The Castilla y León Hydrogen Valley project, a major initiative to establish a fully integrated green hydrogen ecosystem in Castilla y León, Spain, has officially launched with strong European backing. With a total estimated investment of €380 million, including €20 million from the EU's Clean Hydrogen Partnership, the project will play a pivotal role in Europe's clean energy transition and industrial decarbonisation.

Led by CARTIF and the Castilla y León Hydrogen Association (H2CYL), alongside the University of Burgos, the project brings together 35 partners from nine European countries. This diverse consortium includes industrial leaders, technology providers, research institutions, and public authorities, all dedicated to building a complete hydrogen value chain from production to end use.

At the high-profile launch event in Burgos on 8 April, Valérie Bouillon-Delporte, Director of the Clean Hydrogen Partnership, highlighted the project's European significance. "The support we are giving to the Hydrogen Valley of Castilla and Leon from Europe with almost €20 million grant will boost this initiative, with nine pioneering pilot projects in the hydrogen value chain, perfectly aligned with our mission to accelerate innovation and drive European competitiveness towards green energy," she said.

Aligned with the EU’s REPowerEU strategy, the project aims to accelerate renewable hydrogen deployment, enhance energy security, and reduce fossil fuel dependency. Castilla y León Hydrogen Valley plans to produce over 16,800 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, drawing on the region’s considerable renewable resources, including 7,200 MW of wind power capacity — among the largest in Europe. This will help cut up to 152,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year.

"With this project, we are going to demonstrate that it is possible to use green hydrogen on a large scale in Castilla and Leon," said Sergio Sanz, Deputy General Manager of CARTIF - the project coordinator. He underscored the region's strengths: "This region stands out for its strategic leadership in renewable energies, its strong political and industrial commitment and its solid ecosystem for innovation. In addition, it has an optimal location for infrastructure and logistics, and a potential socio-economic impact”.

The hydrogen produced will support:

• Production of sustainable chemicals like methanol and green ammonia.
• Decarbonisation of energy-intensive industries.
• Zero-emission mobility, including hydrogen-powered buses, trucks, and logistics vehicles.
• Hydrogen refuelling infrastructure, including a dedicated station, connected through pipelines and intermodal systems.

Over its five-year duration, the Castilla y León Hydrogen Valley is expected to generate 2,000 direct and indirect jobs, boosting regional economic growth and fostering innovation. Activities will be centred in Burgos, particularly in the Villalonquéjar Industrial Park, home to the main production and demonstration facilities.

Rafael Barbero, President of H2CYL and key partner in the project, described the Castilla y Leon Hydrogen Valley as "a milestone in our commitment to green hydrogen as an engine for sustainable development, industrial innovation and the creation of quality employment," noting that it places Castilla y León "at the forefront of the energy transition in Spain." He also pointed to key priorities, including "the creation of a powerful consumer network, cooperation with other initiatives in the area, the promotion of new valleys, the attraction of new industry, technical development and the development of replication plans," he said.

As a flagship European hydrogen project, Castilla y León Hydrogen Valley will collaborate with stakeholders across the EU to exchange best practices, technical insights, and policy guidance. It will contribute to the European Hydrogen Backbone and develop transnational hydrogen corridors, ensuring smooth integration into Europe’s energy networks.

In the days following the launch event, consortium partners, including ICONS representatives, gathered at the University of Burgos to plan the next steps in the project’s implementation and its contribution to Europe’s hydrogen future. "ICONS is proud to play a key role in this ambitious project. As the lead for communication and dissemination, we’ll harness our expertise to amplify the project's reach, grow its stakeholder community, and boost visibility across local and global stages. A top priority for us is to help shift public perception, championing hydrogen as a cornerstone of the green economy" said Ani Astryan, project management officer at ICONS.