We are FCC Nº21

Aqualia has been selected to lead the consortium that will carry out the Zeppelin and Eclosion projects, focu- sed on the development of new tech- nologies for obtaining green hydro- gen, whose objective is none other than to improve the environmental sustainability of industry in Spain. In this sense, their production and the application of the technologies of these two new projects will give a strong impetus towards meeting the objectives set out in the Hydro- gen Roadmap, which is a major step towards the circular economy that Aqualia is pursuing. Currently, 96% of the hydrogen pro- duced on our planet comes from fos- sil fuels and only 1% from renewable sources. This reality clashes with the Spanish roadmap, which sets a target of 25% of the hydrogen con- sumed by industry to be renewable by 2030. Green hydrogen: Aqualia’s commitment to promote a sustainable and decarbonised economy with the Zeppelin and Eclosion projects . Both Zeppelin and Eclosion seek new models of green hydrogen production complementary to elec- trolysis with renewable energies, unlinked to the use of high-quality water -between 15-25 kilograms of osmotised water for each kilogram of hydrogen produced-, and integrated into a decarbonised energy model under the principles of the circular economy and digitalisation. They will stimulate economic activity From a socio-economic point of view, the projects will not only pro- vide new technological tools for the energy sector. They will also stimu- late economic activity and skilled employment, creating new market niches, revaluing waste linked to the primary and food sectors as raw material for the energy sector. The development of the Zeppelin and Eclosion projects involves the direct employment of 145 people and the creation of 25 new jobs. Both projects have been subsidised by the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), wi- thin the framework of the 2021 call of the Science and Innovation Missions programme (Recovery, Transforma- tion and Resilience Plan), and are supported by the Ministry of Scien- ce and Innovation. The aid granted to the project is also financed by the European Union through the Next Generation EU Fund. In addition, they have a direct impact on achie- ving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), en- suring affordable and high-quality water and sanitation services (SDG 6), optimising their energy balance (SDG 7) and avoiding their impact on the climate (SDG 13) through res- ponsible production and consump- tion (SDG 12). The Isla Verde Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) (Algeciras) where Aqualia will generate green hydrogen from waste. R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y 38 R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y