The regional government of Andalusia and the City of Rotterdam have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), declaring their intent to work together on the development of hydrogen projects. The MoU was signed at the Rotterdam City Hall by Jorge Paradela, Andalusia’s Regional Minister for Industry, Energy, and Mining, and by Ahmed Aboutaleb, mayor of Rotterdam, on May 13^th 2024.

This MoU between Andalusia and Rotterdam underlines the ambitions of both regions. Andalusia’s strategy is based on the ample availability of solar and wind energy in the region, together with the knowledge and the port infrastructure to produce and export green hydrogen.

Andalusian Green Hydrogen Alliance

This renewable hydrogen will be used to decarbonise the Andalusian industry and shipped around the world in the form of green molecules.

The regional government of Andalusia is leading the implementation of the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Alliance, which will promote sustainable industry and facilitate decarbonisation in Spain and other connected territories.

Rotterdam: Europe’s Hydrogen Hub

Rotterdam and its supply regions in Northwest Europe  have a considerable demand for green energy and sustainable feedstocks for industry, which cannot be fulfilled by local green electricity and hydrogen production alone. The Rotterdam region strongly works on becoming a hydrogen hub for Europe, not only producing but also importing large volumes of hydrogen from other countries. Andalusia is one of the most promising regions in Europe for this matter.

The development of so-called hydrogen export-import corridors from Spain to the Netherlands is the cornerstone of the cooperation. However, the scope of the partnership is wider than just these corridors. The parties also intend to share knowledge, coordinate on policy and technology development, and work together in European platforms.

World Hydrogen Summit

The memorandum of understanding is signed as part of the World Hydrogen Summit, an annual hydrogen congress with over 15.000 visitors taking place in May 2024 in Rotterdam.

Regional Minister Jorge Paradela: “Andalusia is poised to lead the way in advancing renewable hydrogen development across Europe. Our region offers a unique combination of advantages for the production and transport of green molecules. This landmark alliance signed today represents a significant step forward in addressing the challenges of decarbonisation and reindustrialisation across Europe through the use of clean technologies.”

Mayor Aboutaleb: “This MoU underlines the importance of public-private partnerships. Our efforts to become Europe’s Hydrogen Hub is not just a climate commitment; it’s our city’s pledge to forge a sustainable future with our industries and labour market. Therefore I’m glad to cooperate with Andalusia on this important topic for our city, port and wider region.”