia has a unique concentration of factors that make it particularly suitable for the development of green hydrogen, such as unquestionable leadership in the chemical sector, a solid industrial base and the technological and knowledge capacity to deploy this energy carrier”.

Catalonia currently has 8 technology centers responsible for research into this resource.

As Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said: “Next Generation EU funds are turning Catalonia into a European hydrogen valley”.

Catalonia already has several important initiatives working to promote the use of green hydrogen. One is the Ebro Hydrogen Corridor.

Another initiative, the Hydrogen Valley of Catalonia, is made up of 144 companies, 11 clusters and associations, 41 public bodies, and 8 research centers.

And finally, there is H2ValleyCAT, one of the 27 flagship projects selected to apply to the Next Generation EU Fund to boost green hydrogen in Catalonia and which has a budget of 6.6 billion euros.