The project will demonstrate H2Pro’s decoupled water electrolysis (DWE) technology operating directly on solar photovoltaic power, with plans to scale from an initial 5 MW system towards a 50 MW facility compliant with the European Union’s renewable fuels of non-biological origin (RFNBO) rules.

The hydrogen produced is expected to be blended into the existing natural gas pipeline operated by Enagás. At a later stage, hydrogen from the site could also be injected into the planned H2Med hydrogen pipeline backbone, which is expected to pass through the region.

The initial phase will pair a 5 MW DWE electrolyser with 10 MWp of solar generation connected directly through a DC-to-DC configuration. Future phases could expand the project to as much as 80 MWp of solar capacity alongside the planned increase in electrolysis capacity.  

The project aims to tackle the persistently high levelised cost of green hydrogen generation. According to the developers, many conventional electrolysers were designed to operate under steady baseload power conditions rather than variable renewable generation. Running these systems on fluctuating power can lead to membrane degradation, gas crossover risks and reduced efficiency at partial loads. As a result, many projects rely on grid electricity or battery storage to stabilise operations, increasing overall costs.  

However, H2Pro’s DWE technology is designed to operate under variable power conditions and in off-grid environments. According to the company, the DWE system can be switched on and off repeatedly without the degradation penalties associated with conventional electrolysis technologies. It can also operate efficiently across a wider load range and ramp output quickly, allowing hydrogen production to follow the generation profile of renewable sources such as solar or wind.

Extremadura is among the regions with the highest solar irradiation levels in Europe, making it well suited for large-scale renewable energy and hydrogen production.