The Orange.bat green hydrogen plant has set a new standard by becoming the first project to receive Integrated Environmental Authorization(AAI) in the Valencia region. This approval is important to start its development, and confirm its compatibility with the highest environmental standards.
Integrated Environmental Authorization for the Orange.bat project
This development is located in the El Colomer industrial estate in Onda, Castellón, where it will contribute directly to minimizing emissions from the local ceramic cluster, one of the most energy-intensive in Europe. With an installed capacity of 100 MWe, the future facility will be able to produce up to 16,446 tons of renewable hydrogen per year, avoiding the emission of more than 115,000 tons of CO₂ per year.
The project, promoted by the Swiss firm Smartenergy , has the institutional backing of the main associations of the Spanish ceramic sector, such as ASCER and ANFFECC. The location has been selected to facilitate logistics between the industrial consumption centers and the backbone network of hydrogen backbone network H2Med operated by Enagás.
The Orange.bat project will generate at least 34 direct jobs and 150 indirect jobs, not to mention those created during construction. In addition to promoting the energy transition, it will enable local industries to reduce their dependence on natural gas through gas blending as a short-term solution.
On the other hand, a second phase is planned in the municipality of Alcora, with an additional 80 MWe electrolyzer. The main plan is to scale up to 800 MWe in the coming years, consolidating Castellón as a national reference in green hydrogen production.
Industrial consumers have expressed interest inpurchasing 75% of the hydrogen produced as a partial replacement for natural gas. Such a gradual adoption strategy reduces the need for large upfront investments, maintaining the competitiveness of the sector while advancing decarbonization.
Likewise, public-private collaboration has been essential to streamline procedures and align development with regional climate objectives. According to representatives of ASCER and ANFFECC, this approval is a major step towards viable solutions for energy efficiency improvements in one of the country’s most strategic industrial sectors.
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Source and photo: Smartenergy
