Spain's Extremadura region declares green H2 of general interest

The government of the Spanish region of Extremadura has approved a draft law to give special consideration to green hydrogen projects in search of land and permits in the territory.

The proposed decree law, which needs to be affirmed by the regional parliament, declares green hydrogen activities and associated facilities as a matter of general interest for the region, the Extremadura government said on Wednesday.

In practice, the law will enable projects promoters to secure the declaration of public utility and social interest for land needed to start up a green hydrogen plant and land for renewable energy production and auxiliary infrastructure. The declaration of public utility and social interest can be used for the purposes of expropriation and exercise of the right of way for hydrogen production projects from isolated renewable energy plants, the government said.

The regional declarations of public utility for renewables in Spain typically entail a faster permitting process, since such a designation is normally given to projects that bring major benefits to communities. The Extremadura government did not explicitly state that the new decree law would enable a fast-tracked permitting procedure for green hydrogen development. The government’s spokesperson Juan Antonio Gonzalez did say that the construction, modification, expansion and operation of green hydrogen facilities in Extremadura would not require a special kind of consent, being that they are already subject to industrial safety, environmental, urban planning and other applicable regulations.

Gonzalez said that cost effectiveness is the key piece to attracting investments to Extremadura, and with this law, the region would like to take a step further and become the most competitive in Spain when it comes to installing green hydrogen as a source of renewable energy.

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