Green Hydrogen, a triple opportunity for Asturias: clean energy, economy, and employment

Its use as an energy vector will be key to the green, digital and sustainable transformation of our region’s production model

Last week we assisted in Gijón to the meeting with the Asturian industrial technical engineers, collegiate at the COGITIPA, sharing a common thread: green hydrogen as a vector for energy transition and a lever for change in the Asturias production model.

The conference, held within the framework of the Asturias International Trade Fair (FIDMA, organized by the Gijón Chamber of Commerce), highlighted the great opportunity that green hydrogen represents for Asturias as a clean and sustainable energy generator and as a driver of economic activity and employment.

“Green hydrogen can mean for Asturias what coal meant for it”, said Enrique Fernández, Regional Minister of Industry, Employment, and Economic Promotion of the Government of Asturias, in his speech. For the minister, Asturias must diversify its energy sources and accelerate their implementation in order to move towards the transformation of its economy, in line with the guidelines of the European Union.

Our region, said Fernández, has everything it needs to be at the forefront of the “hydrogen race”. Asturias has leading companies (some with foreign capital) involved in the hydrogen value chain, producers of this green energy, water to supply the processes, infrastructures, large consumers of the energy produced, and the talent and the capabilities to continue advancing in this field.

As examples of the progress made to date, the minister cited the HyDeal project, in which Asturias plays a key role, and the initiative Development of a regional H2 ecosystem (ReCoDe H2), promoted by the Asturias Regional Hydrogen Board, driven by the General Directorate for Energy.

The hydrogen plans and capabilities of large companies in Asturias

At the conference, we learned about the plans and capabilities in the field of hydrogen and decarbonization of five large Asturian companies or with a strong presence in our region: EDP Renewables, Enagás, ArcelorMittal, IDESA and TSK.

The Portuguese-owned energy company EDP Renewables presented its plans related to hydrogen for Asturias. The aim is to replace the thermal power plants of Soto de Ribera and Aboño. EDP wants Aboño to be the epicentre of the “Asturias Hydrogen Valley”, including electrolysis and photovoltaic plants, hydrogen storage plants and a hydrogen plant for heavy transport. In Soto de Ribera, and to complement the Aboño project, an electrolysis plant, combined gas cycles or hydroscrews would also be installed. The company’s expectations are to reach 1,000 MW of renewable energy installed in Asturias by 2030.

As for Enagás, the most relevant aspect today in Asturias is its participation in the HyDeal Spain consortium, which will be the first industrial implementation of the HyDeal Ambition platform in Europe. It will supply Asturian industry with renewable hydrogen for the production of green steel, green ammonia, green fertilizers and other low-carbon industrial products. Enagás’ presence in HyDeal, the world’s largest integrated renewable and competitive hydrogen hub, is crucial for the development of hydrogen transport and storage infrastructures. The company is also finalizing preparations for the start-up of its regasification plant at the Port of El Musel in Gijón.

Steel giant ArcelorMittal has also made a huge bet on the HyDeal project, which it hopes will give it access to the volume of green hydrogen needed to progress on its decarbonization roadmap for steel production in Spain. ArcelorMittal has a macro project in the pipeline to reduce CO₂ emissions generated in Spain by 50% by 2025. At the heart of the plan is the construction in Gijón of a direct reduction iron ore (DRI) plant with green hydrogen, which will have a production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes per year. It will be complemented by a hybrid electric furnace with a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes. The planned investment is €1 billion.

The Asturian company IDESA, one of the most important companies in the design and manufacture of capital goods worldwide, is finding its opportunity as part of the value chain in green hydrogen through knowledge. IDESA manufactures storage solutions and develops the installation works. It is currently collaborating with Iberdrola on Europe’s largest green hydrogen complex for industrial use, located in Puertollano. IDESA actively participated in the design of the H₂ storage generated by the electrolysers and signed a first contract for the supply of five storage tanks.

Finally, the Asturian engineering company TSK is also involved in the development of the HyDeal España project. HyDeal España has selected TSK to provide technical support to the project as engineering representative of the platform, in the role of Owner’s Engineer. TSK will be the technological partner of the promoter consortium and will participate in various phases of the project, including the development and construction of the hydrogen production plants planned by HyDeal.

The ultimate goal of all these strategies and projects is to join the collective effort towards a green, digital and sustainable transformation of the productive model of Asturias, always putting industry, innovation and sustainability on the table.

19 August, 2022 /  
Presentación de la nueva oficina de TSOFT en Gijón Asturias

TSOFT opens a Centre of Excellence in Asturias and will create thirty highly skilled jobs

The Argentinian technology multinational chooses the Gijón Science Technology Park to serve customers in Europe and Latin America

TSOFT announced this morning the set-up of an international Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Asturias. The Argentinean technology multinational has chosen the Gijón Science Technology Park to set up a centre that will create thirty highly qualified jobs.

The CoE in Gijón will offer NearShore services for all customers in Spain and OffShore services for customers outside Spain, making it one of the first DevOps expert centres in our country with 24×7 coverage. It will be the first TSOFT´s IT solutions development centre outside Latin America.

28 April, 2022 /  
The Colombian multinational Indaer sets up its operational base for Europe and the Middle East in Asturias.

Colombian aeronautical multinational Indaer sets up in Asturias its operational base for Europe and the Middle East

The office will be located in the Technology Park of Asturias, in Llanera, where Indaer expects to create up to ten highly qualified jobs

The Colombian aeronautical multinational Indaer has just opened a new brand, permanent office in Asturias. A project advised within the framework of the Invest in Asturias programme by the Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA), aimed at attracting investment to our region.

The opening reinforces the presence in Europe and the Middle East of Indaer, a leading company in aircraft lifecycle support solutions.

22 Februar, 2022 /  

Sontara invests 7.63 million euros in the factory of Tamón with the support of the Government of Asturias

US company Glatfelter, owner of the Asturian factory, receives a 1.89 million euro grant to improve energy efficiency

Sontara Asturias is undertaking an investment of 7.63 million euros in its Tamón factory in order to increase the speed of its line of nonwoven fabrics for sanitary use and improve the energy efficiency of the facilities. The Government of Asturias is backing this investment with a grant of 1.89 million euros.

The first plan of the company, owned by the US company Glatfelter, consists of improving the energy efficiency of the main production line of the factory through specific actions in the winding and hydro braiding processes.

10 Februar, 2022 /  
A full view of Asturias capabilities at the Global Investment Convention GIC III

A full view of Asturias capabilities at the Global Investment Convention GIC III

Invest in Asturias was part of this digital event, aimed at potential investors from all over the world

Invest in Asturias took part this week in the Global Investment Convention GIC III, a prestigious digital event for potential investors and investment agencies all over the world managed by Crescendo Worldwide.

During this convention, we showed the strong capabilities of Asturias for attracting investment in sectors like metal, innovative manufacturing, health, or Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

22 Oktober, 2021 /  
PMG Asturias Powder Metal IDEPA 2021 Business Growth Award

PMG Asturias Powder Metal, awarded with the IDEPA 2021 Business Growth Award

After 25 years in Asturias, its constant investments have allowed the development of a high value-added industrial activity in the automotive sector

The Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA) has awarded the IDEPA 2021 Award for Business Growth to PMG Asturias Powder Metal.

Part of PMG – Powder Metal Goldschmidt, PMG Asturias Powder Metal is a foreign capital company with a 25-year history in Mieres, Asturias. Its constant investment has allowed the development of a high added value industrial activity, such as the manufacture of mechanical components using sintered technology for the automotive industry.

24 September, 2021 /  

2018 saw Arcelor invest 26 million euros in R&D in Asturias



Oviedo, 5th April 2019 – Nicolás de Abajo, the global leader of the ArcelorMittal R&D Centres around the world, and José Manuel Arias, president of ArcelorMittal in Spain, met today with Javier Fernández, president of the Principality of Asturias Government, to follow up the collaboration between the Government of the Community and the Company in the field of research, development and innovation.

 

The meeting follows the recent signing of a new framework agreement of collaboration between the two entities for the 2019-2022 period. The collaboration over these coming years between the Government and the company incorporates new changes to previous alliances, with the signing of an agreement between the Regional Promotion Society of the Principality of Asturias, the European Business and Innovation Centre, and ArcelorMittal, for the creation and development of technology-based companies linked to the activities carried out in the Company’s two Global R&D Centres located in Asturias, framed within a co-investment approach.

 

Over the past ten years, the Global R&D staff base in Asturias has grown from little more than 20 researchers and technicians to over 300, who now work between the two Centres. Since the signing of the previous agreement with the Regional Government in 2014, ArcelorMittal’s investment in R&D in Asturias has multiplied fivefold, expanding from 7 million euros in 2015 to reach 26 million euros in 2018. To this figure a further 15 million euros have been poured into creating laboratories and pilot plants designed exclusively for R&D. In 2019, the Company plans to continue its evolution in R&D research in Asturias within its global R&D structure. In the Asturian centres this drive is closely linked to improving productive processes, new products, the circular economy and to emerging “mega-trending technologies” such as 3D printing, nano-materials, Digitalisation or Industry 4.0.

Nicolás de Abajo commented: “Our aim with this new agreement is to continue to explore mega-trending technologies, the industrialisation of innovative solutions that are being developed in the Global R&D centres based in Asturias, and the creation of new opportunities for economic activity in the region, contributing to the evolution of the productive fabric: we hope to be able to revise it upwards in terms of prospects, investment and the creation of employment year after year”.

 

In turn, José Manual Arias thanked the firm support from the Regional Government: “The successive collaboration agreements signed between our company and the Principality of Asturias Government have significantly contributed to the exponential growth of research and innovation activities developed by the two Asturian-based Centres. The talent developed by the team of researchers has transformed our company into a global leader in diverse fields, such as excellence in research linked to the rail industry, Industry 4.0, the efficient use of water and other natural resources, gas recovery, and research into the use of new materials. We would like to thank the Principality of Asturias Government for placing its trust in ArcelorMittal, demonstrated with the successive collaboration agreements signed”.

30 April, 2019 /  1

Auszeichnung „Europäische Unternehmerregion 2019“ für Asturien



Nur die Regionen mit der überzeugendsten und vielversprechendsten unternehmenspolitischen Vision erhalten die jährlich vergebene Auszeichnung „Europäische Unternehmerregion“ (EER), eine Initiative des Europäischen Ausschusses der Regionen (AdR). In diesem Jahr wählte die Jury das Fürstentum Asturien, die Provinz Gelderland und die Region Thessalien aufgrund ihrer herausragenden Strategien und ihres Einsatzes für die Förderung des Unternehmertums in ihrer Region als würdige Preisträger aus.

„Wie die Preisträger 2019 beweisen, sind die Regionen Europas der wichtigste Motor für Wachstum und tragen entscheidend zur Schaffung von Arbeitsplätzen bei. “ , betonte Karl-Heinz Lambertz , Präsident des Europäischen Ausschusses der Regionen, bei der Bekanntgabe der Preisträger.

Im Fürstentum Asturien im Nordwesten Spaniens hat sich ein tiefgreifender wirtschaftlicher Wandel von traditionellen Industriezweigen hin zu kompetenzbasierten Wirtschaftsbranchen vollzogen. Die frühere intensive industrielle Entwicklung stellt die Region vor Herausforderungen; ihre EER-Strategie stützt sich daher im Wesentlichen auf Innovation, Diversifizierung und Humankapital. Die Region wurde aufgrund ihrer beeindruckenden Reihe an Maßnahmen ausgewählt, mit denen sie die Gründung und das Wachstum von Unternehmen unterstützt, den Zugang kleiner und mittlerer Unternehmen (KMU) zu Finanzmitteln verbessert und die unternehmerische Bildung fördert. Dazu kommen Maßnahmen zur Förderung der Umstellung auf eine Niedrigemissionswirtschaft.

„Für die Regionalregierung von Asturien sind die beiden Konzepte Innovation und Unternehmertum miteinander verknüpft. Daher fördern wir Programme auf verschiedenen Bildungsstufen, mit denen wir das Talent unserer jungen Generation stimulieren, um ein System wissensintensiver KMU und Start-ups aufzubauen, durch das Innovationen in Unternehmen vorangetrieben werden“ , erläuterte Isaac Pola Alonso , Minister für Beschäftigung, Industrie und Tourismus der Regionalregierung von Asturien.

Ursprung: Comité Europeo de las Regiones
Weitere Informationen: http://www.rtpa.es/asturias:Asturias-se-une-al-selecto-club-de-las-regiones-europeas-emprendedoras_111530731102.html

6 Juli, 2018 /  

IDEPA Asturias, Best European Regional Development Agency of 2017



EURADA, the European Association of Development Agencies, has recognised the Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA) as “Best Regional Development Agency of 2017”.

The award ceremony was held today in Charleroi, Belgium. In attendance at the ceremony were the Regional Minister of Employment, Industry and Tourism and the General Manager of  IDEPA

In an interview granted to the newspaper El Comercio, Eva Pando, the General Manager of the regional agency that was awarded the prize, stressed that this distinction was a source of great satisfaction. -It constitutes a recognition by your peers at the European Association of Development Agencies.

The prize was granted due to the program ‘Open Innovation 4.0’ which is managed by IDEPA in Asturias. “It is a satisfaction for all parties involved” asserted the General Manager of IDEPA. Collaborators in this project include companies such as Thyssenkrupp Elevator Innovation Center, ArcelorMittal I+D or EdP. It enables the development of entrepreneurial businesses by promoting their interaction with attractor companies located in Asturias.

 

Source: El Comercio

21 Juni, 2018 /