Sense hydrogen production gains the status of national strategic project

The GreenH2Atlantic project, which is developing a green hydrogen production unit at Sines, has been awarded PIN (Potential National Interest) status.

GreenH2 Atlantic green hydrogen project

The GreenH2Atlantic project, which is developing a green hydrogen production unit at Sines, has been awarded PIN (Potential National Interest) status.

This status was granted by AICEP in recognition of the strategic importance of the project for Portugal. Factors such as strategic investment and attracting major international investors/partners, job creation, strengthening the local and national economy, commitment to innovation and energy transition from renewable sources, among others, had weight in the decision.

For the granting of this status, all the entities consulted were favorable: the Portuguese Environment Agency, the Directorate General of Energy and Geology, the Institute for Nature Conservation, Turismo de Portugal and the City Council of Sines.

The GreenH2Atlantic hydrogen production plant in Sinnes consists of adapting and reusing the infrastructure of the country’s largest coal-fired power plant, which ended its operation in January 2021, into an innovative hydrogen production center, with a hydrogen production capacity through electrolysis of 100 megawatts.

With this conversion, the GreenH2Atlantic project contributes to an energy production model that is fully in line with national and European decarbonisation targets.

GreenH2Atlantic has been developed by EDP, Galp, ENGIE, Bondalti, Martifer and Vestas Wind Systems A/S, and also participates in McAfee and Efacec, as well as academic and research partners such as ISQ, INESC-TEC, DLR and CEA, as well as the public-private Axelera Group.

According to the final investment decision scheduled for the end of 2023, the project is estimated to be put into operation at the end of 2025.

The project aims to create 1,147 direct jobs and 2,744 indirect jobs along the entire hydrogen value chain.

The total planned investment is more than 150 million euros, of which 30 million comes from funds allocated by the European Commission (Horizon 2020 programme).

Attribution of this status translates into closer monitoring by the Permanent Investor Support Committee of all authorizations, authorizations or approvals under the jurisdiction of central and local administration necessary for their implementation, streamlining and simplification.

Portugal, and Sainz in particular, offers unique conditions for the development of a green hydrogen economy, benefiting from local infrastructure, synergies and access to the existing electricity grid. This project is also an important contribution to the European Hydrogen Strategy which aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, in which renewable hydrogen will play a key role.

Green hydrogen: an alternative to fossil fuels from the cleavage of water molecules

a green hydrogen It is produced by separating water molecules into hydrogen and oxygen through an electrolysis process using renewable energy as the electricity source.

Recognized as one of the keys to building a green economy of the future, its ability to decarbonize the global economy has been highlighted by the most famous professionals around the world as the most effective way to combat the effect of global warming.

With the declining production and import of natural gas and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the dependence on energy from abroad, green hydrogen is understood as one of the most viable alternatives to decarbonize hard-to-electrify sectors.