Iberdrola and Ingeteam set up JV to produce electrolyzers in Spain

From pv magazine Spain

Spanish energy company Iberdrola and Norwegian electrolyzer manufacturer Nel, through its subsidiary Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser, have signed an agreement to develop large electrolyzers and promote the value chain of this technology in Spain.

To materialize the project, Iberdrola and the Spanish inverter maker Ingeteam have set up the joint venture Iberlyzer, with the aim of becoming the first large-scale electrolyzer manufacturer in Spain.

The new company is expected to begin operations next year and to produce more than 200 MW of electrolyzers in 2023.

This capacity — which represents more than 50% of the electrolyzer capacity planned to be deployed in Spain by 2023 — will be used for a hydrogen project that Iberdrola is developing as part of its alliance with fertilizer supplier Fertiberia, which will produce green hydrogen for the Palos de la Frontera plant in Huelva.

Iberlyzer's industrial project will involve an investment of around €100 million and will generate direct qualified employment for 150 people, according to a joint press release from Iberdrola and Ingeteam.

Iberdrola and Fertiberia are planning to have enough electrolyzer capacity to produce 800 MW of green hydrogen in four phases, at the Fertiberia plants in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) and Palos de la Frontera (Huelva), by 2027. The initiative represents an investment of €1.8 billion million in the next seven years. The project's green hydrogen production capacity would be equivalent to 20% of the national plan – which provides for the installation of 4 GW by 2030.

This initiative started with the launch of the largest green hydrogen complex for industrial use in Europe, which will be operational in just one year in Puertollano, thanks to an investment of €150 million. The project will consist of a 100 MW photovoltaic solar plant, a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh and one of the largest electrolytic hydrogen production systems (20 MW). For this project, Iberdrola has selected Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser, a division of Nel ASA, as the preferred supplier for the construction of the hydrogen production facility.