(Madrid / Spain) – The Spanish gas network operator Enagás SA wants to invest around 2030 billion euros in “security of supply and decarbonization” by 2,77. This relies primarily on gas and hydrogen infrastructure as well as, among other things, the projects of the group subsidiary Enagás Renovable. This emerges from a “Strategic Plan 2022-2030” that has now been published.
Accordingly, the group wants to invest 1,78 billion euros in the gas and hydrogen infrastructure alone and “adjacent areas”, of which 890 million euros will be in the period 2022 to 2026. This included investments in adapting the infrastructure to the requirement of three percent hydrogen for feeding into the gas network, commissioning and adapting the El Musel facility as a logistics center and the Green Link project for feeding biomethane into the network.
Pipelines “H2-ready”
The first growth axis also includes special infrastructure for renewable hydrogen, for which investments amounting to 690 million euros are planned, of which 235 million euros are to be spent by 2026. This includes transport projects such as HyDeal (in Asturias and Castile and León) and Catalina (in Aragon and Valencia), as well as the research and development of new hydrogen storage facilities. A third Pyrenean gas connection, an underwater gas pipeline as part of a line that will one day connect Spain and Italy, and a third connection with Portugal are also in the planning stage. They would all be prepared for the transport of hydrogen.
Enagás Renovable also plans to invest 205 million euros in 30 projects to produce renewable hydrogen and decarbonize all sectors, as well as 85 million euros in 20 projects to produce biomethane and promote waste management.
Hy24's entry into Enagás Renovable completed in July
Managing director Arturo Gonzalo announced that the planned entry of “Clean H2 Infra Fund“ in Enagás Renovable is expected to be completed in July. The fund's share is then 30 percent. The project will result in a net capital gain of around 50 million euros. The “Clean H2 Infra Fund” is based on an international corporate initiative. It is managed by Hy24, a 50:50 joint venture between investment company Ardian and FiveT Hydrogen, a clean hydrogen investment platform.
In December, the transmission system operators Enagás (Spain), Snam (Italy) and GRTgaz (France) announced a fund investment as anchor investors with a cumulative total of 100 million euros. The three companies are part of the “European Hydrogen Backbone” initiative, which assumes that a Europe-wide hydrogen infrastructure can be based largely on the use of existing gas infrastructure.
Enagás sees itself as a “key player in the Iberian hydrogen corridor” and plans to accelerate hydrogen consumption in the EU. Usage is estimated at 2030 million tonnes by 20, of which ten million tonnes will be produced in Europe and a further ten million tonnes will be imported. By 2030, Spain could supply Europe with 21 billion cubic meters (two million tons) of hydrogen per year.
Photos
Enagás managing director Arturo Gonzalo at the presentation of the “Strategic Plan 2020-2030”. © Enagas SA
