BAKU, Azerbaijan, April 16. The European
Commission has approved a 400 million euro Spanish State aid scheme
designed to support the production of renewable hydrogen, in line
with EU State aid rules, Trend reports.
The scheme will contribute to the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal,
REPowerEU Plan, and Hydrogen Strategy by accelerating
decarbonization and reducing dependence on Russian fossil
fuels.
The approved scheme will support the construction of up to 345
MW of electrolyzer capacity and the production of up to 221,000
tons of renewable hydrogen in Spain. This is expected to prevent
the emission of up to one million tons of CO2. It aligns with
Spain’s goal to install 12 GW of electrolyzer capacity by 2030 and
meets targets set in the Renewable Energy Directive for renewable
fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBOs) in transport and
industry.
Support will take the form of direct grants per kilogram of
renewable hydrogen produced, lasting up to 10 years. Beneficiaries
must meet EU criteria for RFNBO production, including contributing
to additional renewable electricity required for hydrogen
production.
The Commission assessed the scheme under EU State aid rules and
concluded that it is necessary for the decarbonisation of key
sectors, has an incentive effect, and includes safeguards to
minimize competition distortions. The scheme was deemed to have
positive environmental impacts, supporting the European Green
Deal.
