- Their Majesties King Felipe VI and King Guillermo Alejandro have participated in an event in Algeciras on green hydrogen with European authorities and business leaders from the energy sector
- In the presence of the monarchs, Cepsa has signed collaboration agreements with multinationals such as the Norwegian Yara and the Dutch Gasunie to promote the first green hydrogen maritime corridor that will link the south and north of Europe through the ports of Algeciras and Rotterdam
- Green hydrogen is a new renewable energy vector that can reduce CO2 emissions in shipping and industry, among other sectors, by up to 100%, and is expected to contribute between 15% and 20% of the energy mix. world in 2050
Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, Felipe VI, and of the Netherlands, Guillermo Alejandro, have participated today in an act with authorities from both countries and European businessmen to support energy interconnections as a way to accelerate the energy transition and ensure the autonomy of energy supply in Europe.
During the event, the monarchs attended the signing of agreements between Cepsa and European multinationals such as the Norwegian Yara and the Dutch Gasunie. The objective of these agreements is to promote the first maritime corridor of green hydrogen between the South and the North of Europe, connecting two of the main ports of the continent, Rotterdam and Algeciras. The corridor will contribute to creating a renewable energy supply chain to decarbonise industry and maritime transport, connecting the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, led by Cepsa, with Rotterdam, which has one of the highest energy demands in Europe. After arriving at the port of Rotterdam, the green hydrogen can be distributed through hydroducts to reach a large number of industries located in the center and north of the continent.
In addition to the monarchs, the event was attended by the Third Vice President and Minister for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Teresa Ribera, the Minister for Climate and Energy Policy of the Netherlands, Rob Jetten, the Chairman of the Board of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, the president of the Port of Algeciras, Gerardo Landaluce, and the director of the International Port of Rotterdam, René van der Plas, among other authorities.
Private sector attendees underlined that the war in Ukraine has increased the need to strengthen collaboration between European countries to increase security of energy supply and independence of access, as well as accelerate the transition to clean and decarbonised energy. Among the new alternatives that are emerging, green hydrogen and its derivatives, such as green ammonia, have emerged as one of the fastest, most viable and competitive solutions to achieve this goal.
Within the framework of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley , Cepsa plans to build a new green ammonia plant in its San Roque Energy Park, in Cádiz, with an annual production capacity of up to 750,000 tons, which can prevent the emission of 3 million tons of CO2. The facility, which will be the largest green ammonia plant in Europe, will be operational in 2027, involves an investment of 1,000 million euros and the creation of 3,300 direct, indirect and induced jobs.
The event was also attended by the CEO of Cepsa, Maarten Wetselaar, who stated: “We must move forward in Europe to guarantee supply autonomy and achieve a carbon-neutral energy system. It is an honor that Their Majesties the King of Spain and the King of the Netherlands support business initiatives that reinforce this objective. All Europeans are in the same boat, and we must row together if we want to enjoy more accessible and cleaner energy to leave a better world for future generations. Spain, and especially Andalusia, has a great opportunity to lead the energy transition, decarbonising industry and transport here, but also exporting sustainable energy to the rest of the continent”.
Cepsa is already developing the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, the largest green hydrogen project presented in Europe, with an investment of 3,000 million euros, the creation of 10,000 jobs and a production capacity of 300,000 tons of green hydrogen, making it which will prevent the emission of 6 million tons of CO 2 . The company is currently developing the basic engineering of the projects and the management of permits for the start of production in 2026 in its energy park in Palos de la Frontera (Huelva) and, in 2027, in San Roque (Cádiz).
Agreements for the distribution of hydrogen and the supply of green ammonia
In the presence of the Monarchs of Spain and the Netherlands, Cepsa signed collaboration agreements with Yara Clean Ammonia, the world leading Norwegian multinational in the green ammonia sector (derived from green hydrogen), and Gasunie, the leading Dutch company in gas transport and infrastructure , which connects the Port of Rotterdam with other European industrial clusters in Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
In 2050, green hydrogen will represent a third of the fuel used in world land transport, 60% of maritime transport and will be decisive in being able to store energy from a renewable electrical system. Green hydrogen is expected to contribute between 15% and 20% of the global energy mix by mid-century.
Source images: © House of HM the King
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