The Government will open on Friday the aid for green hydrogen developers for 250 million

This Friday, April 8, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Miteco) will open the call for four aid programs to the innovative value chain of renewable hydrogen with a budget of 250 million.

The objective of this aid is to promote the improvement of the productive and manufacturing capacities of components, equipment and systems; the development of prototypes in the field of mobility and large electrolyzer demonstrators, and the deployment of key enabling technologies within the value chain.

Specifically, 100 million euros will be allocated to large electrolyzers; 80 million for vehicle demonstration and validation; 40 million for industrial and experimental research; and €30 million for capacity building and technological advances in testing and manufacturing lines. It is estimated that its materialization will generate more than 14,000 jobs and contribute more than 960 million euros to GDP.

The deadline for submitting applications will remain open from April 8 to June 7. Among the award criteria, the participation of SMEs, the positive impact in Just Transition areas, the reduction of emissions and the creation of employment will be assessed.

The Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE) will be in charge of managing the aid, which will be granted under a competitive competition regime. In addition, the projects must respect the principle of “not causing significant damage” to the environment and the aid will be implemented as a subsidy to be received by the beneficiary, definitively, once the implementation of the project is verified and the eligible costs incurred are accredited.

These programs are part of the PERTE ERHA, as well as the other program on pioneering and unique renewable hydrogen projects, endowed with grants of 150 million and whose call is also open from March 7, until May 6.

Subprogrammes

1. Within the programme of aid to large electrolysis demonstrators, innovative projects for the production of renewable hydrogen (100 million), the call includes:

a) Aid for the development and manufacture of a large electrolyzer, a first prototype that includes elements of progress with respect to the current state of the art, with a budget of 40 million.

b) For real and effective integration of a large electrolyzer in an industrial operational context, with a budget of 60 million.

In the case of the capacity aid programme, technological advances in testing and manufacturing lines (30 million):

1. Aid to equipment manufacturing centres related to the renewable hydrogen value chain. In particular, the facilities and equipment for the manufacture of other equipment, components and systems, with a budget of 20 million.

2. For the improvement of capacities linked to R+ D+i: focused on testing facilities for components, systems and auxiliary equipment related to the production, distribution and use of renewable hydrogen, with a budget of 10 million.

Source: The Economist