(Bilbao/Columbus) – The US diesel and gas engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. and the Spanish energy supplier Iberdrola SA want to jointly build large-scale hydrogen production projects on the Iberian Peninsula. Together with government representatives, the companies have now presented the first plans for one of the world's largest electrolyzer plants for the production of green hydrogen in Spain.
The search for a location is currently underway in the Guadalajara region (Castile-La Mancha) for the PEM electrolyzer plant, which will initially cover an area of 22.000 square meters. According to the information, the investments amount to 50 million euros. The system has an output of 500 megawatts and is scalable to more than one gigawatt. When it opens in 2023, 350 jobs would be created.
In Castile-La Mancha, Iberdrola operates solar and wind power plants with an installed capacity of 2.376 megawatts. The company recently completed three additional photovoltaic projects in the region with a total output of 150 megawatts and is currently installing the “Puertollano” photovoltaic system with an output of 100 megawatts.
The 230 megawatt hydrogen project in Palos de la Frontera (Huelva, Andalusia, Spain) will also be part of this alliance. As reported, Iberdrola is building a production plant there for the fertilizer manufacturer Fertiberia, whose electrolyzers will now be supplied by Cummins. According to the latest information, the production capacity is 200.000 tons per year. The complex includes a 100 megawatt photovoltaic system and a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 megawatt hours.
Iberdrola has submitted 53 hydrogen-related projects to the Next Generation EU program, which would trigger investments of 2,5 billion euros to reach an annual production of 60.000 tonnes per year. Green hydrogen production capacity under this plan would be equivalent to 20 percent of the national target of four gigawatts of installed capacity by 2030.
Headquartered in Columbus, Indiana, Cummins has more than 600 electrolyzers in operation in 100 countries worldwide. The Company's products include diesel, natural gas, electric and hybrid powertrains, as well as powertrain-related power generation systems, batteries, electrified power systems, hydrogen generation and fuel cell products. Sales in 2020 were $19,8 billion and profits were around $1,8 billion.
Photos
Top central and regional government and business representatives presenting Cummins and Iberdrola's plans / © Iberdrola
