The Director of CNH2 analyses the challenges facing hydrogen in Spain in Sedigas’ Gas Actual magazine.

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The director of the National Hydrogen Centre (CNH2), Emilio Nieto, was interviewed in issue 176 of Gas Actual magazine, published by Sedigas, the Spanish Gas Association, where he analyses the current situation of hydrogen in Spain, the main technological and regulatory challenges, and the role of the CNH2 in promoting this key energy vector for the energy transition.

During the interview, Emilio Nieto emphasises that ‘Spain has the conditions to lead the way in hydrogen in Europe, but we must generate added value here’, underlining the need to harness the country’s renewable potential to build a solid and industrially competitive value chain that promotes innovation, training and public-private collaboration.

CNH2: two decades of growth and specialisation

The director recalls the evolution of CNH2 from its creation in 2007 to the present day. Over the years, the centre has grown from around twenty researchers to nearly 90 professionals spread across 14 specialised laboratories, covering the entire hydrogen value chain: production, storage, distribution and end uses.

Nieto emphasises that CNH2 works with all electrolysis technologies (alkaline, anionic, polymeric and solid oxide), as well as developing innovative storage solutions (metal hydrides, organic liquids, MOFs, ammonia or methanol) and both PEM and SOFC fuel cells.

Mobility, safety and standardisation

In the field of mobility, CNH2 promotes heavy transport and last-mile projects, collaborating with large companies such as Airbus in the study of hydrogen applications in aviation. In addition, the centre actively participates in the AENOR and CEN-CENELEC standardisation committees, contributing to the development of specific technical standards for the safe use of hydrogen.

 

 

Challenges facing the sector: regulation, funding, scale and collaboration

Emilio Nieto identifies four fundamental pillars among the main challenges facing the sector:

  • Agile regulation and processing to reduce project development times.
  • Balanced public-private financing, combining initial public investment with business commitment.
  • Industrial scaling, necessary to reduce costs and increase equipment reliability.
  • Collaboration between companies and knowledge centres, essential for generating market and competitiveness.

 

Spain, a benchmark with leadership potential

According to Emilio, Spain has abundant renewable resources, advanced gas infrastructure and a skilled industrial base, factors that position it as a key country in the development of European hydrogen. However, he insists that the real challenge is to create added value within the country, developing its own technology and strengthening the associated industry.

The director of CNH2 concludes by advocating a balanced vision of the energy future: ‘Hydrogen is not the only solution, but it is one of the most versatile. We must hybridise technologies (biogases, renewable hydrogen, electrification) to build a realistic and effective energy transition.’

 

Access the full interview here: https://www.sedigas.es/gasactual/176/mobile/index.html#p=10