Spanish gas supplier sets up hydrogen production for heating, residential hot water

From pv magazine Spain

Madrid-based gas provider Madrileña Red de Gas (MRG) and Spanish real estate company Pryconsa have launched a green hydrogen project for residential use in Valdemoro, Madrid.

The project is designed to replace gas supplies with renewable hydrogen for 100 homes.

“Our goal is to demonstrate that hydrogen is capable of providing 100% of the energy needs for heating and domestic hot waters in our homes,” a Pryconsa spokesperson told pv magazine. “Construction on the facility should start in May 2023 and first shipments of hydrogen should be made in the last quarter of 2025.”

The companies affirm that they are currently studying the technical and economic model that best suits the hydrogen project, mainly by evaluating mainly two options.

“Our preferred option is the on-site generation of hydrogen through an electrolyzer located in the residential area,” said the spokesperson. “This electrolyzer will be powered by a solar plant via a power purchase agreement (PPA).”

The alternative choice is to obtain hydrogen from a solar-powered electrolyzer that Madrileña Red de Gas is currently developing.

“The associated solar plant will be the Inspira Madrid project in Villanueva del Pardillo, with a power of 10 MW,” the spokesperson said. “For the generation of hydrogen, we will use a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyzer that will allow us to combine the needs of hydrogen generation with the occupation of space that the installation of the electrolysis equipment entails.”

The estimated annual consumption per household is approximately 250 kg of hydrogen, which means the facility will have to generate at least 24.5 tons of hydrogen per year. The companies told pv magazine that “given the pioneering nature of the project, MRG has agreed to assume the extra cost that the use of hydrogen will entail instead of natural gas.

“The families that inhabit the dwellings will not notice a difference in cost with respect to using natural gas, MRG assuming this difference,” the spokesperson said. “We want to promote and demonstrate that hydrogen is a valid option on a day-to-day basis, and for this reason our company is committed to facilitating this type of project as much as possible.”