(Seville / Spain) – The Israeli company H2Pro Ltd. and Doral Hydrogen plan to jointly develop a solar-powered hydrogen production plant in the Spanish region of Extremadura, near the Portuguese border. The energy carrier is intended to be produced completely off-grid.
DWE set in a research facility by H2Pro. © H2Pro Ltd.
The first-phase electrolyzer has a capacity of five megawatts and utilizes H2Pro's "Decoupled Water Electrolysis" (DWE) process. The system is connected off-grid and directly (DC-to-DC) to a ten-megawatt photovoltaic system, thus meeting the EU's RFNBO requirements. Later, 80-megawatt PV systems will supply 50-megawatt electrolyzers. Research facilities are currently operating in Israel.
The initiators aim to circumvent "a core problem in the production of green hydrogen," according to the companies: Conventional electrolyzers are not designed to utilize volatile, cheap, renewable electricity. They are designed for a constant base load. "To avoid serious membrane and system degradation, dangerous gas transfer, and low efficiencies at partial loads, they are forced to rely on expensive battery or grid backups, which leads to enormous costs."
Technology specifically for off-grid applications
The DWE technology was specifically developed for off-grid operation. The system operates across a wide load range and can quickly ramp up and down, adjusting production in real time. Therefore, it is possible to follow the natural generation profile of solar or wind power.
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“This project will demonstrate how hydrogen production can be designed from the outset to be powered directly by renewable energy,” said Tzahi Rodrig, CEO of H2Pro. The ability to operate with intermittent renewable energy is crucial for producing more affordable green hydrogen. “Systems powered directly by renewable energy simplify project design and reduce the need for expensive batteries or grid backup,” said Yam Efrati, CEO of Doral Hydrogen. The company is developing one gigawatt of green hydrogen projects worldwide.
Good conditions in Spain
The focus is on the Iberian Peninsula. Spain is developing into a key region for renewable hydrogen in Europe. The country benefits from its renewable resources as well as political support at the national and European levels. Extremadura, in particular, offers "favorable conditions for large-scale renewable energy projects" due to its high solar irradiance.
The hydrogen produced at the plant is fed into the Spanish gas network operated by Enagás SA, without the need for a separate new transport infrastructure. At a later stage, the energy carrier will be used in the “H2med Hydrogen Corridor" integrated, whose pipeline runs near the site. H2med is intended to eventually connect the hydrogen markets in Southern and Northern Europe via Portugal, Spain, France and Germany.
Photo above
Graphic representation: In DWE, hydrogen and oxygen are not produced via the same membrane, but separately. © H2Pro Ltd.
