ICIQ, EURECAT and IREC (members of the XRE4S Network) participate in an initiative to decarbonize the petrochemical industry in Catalonia that has been organized by means of a platform grouping around 100 members. The platform (led by URV) aims through this contribution to offer scientific and technological support to create the largest hydrogen hub in southern Europe, and promote the technology transfer of the XRE4S groups to the industry promoting the technology transformation towards the sustainability.
Currently, the chemical sector located in the petrochemical complex of Tarragona consumes around 10 tons of gray hydrogen, produced with CO2 emissions. This is intended to be replaced by green hydrogen produced from the new renewable energy plants in the coming years. This transformation of the sector is intended to be the driving force behind new applications, transforming the chemical industry into green chemistry, while promoting a wider use of green hydrogen in transport. It will also have an impact in the residential and service sectors, effectively contributing to the energy transition in Catalonia. It involves renewable energy sources, hydrogen production plants, hydrogen storage, transportation and distribution as well as hydrogen utilization.
This initiative will contribute, mainly, to introducing innovative technologies into the chemical industry, the second most important industrial sector in volume and workload in Catalonia, after the automotive sector. The replacement of the grey hydrogen is predicted to achieve around the 30 % of the total CO2 emissions reduction foreseen in the “Hoja de ruta del hidrógeno” published by the “Ministerio de Transición Ecológica y Reto Demográfico” from Gobierno de España.
Green hydrogen is an essential pillar to achieve the climate neutrality of the EU in 2050.