IDAE has published the selected projects under the European Hydrogen Bank’s “Auction-as-a-Service” scheme. Spain is channelling €377 million into 485 MW of electrolysis capacity to decarbonise key industrial and mobility sectors.
The Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE) has officially announced the three projects selected in Spain under the “Auction-as-a-Service” (AaaS) mechanism of the European Hydrogen Bank (EHB). With a total public funding of €377 million, the projects EP2X, eM‑Numancia, and Orange.bat comprise 485 MW of electrolysis capacity, as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
The AaaS mechanism is designed to implement national auctions aligned with the European Hydrogen Bank’s support model, offering a fixed premium per kilogram of renewable hydrogen produced, over a maximum period of ten years.
These three projects were pre-assessed by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA) and demonstrate strong territorial anchoring, with deployment in key industrial zones and regions with high solar potential.
EP2X: industrial-scale deployment in Ciudad Real
The EP2X project, developed by the Dutch firm Power2X in partnership with the Spanish company Soto Solar, will be located in Saceruela (Ciudad Real). It includes a 325 MW electrolyser powered by a 1.2 GW solar PV plant. It aims to produce 55,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year, with an estimated investment exceeding €1 billion.
The bid price was €0.61/kg of hydrogen, and the requested public support totals €245.6 million. The project is scheduled to become operational in 2027.
eM‑Numancia: green methanol from biogenic CO₂ in Soria
The eM‑Numancia project, led by the French company Elyse Energy, will be built in Garray (Soria). It focuses on producing e‑methanol by combining renewable hydrogen with biogenic CO₂. The plant is designed to deliver 50,000 tonnes of methanol annually, using a 60 MW electrolysis unit.
The proposed price is €0.69/kg of hydrogen, supported by €43.9 million in aid and a total estimated investment of €200 million. Operation is planned between 2027 and 2030.
Orange.bat: decarbonising Castellón’s ceramics sector
The third project, Orange.bat, is led by Swiss group Smartenergy and targets the ceramics industry in Castellón. The first 100 MW electrolyser will be installed in Onda, followed by a second 80 MW unit in Alcora, totalling 180 MW of capacity.
The expected annual output is 16,446 tonnes of renewable hydrogen, contributing to the avoidance of 108,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year. The project will receive €82.5 million in support over the first ten years, with bid prices ranging from €0.61 to €0.69/kg.
All three projects must be operational by 2030, and are required to be commissioned within a maximum of 60 months. Support will only be activated for hydrogen volumes that are actually produced and certified as renewable.
Spain becomes the first EU Member State to implement the AaaS scheme with concrete results, reinforcing its leadership in deploying renewable hydrogen and contributing to the objectives of REPowerEU.
These initiatives represent key steps toward decarbonising sectors such as chemical manufacturing, ceramics, and heavy transport, while strengthening regional ecosystems with high renewable potential and industrial conversion needs.
