Green hydrogen project seen as opportunity to “boost Alentejo’s economy”
A pioneering green hydrogen project is to be born in Portugal’s Alentejo region.
The initiative is led by universities, energy company Galp and a collaboration laboratory, with a global investment of €13.5 million and support from the European Union.
In a statement sent to the Lusa news agency on Weednesday, the University of Évora (UÉ), which is coordinating what is known as H2tALENT, said that the project aims to create “an innovation ecosystem in the Alentejo centred on green hydrogen” – obtained by separating hydrogen from oxygen through the electrolysis of water.
“This is the first green hydrogen scheme in Portugal with funding and recognition from the European Union and the Global Network of Green Hydrogen Schemes,” it pointed out.
According to the Alentejo academy, H2tALENT is led by Campus Sul, the consortium formed by the universities of Évora, Nova de Lisboa and Algarve, in partnership with Galp and the HYLAB collaborative laboratory.
The initiative has also mobilised a consortium of 28 partners, including companies, higher education institutions, interface entities, local authorities and regional development agencies from Portugal and five other countries.
“H2tALENT, funded by the European Commission’s Horizon programme, is one of the four green hydrogen schemes approved by the European Commission in 2023,” the UÉ pointed out, noting that the project has an overall budget of €13.5 million.
Of this amount, the Alentejo academy pointed out, €9 million is provided by the European Commission, with the aim of “supporting the implementation of this pioneering project, which will last five years”.
“This project aims to create, implement and test sustainable and innovative solutions for the production and utilisation of green hydrogen in the Alentejo,” it stressed.
According to the University of Évora, the project’s goals for the next five years include the installation of 11 megawatts (MW) in electrolysers, the annual production of more than 500 tonnes of green hydrogen and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by around 6,000 tonnes per year.
In addition, H2tALENT aims to “retain and develop talent” linked to green hydrogen in the Alentejo in order to “boost the region’s economy and contribute to the national and European energy transition”.
UÉ stressed that the European Commission’s approval of H2tALENT “recognises the merit of the consortium led by Campus Sul, Galp and HYLAB” and also “the unique capacity of the Alentejo as one of the best locations in Europe for investments in green hydrogen“.
The H2tALENT project will be presented on Thursday at 4pm in the auditorium of the Alentejo Science and Technology Park (PACT) in Évora.
Source: LUSA
