Iberdrola to add hydrogen production to 100-MW Puertollano solar project

March 17 (Renewables Now) - Iberdrola SA (BME:IBE) is joining the renewable hydrogen race with the construction of a 100-MW solar farm that will power the electrolysis system planned for installation in the Spanish city of Puertollano.

According to the Puertollano city council, the power utility group will invest around EUR 150 million (USD 164.7m) in the hydrogen plant in pursuit of a goal to make hydrogen cheaper in the future.

The solar farm, featuring bifacial modules, will be paired with a 5-MW/20-MWh lithium-ion battery storage system, a project that Iberdrola announced in September 2019.

Construction of the solar component is already under way, the city said in its press release last week.

Puertollano, a city in the Castile-La Mancha region, is home to Spain’s national hydrogen centre CNH2, a research and development (R&D) and testing facility.

Another advantage of Puertollano is that Iberdrola can sell its green hydrogen for industrial use to nearby companies, the city council highlighted.

(EUR 1.0 = USD 1.098)