By: Marion Riedel, Messer Ibérica de Gases
Reading time: 2 Minutes
◤ DECARBONIZATION
That’s how the green H₂ economy works
A consortium of leading companies from the chemical and energy sectors is developing a large electrolysis plant in Tarragona to accelerate the decarbonization of the local chemical industry there. The project will illustrate how green hydrogen can be produced and used cost-effectively for the petrochemical industry on a large scale. Messer is a participant in this project with investments, infrastructure and gases expertise.
The city of Tarragona in northeastern Spain is the location of one the largest petrochemical complexes in southern Europe. The chemical park is connected by pipeline to the nearby oil tanker terminal and Spain’s natural gas network. The operator of the natural gas network will also use some of the green hydrogen: Spain currently allows its natural gas to contain up to five percent H₂; that value will soon be raised to ten percent.
Generally, Spain is investing heavily in clean hydrogen: the country’s per capita investment in H₂ technology is six times greater than that of the EU, Norway and Great Britain (combined). That value derives from the sustainability analysis of the consulting firm Oliver Wyman. According to their analysis, Spain was the country with the largest investment in green hydrogen projects relative to GDP in 2021.
Green electricity for clean hydrogen
The consortium in Tarragona is led by the energy and petrochemical group Repsol and comprises three other companies: the gas network operator Enagás, the producer of chemical precursors Iqoxe, and Messer. In a joint presentation last September, they unveiled their plan for the construction of a water electrolyzer with a capacity of 150 megawatts and an investment volume of 320 million euros. In July 2023, it was announced that the project will receive a 62-million-euro grant from the EU Innovation Fund.
The new electrolyzer will be built on Repsol’s grounds at the chemical park. The first phase of production is scheduled to begin in 2026. A second phase will expand the green hydrogen production capacity to one gigawatt. The plan is to operate the plant exclusively on electricity from renewable sources in the region. It will also be equipped with state-of-the-art technologies to minimize water consumption.
Clean hydrogen with dual benefits
Messer already operates a pipeline system that distributes nitrogen and oxygen at the Tarragona chemical complex. Repsol will install an additional pipeline to supply the hydrogen to the companies there that need it. Repsol is already the largest hydrogen producer on the Iberian Peninsula and is pursing ambitious plans regarding the production and use of green H₂.
Plans also include building a filling plant for green hydrogen at Messer’s site in Tarragona, which will also enable delivery by high-pressure tank truck and as cylinder gas. This will make it possible to supply hydrogen refueling stations, for example, along with industrial customers in the region. Work on projects to decarbonize the local bus fleet with hydrogen is also progressing: surplus hydrogen can be fed into Enagás’ natural gas network.
Along with H₂, water electrolysis also produces large quantities of green-but-impure oxygen (O₂) saturated with water vapor. Its use contributes to the profitability of the overall project. Messer is responsible for the complete processing of the oxygen waste gas and for the oxygen business operations. One of the main customers interested in the clean oxygen is Iqoxe. The company is the only Spanish manufacturer of ethylene oxide. Producing this precursor for the chemical industry takes large quantities of oxygen. With the procurement of this green gas, Iqoxe could significantly reduce its CO₂ footprint (Scope 3).