Norway’s Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser joins green fertilizer project in Spain

LONDON (ICIS)–Norway’s Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser on Tuesday announced it has been selected as preferred supplier by Spanish energy major Iberdrola for a 20 MW (megawatts) PEM (proton exchange membrane) solution for a green fertilizer project in Spain.

Contract award is subject to mutual agreement on the final commercial terms, the division of Nel ASA noted, adding the hydrogen plant is scheduled to commence operations in 2021.

Last week, Fertiberia and Iberdrola unveiled plans to build a €1.8bn hydrogen hub which would allow the Spanish fertilizers major to produce green fertilizers, including 100% of its ammonia output.

The project was first announced in July; it will be built at several locations, including Puertollano in central Spain where Fertiberia already produces 200,000 tonnes/year of ammonia.

The first phase of the project, with a capital expenditure (capex) of €150m, will be built by 2021 in Puertollano.

“We are very excited and honoured that Iberdrola prefer to use a PEM electrolyser solution from Nel for this landmark green fertilizer project,” commented Filip Smeets, SVP Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser, Nel Hydrogen Fueling.

“We continuously work to develop larger systems, and with this project our PEM platform will be designed into a 20 MW solution.”

The Puertollano project will feature a 100 MW photovoltaic plant, a battery installation with a storage capacity of 20 MWh, and a 20 MW electrolyser, Nel added without disclosing the value of the contract award.