(Cabo Negro / Chile) – The Chilean state-owned oil company Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (Enap) has nearly completed its green hydrogen production plant. The plant is located in the Cabo Negro industrial complex in the Magallanes Region at the southern tip of the country, where, among others, the German biofuel producer HIF and multinationals such as Enel Green Power and Total Eren are already based.
Construction of the foundations is in its final stages. The electrolyzer, compressor, and storage unit are scheduled for delivery this month. © Enap
According to the company, this is the first plant of its kind in Chile. Construction is in its final stages. The prefabricated foundations have been installed, as have the connections for water, electricity, and gas. The one-megawatt PEM electrolyzer, the compressor, and the storage system are scheduled for delivery this month. The German company Neuman & Esser is responsible for the development, planning, and construction of the system. Training for Enap employees is also part of the plan. Nicolás Correa, Enap's head of development and strategic planning, expects commissioning to take place by the first quarter of 2026. Construction began in January 2023.
E-fuels company HIF Global received ISCC EU RFNBO (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin) certification in September 2025 for its "Haru Oni e-Fuels" plant in the Magallanes region of Chile. © HIF Global
The production capacity is 19 kilograms of hydrogen per hour. The output will not only benefit Enap, but also "the development of applications with third parties, special projects at the Green Hydrogen Technology Center in Magallanes, as well as mobility and other sectors," says Correa. Total investment amounts to approximately $14 million (€12,2 million). The plant is powered by electricity from the Vientos Patagónicos wind farm, which has an installed capacity of one megawatt and in which Enap holds a 66 percent stake as the main shareholder.
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Enap plans to use green hydrogen in its refinery in the Magallanes region of Chile. © Enap
