Refueling plane utilizing sustainable aviation gas. Credit score: Bulent camci – Shutterstock
Two inexperienced hydrogen vegetation in Malaga, Spain, are scheduled to start producing sustainable aviation gas (SAF) in 2029, marking a significant step in direction of cleansing air journey.
Repsol will lead a EUR 1.5 billion mission with EU funding to produce 200,000 tonnes of SAF per yr and cut back plane emissions by as much as 90 %. Situated in Axarquia, close to Malaga Airport, the ability is consistent with Spain’s hydrogen technique and is predicted to spice up financial development and create jobs.
Challenge particulars and schedule
Repsol, along with companions corresponding to Enagas, plans to construct two 100MW electrolysis vegetation within the Axarquia area of Malaga. Building is scheduled to start in 2026 and operations are deliberate for 2029. The €1.5 billion funding, together with €300 million from the EU Innovation Fund, will assist Spain’s purpose of 4 GW of electrolysis capability by 2030, as outlined within the PERTE plan.
What’s a SAF and the way is it created?
These vegetation primarily use electrolysis powered by renewable vitality corresponding to daylight to supply inexperienced hydrogen. The hydrogen is mixed with the captured CO₂ to supply a sort of artificial kerosene with almost zero emissions. In keeping with IATA requirements, this course of achieves a lifecycle greenhouse fuel discount of 85%. Malaga receives 2,500 hours of sunshine per yr, making it an excellent location and anticipated to cut back electrical energy prices by 50%.
Environmental and financial advantages
Inexperienced hydrogen SAF has the potential to cut back plane carbon dioxide emissions by 80 to 90 %, supporting the EU’s 6 % SAF combine requirement in 2030. Domestically, the mission is predicted to create 1,500 development jobs and 300 everlasting roles, and enhance Malaga’s GDP by €200 million yearly, in response to an Andalusian affect research. It will revitalize the jap area of Malaga, which has suffered agricultural decline on account of a collection of extreme droughts.
Challenges in scaling up manufacturing
Nevertheless, excessive prices and provide chain bottlenecks pose dangers. The price of the electrolyser is €1,200 per kW and 20% of the elements are dealing with shortages. Grid upgrades might be wanted to take care of fluctuations in renewable vitality sources and sudden modifications in electrical energy flows, that are mentioned to be the reason for Spain’s April 2025 blackout, however EU insurance policies such because the €40 billion hydrogen financial institution will offset 40% of the prices and ease the burden on non-public funding.
International context and affect on airways
The Malaga mission follows different international precedents corresponding to California’s H2@Scale, which is able to construct 15 SAF vegetation worldwide by 2024, in response to the IEA. The worth of SAF might fall to €1.5 per liter by 2030, boosting its adoption by airways and assembly the projected enhance in demand of 17 billion liters. The proximity to Málaga’s airport and seaport will increase the potential for exports to the EU’s aviation centres.
For the economic system of the province of Málaga, this mission has the potential to allow a sustainable departure from dependence on tourism and actual property funding, by exploiting pure assets with comparatively low environmental affect. Supplied, in fact, that there’s sufficient housing accessible to accommodate the inflow of expert employees wanted.
