CUTTING DOWN CARBON EMISSIONS
Madrid-based energy company Repsol will soon introduce the first large-scale renewable hydrogen plant in southeast Spain’s port city of Cartagena. The $318 million project, in collaboration with Enagás Renovable, will see the construction of a 100-megawatt electrolyzer facility on the company’s site in the region. It will have the capacity to produce about 15,000 tons of renewable hydrogen each year, while preventing 167,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Repsol has stated it will use the renewable hydrogen as feedstock to manufacture essential products, shifting away from use of conventional hydrogen at the company’s industrial sites. The company also plans to explore connecting to the Spanish Hydrogen Backbone to move renewable hydrogen into the region’s natural gas network. In support of the project, the European Commission and the Government of Spain awarded Repsol with the equivalent of $182 million in funding through the Spanish Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy. The facility will be constructed in multiple phases until its anticipated completion in 2029, creating 900 total direct and indirect jobs.
Site Map courtesy of CloudHQ
ADVANCING MEXICO’S DIGITAL ECONOMY
CloudHQ is making its mark in north central Mexico with new $4.8 billion plans in the state of Querétaro. The company will construct a 900-megawatt (MW) data center campus, starting with six data center facilities carrying an initial 200 MW by 2027. CloudHQ’s project will become the largest data center campus in Mexico, ideally positioned the U.S. and Central America. “This development will ensure scale, reliability and long-term growth for Mexico’s digital future,” the company said in a social media post. The 128-acre site will feature a private substation and a 2-gigawatt switching station to support future operations. The construction phase will tap into the region’s local supply chain for materials and skilled talent, as this period is expected to create 7,500 jobs in the region. Once complete, up to 1,000 direct jobs will be created. The Mexican state’s data center leadership was first reported on by Site Selection in spring 2022.
Rendering courtesy of Hitachi Energy
TRANSFORMING FUTURE PRODUCTIONS
Hitachi Energy plans to expand its large power transformer production facility in Quebec, announcing a fresh $195 million investment. The plant, located in Varennes near Montréal, will undergo improvements designed to improve production flow and triple current production capacity. The global energy industry depends on the company’s transformers for large-scale power distribution, especially toward energy-intensive industries like steel manufacturing, mining, aluminum production and nuclear power generation. “This investment will allow us to significantly increase our ability to meet the fast-growing demand for large power transformers, reactors and HVDC technology, which are critical to achieving key energy transition goals,” said Hitachi Energy Canada Country Managing Director Carla Vicente. Project details include a new assembly line and two flexible core and winding feeding lines to ensure efficiency. Once complete, Hitachi plans to hire 500 new employees.
Reports compiled and written by Alexis Elmore
