The first phase of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, the largest project of its kind in southern Europe, will begin construction in the coming weeks at the La Rábida Energy Park (Huelva). This was announced by Moeve, the driving force behind this initiative, which it is leading together with the Emirati company Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (Masdar) and the Spanish company Enalter, part-owned by Enagás Renovable, and both specialising in renewable energy.

Moeve’s board of directors took the final investment decision in early March for this first phase, known as Onuba, which will cost more than 1 billion euros. This figure includes the infrastructure associated with the production of green hydrogen and the development of a photovoltaic self-consumption plant. Moeve holds a 51% stake in this project.

The largest green hydrogen project in southern Europe
Onuba has been announced as the largest green hydrogen project in southern Europe, with a capacity of 300 megawatts that can be expanded in the future by a further 100. With its initial capacity, the plant will be equipped to produce around 45,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year. The addition of the other 100 megawatts is dependent on obtaining additional capacity from the electricity grid and approval by the board of directors.

This initiative has been recognised as a Project of Common Interest by the European Union and has received 304 million euros from the Spanish Government  through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, funded by the EU via its NextGenerationEU funds. The hydrogen produced at these facilities will be used to produce fuels for road transport and air and sea navigation, and it will also generate energy for the chemical and fertiliser industries.

Hard-to-decarbonise sectors
Moeve highlights the importance of Onuba’s location, in an area with abundant solar and wind resources, in making the project one of the most competitive in Europe for the production of green hydrogen. Another factor that adds significant value to it is its connection to port infrastructure and transport corridors, which will enable it to respond swiftly to energy demand in Northern Europe.

Moeve CEO Maarten Wetselaar explained, “Onuba will be the cornerstone of a world-class hub for green molecules in Spain, supplying renewable fuels to hard-to-decarbonise sectors and strengthening Europe’s energy and industrial resilience. By partnering with other leaders in renewable energy, we are creating an ecosystem that can be scaled up.”

Leading renewable energy
For Masdar’s CEO, Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, his participation in this alliance “reflects our strategy to develop commercially viable green hydrogen projects in markets where there is a clear demand. “We are also delighted to continue supporting Spain’s ambition to be a leader in renewable energy.”

The CEO of Enagás Renovable, Antón Martínez, described the Onuba project as “a significant step forward in the development of green hydrogen in Spain”, and added, “The Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley is a clear example of how collaboration between companies and institutions can accelerate decarbonisation while also generating long-term economic and social value.”

^{Photos: Moeve}