New Enagás agreement to boost decarbonisation of Valencia region in Spain

Ximo Puig, the President of the Generalitat Valenciana (different self-government institutions under which the Spanish autonomous community of Valencia is politically organised), and Arturo Gonzalo, CEO of Spanish energy company Enagás, have signed a general protocol of action to promote the development of renewable hydrogen in the Valencian community.

Enagás said the agreement establishes the lines of collaboration to develop infrastructures in the Valencian community for the transport and storage of renewable hydrogen.

It noted that the protocol is part of the H2Med project, which proposes the creation of the first green hydrogen corridor in the EU that will connect the energy grid of the Iberian Peninsula with France and northern Europe.

According to Enagás, during the signing, Puig assured that the agreement constitutes progress towards decarbonisation and “economic and social sustainability” of the Valencian Community.

Puig pointed out that the commitment to green hydrogen constitutes a “disruptive change” and a “great opportunity to change paradigm growth and economic development,” which, as he explained, will allow generate the necessary resources to “consolidate the welfare state.”

He also referred to the difficulties that have been caused by energy costs in recent months and said that “the only guarantee for the future is to continue on the path of decarbonisation,” Enagás informed, adding that, Puig pointed out that “it is time to accelerate the use of energy renewables.” In addition, Puig ratified the commitment of the Valencian Community to go from being a community dependent on fossil fuels to achieving energy sovereignty and becoming an exporter of renewable energy.

Commenting on the agreement, the CEO of Enagás Arturo Gonzalo explained that the Valencian community will be a key protagonist of the Eje Levante part of the H2Med project.

According to Enagás, the H2Med project involves the construction of 450 kilometres of hydroducts, which to the south will connect with the hydrogen valley of Cartagena and to the north with the Ebro axis and the Barcelona-Marseille hydroduct, known as the BarMar.

In December 2022, Enagás and the Transmission System Operators (TSOs) from Portugal and France presented H2Med as a candidate for the Project of Common Interest (PCI) to receive European funding, and in January 2023, Germany announced it will join the H2Med.