A groundbreaking partnership between Israeli startup H2Pro and global developer Doral Hydrogen is set to establish the world’s first off-grid solar-to-hydrogen production facility in Extremadura, Spain. By utilizing innovative Decoupled Water Electrolysis (DWE) technology, the project aims to produce green hydrogen directly from solar power without relying on the electrical grid or expensive battery storage. This initiative represents a major step toward reducing the costs of zero-emission fuels and accelerating the integration of hydrogen into Europe’s existing energy infrastructure.
The agreement, signed during the European Hydrogen Energy Conference, focuses on overcoming the economic barriers currently hindering the green hydrogen sector. Traditionally, the high cost of production is driven by the incompatibility of standard electrolyzers with the intermittent nature of renewable energy. Unlike conventional systems that require a steady baseload of electricity to avoid hardware damage, the DWE technology used in this project is specifically designed to handle the fluctuations of solar and wind power.
H2Pro’s proprietary technology functions by producing hydrogen and oxygen at different times rather than simultaneously through a membrane. This decoupled approach allows the system to cycle on and off indefinitely and ramp production up or down instantly. By matching the natural power profile of the sun, the facility eliminates the need for costly grid backups or large-scale battery systems, significantly improving the overall project economics and reducing CO2 emission levels.
The project will launch with a 5 MW DWE system supported by 10 MWp of solar generation. The partners have ambitious plans to scale the facility to a 50 MW capacity, supported by 80 MWp of solar capacity. This site is strategically located in Extremadura, positioned along the route of the future H2Med hydrogen backbone, a planned pipeline network intended to supply green energy to heavy industry across the continent.
In the short term, the hydrogen produced will be injected into existing natural gas pipelines managed by Enagás. This blending strategy allows for immediate revenue generation and environmental benefits without the need for new, specialized infrastructure. Doral Hydrogen intends to use this Spanish pilot as a blueprint for its 1 GW global portfolio, proving that off-grid hydrogen production is a viable and cost-effective solution for the global energy transition.