EU allocates €650 million for cross-border electricity and hydrogen projects
The European Commission has allocated €650 million to 14 cross-border projects for electricity transmission and hydrogen infrastructure, as part of efforts to modernize aging grids and make fuller use of clean electricity. The largest funding for electricity transmission projects goes to Spain (€180 million), followed by a joint project by Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania (€112 million) and a project by Romania and Bulgaria (€103 million). Other recipients include Slovakia (€62 million), Greece–Egypt (€9 million), and Austria (€1 million). The funding comes through the Connecting Europe Facility and is aimed at grid infrastructure and renewable energy projects to increase the share of solar and wind power and to encourage cooperation among countries.
The Commission notes that many older grids lack sufficient flexibility, capacity, and digital control to absorb more solar and wind power, leading to congestion and forced curtailment. By that logic, without major upgrades—expanded transmission, smarter management, and energy storage—the grid could become a “bottleneck,” turning an abundance of clean energy into an operational and economic burden. With European support, Spain will develop the Aguayo hydropower plant to deliver 9–10 gigawatts by 2027; the Baltic project aims for closer coordination of infrastructure, and the Romania–Bulgaria project targets modernization to “smart grid” standards and better regional connectivity. EU Commissioner Dan Jørgensen said these efforts will support affordable clean energy, competitiveness, and the EU’s energy security.
On hydrogen, Germany leads in funding: the storage infrastructure project “Gronau–Epe,” led by REW, receives €120.11 million, and Uniper’s “Green Wilhelmshaven” hydrogen terminal receives €10.63 million. The ACE terminal at the Port of Rotterdam (Netherlands) receives €25.62 million to receive, store, and convert ammonia back into hydrogen for industrial use. Austria, Bulgaria, France, and Slovakia are also listed as recipients of funding for hydrogen projects. Critics note that more than 90% of proposals were submitted by gas transmission system operators, which they say runs counter to the 2022 revision of the law. Under the renewable energy rules, the EU plans by 2030 to produce 10 million tonnes of hydrogen and import another 10 million tonnes, and the next call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility is expected between April and June.
Spain prepares a law to speed up renewable hydrogen and clean-source gases
Spain is drafting a new law to support renewable hydrogen, provide clearer rules for investors, and adapt energy markets so they include gases from renewable and other clean sources, said Minister for the Ecological Transition Sara Aagesen during the fourth “Hydrogen Day” event organized by gas grid operator Enagás. She said the law will bring EU hydrogen rules into Spanish legislation, establish a national hydrogen system, and create a regulated market aimed at boosting demand for renewable hydrogen and other renewable gases. She added that the goal is to give investors clearer guidance in the medium and long term and to support the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure, noting that Spain has already directed more than €3 billion to renewable hydrogen programs.
Alongside the planned law, the ministry launched a public consultation on two draft royal decrees which, together, provide €465 million in financial support for renewable hydrogen production and for cutting industrial emissions, with funding coming from the post-pandemic recovery plan. One decree provides at least €415 million in grants for Spanish projects participating in the next European Hydrogen Bank auction under the EU support model, with about one-third of the funding reserved for projects that supply maritime transport and aviation. The second decree opens a consultation for an additional €50 million to support projects that switch from industrial heat to electricity or directly use renewable fuels, linked to a planned EU-wide auction to reduce industrial emissions; in the first round under this model last year, Spain awarded €126.4 million to two green hydrogen projects that came close to EU-level funding but missed out due to budget constraints.
Source: https://bioenergytimes.com/spain-plans-new-law-to-boost-renewable-hydrogen-and-green-gas-use/
100 MW electrolyzers in Portugal: a test of execution—and investor patience
Plug Power has completed a key electrolyzer installation at Galp’s refinery in Sines, Portugal—part of one of Europe’s largest renewable hydrogen initiatives aimed at cutting industrial emissions. The project highlights the company’s modular approach and its push to offer hydrogen solutions for sectors where emissions are hard to reduce. At the same time, the company is under scrutiny due to its volatile stock performance: at around $2.34 per share, the contrast is clear between a 21.9% gain over the past year and declines of 86.9% over three years and 96.5% over five years—context that helps explain why the news is seen as both a success and a test of confidence.
The installation of GenEco PEM electrolyzers with a total capacity of 100 MW in Sines shows that equipment at this scale can be deployed inside an operating refinery. The installation is expected to supply up to 15,000 tonnes of green hydrogen per year and replace about 20% of the gray hydrogen used by Galp. For market watchers, this facility sits alongside other activity in the sector and gives Plug Power a real reference site in Europe as it builds hydrogen solutions for heavy industry—an important factor in the race for future projects in refineries and the chemical industry.
The Sines project fits the broader narrative of growing electrolyzer orders and an expanding hydrogen production network, but it also underscores a more cautious reading—execution risk and long lead times before projects turn into sustainable revenue. Investors weigh the value of a real-world example in a hard-to-abate sector and the company’s efforts in Europe, while also watching ongoing losses, pressure around available cash, prior shareholder dilution, and the request for approval of additional shares. From here, attention turns to how quickly the installation moves from completion to commissioning, what operating data emerges as output ramps up, and whether success leads to new orders with Galp or other companies—against the backdrop of large hydrogen projects’ dependence on policy, incentives, and timely final investment decisions.
Source: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/plug-power-sines-milestone-tests-231603493.html
