Spanish Group Injecting Hydrogen Into Natural Gas Network
A Spanish infrastructure company said it has achieved a “historic milestone” for Spain’s energy industry. Madrid-headquartered Redexis announced has begun injecting hydrogen produced with renewable energy into the country’s natural gas supply via Spain’s first hydrogen pipeline.
The company said the project, inaugurated on September 20, is believed to be the first fully commissioned renewable hydrogen blending project in Europe.
The strategy is part of a project in Mallorca aligned with Spain’s decarbonization efforts for the energy industry. Redexis officials said the scheme is designed to demonstrate the viability of integrating “green” hydrogen, produced using renewable energy resources, into existing natural gas delivery infrastructure.
Fidel López Soria, CEO of Redexis, at a Friday ceremony marking the commissioning, said “this achievement represents a before and after in the Spanish energy transition. With the first injection of green hydrogen into the natural gas network, we not only reaffirm Redexis’ commitment to sustainability, but we also establish a pioneering model that can be replicated in other regions and countries, since there is currently no blending project of this magnitude in Europe.” The inauguration was held at the Cas Tresorer site, which is the starting point for Mallorca’s natural gas network.
“We are taking a decisive step towards a cleaner and more renewable future, demonstrating that infrastructure has the power to tangibly and effectively transform our continental energy system,” said Soria.
Step Toward Decarbonization
Margalida Prohens, president of the government of the Balearic Islands, a Spanish archipelago that includes Mallorca, said, “The Balearic Islands are taking another step on the road to energy transition by being pioneers in the implementation of the first hydrogen pipeline that will transport green hydrogen for injection into the natural gas network, a clean energy that is essential to contribute to the decarbonization of our islands and also essential in the fight against climate change. It is also an opportunity for the reindustrialization of our islands, making them benchmarks for innovation and attracting green investment.”
Officials said the project would support similar models that could be built in other parts of Spain and Europe.
“This pioneering project paves the way for the significant potential of green hydrogen generation in our country,” said Miguel González Suela, Undersecretary for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. “Thanks to the framework promoted by the government, which has provided security and support mechanisms worth 3 billion euros, we are generating an attractive ecosystem to attract investments and innovative projects such as this one, which will contribute to accelerating the ecological transition. Together, we are creating the conditions for Spain to be a leader in the global hydrogen market.”
Redexis is the only company in Spain to receive authorization from the country’s Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge to install the green hydrogen injection system. The hydrogen pipeline begins on Camino de las Baterías, and then connects with the San Juan-Cas Tresorer-Son Reus primary transport pipeline. Redexis’ officials said the injected hydrogen will be available to any natural gas customer on Mallorca connected to the system.
Officials said blending of the hydrogen and natural gas is done with a static mixer “that injects the required volume of hydrogen into multiple high-velocity natural gas streams, which are appropriately collected at the mixer outlet to provide high uniformity of gas composition and low turbulence.” The project is the Green Hysland initiative supported by the European Union through the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, which includes more than 30 groups, including energy companies and technology centers.
—Darrell Proctor is senior editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).