The Regional Minister for Industry, Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Andalusia visits ARIEMA and the University of Huelva to promote green hydrogen technologies
Huelva, 14 June 2024.- The Regional Minister for Industry, Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Andalusia, Jorge Paradela, visited ARIEMA's facilities in Huelva today, where electrolysers for green hydrogen production are designed and manufactured.
The visit began at the facility where ARIEMA designs and manufactures the key component of its electrolysers: the stack. This is the device in which the electrochemical reaction that enables green hydrogen to be produced from water and electricity takes place. ARIEMA is currently manufacturing the largest stack based on 100% Spanish technology in Huelva.
The delegation then continued its visit at the facilities of the University of Huelva (UHU), where prototypes of electrolysers manufactured as part of various R&D projects are tested. At these facilities, the Regional Minister was welcomed by the University's Rector, María Antonia Peña.
The role of hydrogen in Huelva
Hydrogen is already a reality in Huelva, where more than forty professionals from different technical disciplines are working on the development of electrolysers for green hydrogen production. Collaboration between the University of Huelva and ARIEMA on R&D projects spans more than ten years, consolidating a strategic partnership in technological innovation.
The level of scientific and technological development achieved by the University of Huelva in the field of hydrogen technologies is unparalleled in Spain. The institution is capable of developing prototypes for all existing electrolyser technologies, as well as hydrogen fuel cells. This places it in a privileged position both nationally and internationally and enables it to maintain technology transfer agreements with leading companies in Spain and abroad.
Alkaline stacks based on Spanish technology
As regards ARIEMA, its developments have reached the final stage, backed by an R&D budget of more than €20 million, with national and European public funding, mainly from the CDTI and the IDAE. ARIEMA's electrolysers are fully operational and will accumulate operating hours in order to test their limits and continue improving both their stacks and auxiliary components.
This testing programme will begin in 2024 with scaled machines and a test bench for stacks measuring 1.5 metres in diameter, continuing in 2025 with the on-site deployment of three complete machines of up to 1 MW. These would be the largest alkaline electrolysers based on Spanish technology and are moving ever closer to commercialisation.
These developments will culminate in ARIEMA's planned factory in Huelva, with an initial projected capacity of 200 MW / year. The factory will directly employ more than 300 people and generate an ancillary industry in the surrounding area.
ARIEMA's work, together with the active involvement of the University of Huelva and the support of local, regional and national organisations, is driving the industrial development of green hydrogen, demonstrating that skilled employment can be created in Spain through the design and manufacture of equipment based on domestic technology.
Rafael Luque, CEO of ARIEMA: “The visit by Regional Minister Jorge Paradela underlines the strategic importance of green hydrogen for the energy future of Andalusia and Spain, while also demonstrating the support of the Regional Government of Andalusia for advancing our research and development projects. This enables us to make progress in hydrogen technologies, create skilled employment and foster the growth of an ancillary industry in the Huelva region in close collaboration with the University of Huelva”.
For his part, the Regional Minister for Industry, Energy and Mines, Jorge Paradela, stressed that "the development of the hydrogen economy must translate into an industrial footprint, the creation of added value and the generation of highly skilled employment" in Andalusia. In this regard, he considered it "essential" to experiment with the manufacture of electrolysers, which are the "heart" of this energy carrier.
"Andalusia aspires to see the entire process developed locally, and we are fully committed to achieving this objective", the Regional Minister emphasised, highlighting the work being carried out by the University of Huelva in this area. He also recalled that the Regional Government of Andalusia has launched a roadmap that includes €70 million to promote, among other areas, the development of hydrogen-related technology, which is “key to decarbonising heavy industry but also provides a solution for activities such as maritime transport and aviation”. In this regard, he called for continued public-private collaboration “to make the most of this opportunity for Huelva and Andalusia".
For the Rector of the UHU, María Antonia Peña, “it is a pleasure to welcome our Regional Minister to the University of Huelva's facilities, particularly to discuss an issue as important as green hydrogen production, which represents not only a major aspiration for the future and economic development of the province of Huelva — development focused on sustainability and reindustrialisation — but also all the research work being carried out at the University of Huelva, particularly by Professor José Manuel Andújar, who leads green hydrogen research at our institution”.
“What we have here is a perfect example of what I believe we need to do in the future: the private sector, institutions and the public university working together, each contributing their strengths and capabilities. This will enable us, as in this case through ARIEMA, to launch electrolyser production that reduces our dependence on acquiring this equipment from abroad and also allows us to position ourselves not only as producers of green hydrogen, but also as producers of all the technology associated with it”, the Rector continued.