Iberdrola becomes the first company with AENOR's renewable hydrogen certificate

Iberdrola's commitment to sustainability has taken a new step forward by becoming the first company to obtain AENOR's Renewable Hydrogen certificate for its Puertollano plant and Barcelona hydrogen plant. 

This recognition confirms that Iberdrola produces hydrogen from renewable energy sources that are environmentally friendly and climate neutral. Specifically, the AENOR 'Verification of renewable hydrogen' seal covers the hydrogen generation, storage and marketing process, as well as the organisation's management system. This recognition accredits that Iberdrola complies with the European regulation established in the delegated act, using water electrolysis technology and that the electricity used for the same comes exclusively from renewable energies. 

The certificate was collected by Ibán Molina, Iberdrola's Director of Green Hydrogen Spain, and presented by José Luis Moreno, Director of Major Accounts at AENOR, at a ceremony held at Iberdrola's green hydrogen plant in Puertollano.

Ibán Molina stated that "we are proud of this certificate and it is a clear demonstration of Iberdrola's role in the generation of renewable hydrogen to decarbonise the economy. In this sense, hydrogen is a success story in Puertollano and in Barcelona, where it is helping to decarbonise processes where electrification does not reach, which serves to continue fighting for a sustainable horizon". 

For his part, José Luis Moreno explains that "AENOR is committed to the fight against climate change, and we do so by providing a wide range of certifications related to the preservation of the environment, carbon management and climate change mitigation actions. Congratulations to Iberdrola, as it is the first company to achieve AENOR recognition for renewable hydrogen, a key energy vector for moving towards a carbon footprint-free economy model". 

The Verification of Generation, Storage, Commercialisation and/or consumption of Renewable Hydrogen has been carried out on the basis of Directive (EU) 2018/2001 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 11 December 2018, on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources, and Order TED/1026/2022 of 28 October, approving the procedure for the management of the system of guarantees of origin of gas from renewable sources, the Hydrogen Roadmap (approved by the Council of Ministers on 9 October 2020) and prEN 16325: 2022: Guarantees of origin related to energy, among other regulations applied. 

The audit carried out by AENOR has verified the type of gas produced, the raw materials used and the renewable gas production technology used at the Iberdrola facility, verifying that they meet the established sustainability requirements. 

Hydrogen, the most abundant chemical element in the universe, is focusing the interest of the sector due to its potential to become an energy vector that, associated with renewable energy sources, allows for the decarbonisation of important industrial and mobility uses and progress towards a carbon footprint-free economic model. 

In Iberdrola's technology, the energy generated by renewable hydrogen is 100% clean energy with zero CO2 emissions. Renewable hydrogen, when used as fuel, only produces water vapour. It does not emit polluting gases, does not generate radiation and does not produce material waste. In other words: it leaves no carbon footprint on the planet. It is basically water that is transformed into energy and then transformed back into water.

Iberdrola's green hydrogen plant in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) consists of a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant, a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh and one of the largest hydrogen production systems by electrolysis in the world (20 MW). All from 100% renewable sources. 

With an investment of 150 million euros, the operation of this plant will avoid emissions equivalent to 48,000 tCO2/year. The renewable hydrogen produced there will be used in Fertiberia's ammonia factory in the town to produce green fertilisers. 

In Barcelona, Iberdrola also has the first commercial renewable hydrogen production and dispensing facility in Spain, which is used by Transports Metropolitans de Barcelona (TMB) buses and other fleets and industries in the Zona Franca industrial estate, where it is located.