More than 50 stakeholders have joined the initiative coordinated by the URV

The Green Hydrogen Platform Southern Catalonia is the new initiative led by the URV that wishes to bring together all the stakeholders working in the value chain of green hydrogen, a fuel generated from renewable energies to promote knowledge, production and implementation of this alternative energy source in the Camp de Tarragona and Terres de l’Ebre regions. The project is the territory’s response to the strategy launched by the European Commission in summer to reduce pollution and achieve a climate neutral Europe by 2050 and combat the climate emergency.

The platform will bring together experts in training, research and technology; entrepreneurs and businesses in the green hydrogen value chain; municipal and extra-municipal entities; entities of the Catalan Government responsible for industry, energy and environment, and individuals who have expressed an interest in projects to make the green hydrogen and digital transition through research, transfer and training of qualified individuals.

On 20 October, the more than 50 stakeholders attended an online meeting in which they agreed on the roadmap for the first months that included defining the system of governance, creating an initial portfolio of projects and working on an action plan for 2021. The projects cover three basic areas: mobility using green hydrogen, the circular economy with green hydrogen and the basic infrastructure that it requires.

The Green Hydrogen Platform Southern Catalonia has emerged from the realization that the region consumes and produces a high quantity of energy from a range of sources, including three nuclear reactors at Hospitalet and Ascó, the petrochemical complex in the Camp de Tarragona region, four combined cycle power plants, more than 20 wind farms currently running and a further 10 that have been approved, and the hydroelectric power station at Riba-roja d’Ebre. Hence the need to create social, economic and environmentally sustainable value chain through the implementation of green hydrogen as a key vector in the energy transition, something that became evident in the work carried out at the climate emergency seminar hosted by the URV in October 2019.

The rector of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili, María José Figueras, has praised the creation of the Green Hydrogen Platform Southern Catalonia and has emphasised the University’s role in bringing together the various stakeholders and as a driver of territorial initiatives that contribute knowledge and expertise. The rector highlighted the desire to work together to reverse the environmental crisis and to define an energy strategy on both a global and local scale that is socially and economically fair.

The president of Tarragona Provincial Council, Noemí Llauradó, stated that “the Provincial Council is committed to the energy transition, a path that we have just started down, but which we are following with conviction and without delay because we are aware of the need to do so and that it is a process from which there can be no going back. For this reason, our Mandate Plan expressly states our joint leadership in the creation of strategic alliances with the socioeconomic stakeholders in the territory, the country and Europe, and our support for the different emerging innovation clusters that can push forward the balanced and sustainable development of the region. The Green Hydrogen Platform Southern Catalonia is a new step in this regard”.

In his presentation, the mayor of Tarragona, Pau Ricomà, stated that “cities must play a leading role in developing the applications of green hydrogen and Tarragona has started to make advances in creating greener and more sustainable mobility”.

Stakeholders

The platform will be constituted in January and open to any stakeholders who wish to join. To date, the following stakeholders have expressed an interest:

Teaching, research and technological entities

Universitat Rovira i Virgili (URV) – coordinator-, the Centre for Research, Innovation and Transfer of Knowledge Professional Training of the Department of Education, EURECAT, Fundació i2cat (Centre for research and innovation in technologies and the digital society), Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia (ICIQ), Catalonia Institute for Energy Research (IREC).

Entrepreneurs and businesses

Chemical Business Association of Tarragona (AEQT), Port Authority of Tarragona, Auto-transport Business Federation of the Province of Tarragona (FEAT).

Reus Chamber of Commerce, Tarragona Chamber of Commerce, Tortosa Chamber of Commerce and Valls Chamber of Commerce.

Aliter Grup Renovables, ANATRAC, ARCAMO GROUP, Barcelona Centre Logístic, COMSA Renovables, EMATSA, Enagas, ENDESA, ERCROS, FuelCell Energy, Iberdrola, Messer Ibérica de Gases, Repsol, Ros Roca, SOMFETS, Sun Photovoltaic Systems, Toyota España, Veolia Serveis Catalunya, Vilaseca Consultors, Vopak Terquimsa, Water Global Access (WGA).

Municipal and extra-municipal entities

Tarragona Provincial Council, Tarragona City Council, Reus City Council, El Vendrell Town Council, Cambrils Town Council, Salou Town Council, Vila-seca Town Council, Amposta Town Council, Tortosa Town Council, Valls Town Council Calafell Town Council.

Municipalities with nuclear/hydroelectric power stations: Ascó Town Council, Flix Town Council, Riba-roja d’Ebre Town Council, Vandellòs Town Council and Hospitalet de l’Infant Town Council.

Terres de l’Ebre Environmental Policy Consortium (COPATE), Mancomunitat de Residus Urbans del Camp de Tarragona (SIRUSA).

Catalan Governmental entities responsible for industry, energy and the environment

Agència de Residus de Catalunya; Direcció General d’Indústria del Departament d’Empresa i Coneixement de la Generalitat, Direcció general de Qualitat Ambiental i Canvi Climàtic del Departament de Territori i Sostenibilitat de la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Individual stakeholders

Ferran Civit, Jesús Hernández, Jordi Jané.

Any organisation or individual wishing for more information can send an email to jordi.cartanya@urv.cat.