Wedoany.com Report-Sept. 17, EDP has reached a significant milestone by producing its first hydrogen molecule in Europe and injecting it into a gas turbine at the Ribatejo Combined Cycle Power Plant near Lisbon, Portugal. This achievement is part of the European FLEXnCONFU project, aimed at validating the use of hydrogen and natural gas co-combustion under operational conditions, a largely unexplored solution in the energy sector.

The announcement was made at the inauguration of a 1.25 MW electrolyzer during the event on Tuesday. This electrolyzer, a key part of the FLEXnCONFU project, is funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 program. The project is led by an international consortium of 21 partners from 10 European countries, including Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, the UK, Greece, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, and the Netherlands. Among the attendees at the ceremony were Maria da Graça Carvalho, the Portuguese Minister for Environment and Energy, Miguel Stilwell d’Andrade, CEO of EDP, and representatives from the European Commission.

The FLEXnCONFU project aims to demonstrate how combined-cycle power plants can operate more efficiently and flexibly by integrating new technologies and promoting more sustainable operations. One of its main objectives is to increase the role of renewable energy in the energy mix. The project includes two demonstrators: one in Portugal that uses hydrogen and another in Italy that uses ammonia as an energy carrier. The Italian demonstrator will be tested in a laboratory setting, while the Portuguese plant tests hydrogen in a real-world operational environment.

The process at the Ribatejo plant involves using the electrolyzer to split water into hydrogen and oxygen through electrolysis. The produced hydrogen is then compressed, stored, and later blended with natural gas to generate electricity. This combination reduces carbon emissions, contributing to cleaner energy production. The plant's ability to co-fire hydrogen with natural gas will help validate the technical, environmental, operational, and economic feasibility of this approach.

The plant, inaugurated in April 2004, has an installed capacity of 1,176 MW and has operated exclusively on natural gas. It plays a critical role in stabilizing the electricity system, especially as renewable energy sources continue to grow and require more flexible and responsive solutions.

The electrolyzer pilot project at Ribatejo will run until early 2026, with results expected to guide EDP’s future investment in hydrogen technologies. The results will inform the economic viability of scaling up green hydrogen production and adapting existing gas turbines for co-combustion.

EDP remains committed to accelerating the global energy transition, focusing on sustainable and efficient solutions. Already producing 90% of its energy from renewable sources, the company is dedicated to exploring new technologies that will support cleaner and more flexible energy production.