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February 7 to 9, 2024

1ST NATIONAL CONGRESS ON GREEN HYDROGEN

Huelva, Spain

Welcome to the future

We are on the threshold of a new industrial revolution, where green hydrogen will be the protagonist. This element will change our conception of sustainability, progress and the environment.

Green hydrogen is hydrogen obtained through the electrolysis of water connected to renewable energies, making it a clean and sustainable element. It will be essential not only as an energy vector but also as a raw material to eliminate CO2 emissions in many industrial activities.

It is the key element to achieve the decarbonization of the planet and meet the commitments set by the EU and the government of Spain for 2050 in the fight against climate change.

Energy transition involves a profound transformation of industry, generation, and the use of energy. The "new" raw materials include renewable electricity, water, CO2, and waste such as non-edible fats and oils, which can be used to produce biofuels and synthetic fuels with the help of green hydrogen.

This same green hydrogen will enable the production of ammonia, methanol, and organic carriers of green H2 without emissions. These compounds and the new method of obtaining them are the pillars of an economy in which the carbon cycle must be neutral.

In this process, we find Huelva and Andalusia in a strategic position to lead the process at the national and European levels. It is the perfect place for the development of green hydrogen production from renewable energies, among other reasons, due to its strategic location, climate, and the presence of an industrial hub experienced in hydrogen generation and use, with the fundamental contribution of a continuously developing top-tier port with an exemplary strategy that will enable solid and inexpensive logistics for this molecule.

This green hydrogen will be used first in the local industry, which already produces and consumes more than a third of all fundamentally gray hydrogen in Spain. This will help decarbonize industrial processes and generate new products for marketing outside our province, with Huelva being the origin of, for example, new carbon-neutral synthetic fuels.

In this scenario, the industry in Huelva has an excellent competitive position due to the commitment to sustainability by the companies owning industrial assets, the synergies of factory activities, familiarity with "new" processes and products, and associated industrial safety, which is exemplary.

In addition to all this, we must add the proven technical capacity of both the companies and the important auxiliary industry, thanks to specialized university and vocational training studies tailored to their needs. Not to mention the key role that administrations will play in this industrial revolution by creating the necessary framework for its implementation, development, and consolidation—without their collaboration and support, none of this would be possible.

We stand at the threshold of the future, a future very different from what we imagined not long ago. In this future, employment, the environment, and sustainability will ultimately go hand in hand on this path we must build together.

And that is why the 1st Green Hydrogen Congress is born, which will take place in Huelva from February 7th to 9th, 2024.

It is an honor for me as the President of the Junta de Andalucía and as an Andalusian to host in our region the 1st National Congress of Green Hydrogen to be held in Huelva in February of next year. The province, along with Cádiz, has a strategic location, being a key player in a new industrial and energy revolution where Green Hydrogen will take center stage.

Undoubtedly, Andalucía has the necessary resources to become a powerhouse in Green Hydrogen, positioning itself as the largest hub in Europe for this energy in just a couple of years. This places us at the forefront of its use and development. Green Hydrogen will play a crucial role in the planet's decarbonization and the replacement of fossil fuels, reducing pollution and upholding one of the main values of the Junta de Andalucía government: the defense of natural values and the fight against climate change. We are firmly committed to making Andalucía a key player in environmental protection and the construction of a more sustainable world.

We aim for Andalucía to be a global reference, leading the production and export of Green Hydrogen, promoting industrial value chains, and generating more quality employment. We want it, and we will achieve it. We have infrastructure, innovation, determination—essentially, all the necessary ingredients to succeed because, I assure you, our land is more than prepared to face challenges of this magnitude.

One of the key strategies leading this government, in which Huelva has a significant role, is the Andalusian Alliance for Green Hydrogen. It is a crucial element in the fight against climate change, enabling the region to position itself prominently in the new production model that the world is heading towards, based on sustainability and digitization. Our community is facing three revolutions at once: the green, digital, and energy revolutions. We do so out of necessity, conviction, and opportunity, driven by our entrepreneurial, innovative, and internationalizing capacity.

This National Congress of Green Hydrogen will not only delve into this new industrialization but will also mark a before and after in the economic development of Andalucía and in boosting our leadership in Green Hydrogen. I can assure you that one of the main objectives of the Junta de Andalucía government will continue to be making our region a reference in Green Hydrogen. To achieve this, we will give our best effort in this great endeavor, which I am confident will be another success for Andalucía and its people.

Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla
(The President of the Andalusian Regional Government).

Huelva is facing a historic moment. Its industrial experience, geographical location, and the talent of its professionals position it as the capital of green hydrogen in Europe. In the coming years, we will witness a true revolution, a transformation towards clean and sustainable energies.

The replacement of fossil fuels is a necessity to ensure the well-being of future generations. It is a common challenge, an objective on which administrations, with this City Council at the forefront, will work together.

The celebration of the 1st National Congress of Green Hydrogen is a unique opportunity for Huelva to solidify its capital position, export its potential, and demonstrate to Spain and the world that the industrial sector in Huelva is ready to lead the challenge of decarbonization. The event will bring together projects, ideas, and synergies to work towards the common goal of building a better world.

We are talking about energy sources, but also about opportunities. The significant investments planned will act as drivers of wealth for the province, which in the coming decades will have to respond to a demand for quality employment that guarantees a future of prosperity for the people of Huelva.

Huelva has much to say. The eyes of Europe are on our capital during the month of February. This Congress will lay the foundations for the impending industrial revolution. The future belongs to Huelva. The moment is now.

Gabriel Cruz Santana (Mayor of Huelva)

Why in Huelva?

It is already a reality that Huelva, due to its strategic location, climate, and the presence of a chemical industrial hub with a continually developing port, emerges as the perfect place for the development of hydrogen (H2) production from renewable energies. This hydrogen will be initially used for local industrial consumption, contributing to the decarbonization of industrial processes in the current chemical hub. Additionally, this product will be generated for commercialization outside the province, with Huelva being the source of origin for sustainable energy and fuel.

In this scenario, the industry in Huelva has an outstanding competitive position due to the commitment to sustainability by the companies owning industrial assets. The complementarity and symbiosis of activities in their factories, familiarity with "new" processes and products, and associated industrial safety consolidate this advantageous position. The recognized technical capacity of both the primary and auxiliary industry, coupled with the availability of a top-tier port infrastructure in a strategic geographic location, complete the elements that make Huelva the ideal location for this project.