Europe has launched twelve green hydrogen megaprojects with a total investment of 13 billion. Spain is the second largest power, with three strategic plants: Huelva, Bilbao and Cartagena.
Green hydrogen is no longer a promise for the future. Twelve megaprojects, with a combined capacity of 3 GW and an investment exceeding 13 billion euros, are already under construction in Europe. And Spain occupies a prominent position: it is the second country with the highest industrial capacity, thanks to three key plants in Huelva, Bilbao and Cartagena.
The plant in Huelva, named Moeve Onuba, is the most ambitious of the three. With an initial capacity of 300 MW, expandable to 400, and an investment of over 1 billion euros, it will supply renewable hydrogen to the refinery, the chemical industry, and the production of low carbon footprint synthetic fuels. It is part of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, which aims to reach 2 GW.
The Moeve Onuba project, inheritor of the historic chemical hub of Cepsa, is set to transform the industrial fabric of the province. According to industry sources, the plant will integrate into the energy ecosystem of the area, leveraging existing infrastructure and generating skilled employment. Although specific timelines have not been provided, production is expected to begin within this decade.
At the European level, the largest project is the Swedish Stegra, with 700 MW and an investment of 7 billion euros, which will use hydrogen to produce emission-free steel. Following are the German projects Emden Clean Hydrogen Coastline (320 MW) and GET H2 Nukleus (300 MW), which will include pipeline networks and storage in salt caverns. In the Netherlands, Shell and Air Liquide are constructing two 200 MW plants at the port of Rotterdam, connected to refineries and the future hydrogen network. France, Austria, and Portugal are also contributing projects: Normand’Hy (200 MW), a 140 MW Austrian plant, and a 100 MW Portuguese plant in Sines.
The main challenge remains cost. Green hydrogen costs between five and ten times more than grey hydrogen, obtained from natural gas. According to the consultancy IDTechEx, the key is to reduce production costs and improve the efficiency of electrolyzers. These twelve plants aim to demonstrate that it is possible to achieve the necessary scale to compete with fossil fuels.
In Spain, in addition to Huelva, the projects in Bilbao and Cartagena stand out. In Bilbao, Petronor is constructing the Green Hydrogen Hub, with 100 MW and an investment of 300 million, to supply the Basque industrial fabric. In Cartagena, Repsol has obtained a favourable Environmental Impact Declaration for its 100 MW plant, which will produce 15,000 tonnes annually of renewable hydrogen to decarbonise its refinery. The project has passed the environmental process without objections.
Beyond the peninsula, Zaragoza is also joining with the project “Zaragoza Zero Waste”, which will invest 200 million to convert 150,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste into green hydrogen and methanol through chemical recycling.
One of the major challenges for the hydrogen launch is storage. The consortium Guardiane-Q, with 7 million euros, is developing an advanced safety system for underground storage in depleted gas fields. The project, framed within the Aljarafe initiative, will employ artificial intelligence, satellite communications, and post-quantum cryptography to protect the infrastructure.
According to IDTechEx, the global green hydrogen market will be worth 166 billion dollars by 2037, with an annual growth of 48%. For that figure to materialise, renewable hydrogen must reach the scale and price of current natural gas. The twelve European plants are the first step in that transition.
For the Huelva driver, the impact will come in the medium term. Models like the Toyota Mirai or the Hyundai Nexo will see their refuelling costs reduced as green hydrogen becomes cheaper. Today, a kilo costs between 10 and 15 euros at the few operational hydrogen stations. In Spain, there are fewer than 10 public stations, but the megaprojects in Huelva, Bilbao, and Cartagena include plans for refuelling stations in strategic corridors. The first plants are expected to start producing within this decade, although the mass distribution network will not be a reality until the next.
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