Spain's energy company Moeve has formally launched construction of the first phase of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley in Palos de la Frontera, Huelva, marking what the company and its partners describe as the beginning of the largest green hydrogen project in Europe. The groundbreaking ceremony drew senior figures from the Spanish government, the European Commission, and the Regional Government of Andalusia, underscoring the political weight assigned to the initiative at both national and continental levels.

The Onuba Project: Scale and Specifications

The first phase of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley carries the name Onuba and will be located at Moeve's Energy Park in Palos de la Frontera. The facility will have an initial electrolysis capacity of 300 MW, with the option to expand by a further 105 MW. The total investment for this first phase exceeds USD 1 billion, a figure that includes associated infrastructure and the development of a dedicated photovoltaic plant for self-consumption.

Moeve expects the facility to produce approximately 45,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year, with projected annual savings of around 250,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. The hydrogen produced is intended to support more sustainable fuel production for road, air, and maritime transport, as well as contributing to decarbonisation efforts across other industries. During the development, construction, and commissioning phases, Moeve estimates the project will generate more than 8,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs across the value chain.

The project is also expected to support the economic activity of more than 400 local small and medium-sized enterprises and self-employed businesses.

Ownership Structure and Financial Backing

Moeve holds a majority 51% stake in the Onuba project. Hy24, described as the world's largest clean hydrogen private equity asset manager, and COFIDES, Spain's public-private finance institution, together hold a combined 29% stake as strategic partners. The remaining 20% is jointly held by Enagás Renovable, one of Europe's leading developers of renewable gas projects, and Alter Enersun, a company focused on renewable energy development.

The project has received USD 348 million in funding from the Spanish government through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, financed by the European Union via the NextGenerationEU mechanism. The European Union has also recognised Onuba as a Project of Common Interest, a designation that reflects its perceived strategic importance to the continent's energy infrastructure.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who attended the ceremony alongside Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for the Ecological Transition Sara Aagesen, confirmed that the Spanish government has allocated more than USD 3 billion to more than 120 renewable hydrogen projects in total. He framed the broader programme as a national priority, citing mandatory minimum targets for emissions reductions and the uptake of renewable fuels across transportation modes as part of the government's demand-creation strategy.

Political Statements and Strategic Framing

The ceremony in Palos de la Frontera brought together Prime Minister Sánchez, Andalusian Regional President Juanma Moreno Bonilla, and European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, who holds the portfolio for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition. Sánchez used the occasion to address Europe's energy dependence, warning that "for decades, Spain and Europe have depended too heavily on energy coming from elsewhere" and that international crises continue to expose the cost of that dependence. He described the project as a demonstration that "the energy transition is already driving investment," both public and private.

Moreno Bonilla framed the launch as a signal to the wider world of Andalusia's readiness to lead in clean energy production, describing the region as holding "both an enormous opportunity and a great responsibility" to become Europe's leading hub for renewable hydrogen production and export. Teresa Ribera pointed to the Project of Common Interest designation as evidence of the plant's strategic value, arguing that "the energy transition should not be viewed as a cost to industry, but as an opportunity to make it stronger, more innovative and more autonomous."

Moeve chief executive Maarten Wetselaar, speaking both at the event and in separate comments to Euronews, described the construction start as a turning point from pilot-scale ambition to large-scale industrial reality. "Today we are turning the page on green hydrogen pilot projects and moving into the chapter of large-scale construction," he said. Wetselaar also pointed to Spain's natural resource advantages, noting the country's "abundant solar energy, very good wind power and space to build large renewable parks" as factors that could make it one of Europe's leading green hydrogen producers, given that renewable electricity represents a significant portion of the cost of hydrogen production.

The Broader Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley Vision

Onuba is the first of what Moeve intends to be a multi-phase development. The company plans to expand the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley to reach a total electrolysis capacity of 2 GW across its energy parks in Palos de la Frontera and San Roque in the province of Cadiz. Moeve is simultaneously developing a second-generation biofuels plant alongside the green hydrogen facility, and has described both as among the four largest industrial projects currently under construction anywhere in Spain.

The total investment committed by Moeve across its broader green molecules hub in Huelva, encompassing both the hydrogen plant and the biofuels facility, stands at USD 2.75 billion. The company has also indicated plans to connect hydrogen production in Huelva with industrial centres elsewhere in Europe through pipeline or maritime transport solutions, positioning the site as a potential export hub for renewable molecules across the continent.

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