Emergency power for 2 green hydrogen plants in Spain

Hydrogen is a clean fuel that allows electricity to be generated. And it is the future.

When hydrogen is renewable, it is called green hydrogen and it has a great future ahead of it in the energy sector. Its possibilities are immense.

At Genesal Energy we have supplied emergency power to two green hydrogen plants in Spain, in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) and Barcelona. In both cases, its construction represents a change in the energy model, marking a turning point in the market and on the path to ecological transition.

Puertollano plant

With an investment of more than 150 million euros, will create 700 jobs and will avoid emissions of 48,000 tCO2/year. It is the largest green hydrogen plant for industrial use in Europe and is made up of a 100 MW photovoltaic plant, a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh, and it also has one of the largest productions of hydrogen by electrolysis in the world (20 MW). Everything from 100% renewable sources.

The new plant is located in an ideal place, very close to the National Hydrogen Centre, and its start-up represents a great advance for green hydrogen to become a solution for efficient decarbonisation in the medium term.

The generator set designed for this large infrastructure is an emergency diesel generator housed in a soundproof cabin. All the components have been designed and manufactured to meet the specific needs of the client (e.g. tank with fuel collection tray and prepared for external transfer, large control panel adapted to all the components that had to be mounted, etc.).

The control and automation of the generator set for its integration into the other plant systems has been also tailored so that a central PLC can fully control the emergency system.

Puertollano plant features

350 L standard bunded fuel tank.
Generator prepared for fuel transfer, including maximum level float, control system and tank bushings inside the canopy to facilitate the connection of the pipe coming from the external tank.
Recirculation system and engine coolant heating to provide the right temperature when the generator starts.
Motorized circuit breaker
Paint surface treatment according to ISO12944 – C4H w/o Zinc
PT100 probes in alternator windings
Made-to-measure control panel

Control panel

For the project carried out in Barcelona, we designed a generator set for the Green Hydrogen Supply Station in the free zone. In this type of power plant there are essential loads that must be supplied permanently for the correct operation of the installation, such as, for example, air compressors, refrigeration systems, uninterruptible power supplies for the control system, etc. This is precisely the role of the supplied generator.

On the other hand, our client requested the generator set to be fully managed, controlled and monitored from the generator’s own control panel. The control panel consisted of the generator being connected to a main connection panel, and this in turn connected to the supply bars of the essential loads of the installation. Besides, the generator set is locally prepared to be controlled remotely by the customer’s control system, both by communicated and wired signals.

Barcelona plant features

450 L standard bunded fuel tank.
Engine coolant heating to keep the engine at an optimum temperature for starting.
Paint surface treatment according to ISO12944 – C4H w/o Zinc
Generator set prepared for fuel transfer by means of a gauge, high security level in the tank, selector and manoeuvre. Tank bushings inside the canopy to facilitate the connection of the pipe coming from the external tank. Pump was not included.
Smoke fire detection system installed inside the canopy with available contact.
Motorized circuit breaker.
Made-to-measure control panel.