Director of IRENA: Spain can be a major exporter of green hydrogen

The director general of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Francesco La Camera, believes that Spain has the potential to be a large exporter of green hydrogen.

In an interview granted to Efe, La Camera considers that “with its privileged geographical location between Europe and North Africa and the possibility of producing renewable energy and potentially green hydrogen at low cost, Spain has great potential to become a leading country in green hydrogen exports.”

Based in Abu Dhabi, IRENA is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in the transition to a sustainable energy future, and its Director General has been in Barcelona this week to participate in the Green Hydrogen Global Assembly.

Green hydrogen is obtained through the use of renewable energies such as wind or solar and is achieved through an electrolysis process, in which electric current is used to break down the water molecule into oxygen and hydrogen.

However, one of the great challenges of this 100% sustainable energy source is to reduce its production cost, which is still high.

However, La Camera considers that, “in the medium term, the current geopolitical tension -generated mainly by the war in Ukraine-, as well as the high prices of fossil fuels, will accelerate the transition to renewable energies”, and predicts that green hydrogen will also be a competitive technology.

In this line, he assures that “already today renewable energy is the cheapest option in most regions of the world and completely competitive with fossil fuels”, and adds that year after year the installed capacity of renewables in the world increases to the detriment of fossil fuels.

Asked if he believes that a prolongation of the war in Ukraine may end up breaking the unity of action shown in the EU in energy policy, La Camera avoids entering into political considerations, although he believes that the EU’s commitment to a transition to a fully decarbonized energy system is the “right measure”.

It also argues that the REPowerEU package – the EU’s plan to end its dependence on Russian gas and oil – is the “fastest way to become independent of fossil fuels, ensure affordable energy for homes and businesses, and boost economic growth and competitiveness.”

Questioned by the current energy mix of Spain and whether the country is well positioned for the energy transition, he highlights that the State is “a pioneer in renewable energies”.

“I congratulate Spanish leaders for adopting a policy framework that allowed Spain to be one of the fastest growing renewable energy markets in Europe.”

At a time when the war in Ukraine has revived the debate over the resumption of the Midcat gas pipeline – which would link Spain and France via Catalonia – IRENA’s director general says he is “encouraged by the news that critical infrastructure solutions are now on track to better connect Spain with the rest of Europe.”

Despite Spain’s strengths in renewables, La Camera also says that the demand for green hydrogen should be stimulated.

Source: The Vanguard