Green Hydrogen Production Hub in Asturias Moves Ahead as Mine-to-H2 Secures Final Approval

Green Hydrogen Takes Root at a Historic Mining Site

Right in the heart of the Nalón valley, there’s an exciting transformation happening. An old coal mine is gearing up to start a new chapter as a center for green hydrogen. The local council has just given the green light for the Special Plan for Pozo Fondón, which means they’re unlocking over 22,000 square meters of former mining land for this innovative energy project. For a region that’s been all about coal for so long, this decision isn’t just a box-check—it’s a clear signal that the clean energy era is hitting close to home. The Mine-to-H2 consortium, led by Grupo HUNOSA, is now set to push ahead with plans to develop Asturias’s very first large-scale green hydrogen facility.

What’s in the Pipeline?

The Mine-to-H2 initiative is aiming to build a 2.5 MW green hydrogen production plant, with the potential to ramp up to 5 MW. This facility will be powered by renewable electricity and will use mine water as its main ingredient. With an ambitious budget of 18 million euros—half of which comes from the EU’s Research Fund for Coal and Steel—this project brings a diverse team together. You’ve got the engineering experts at Duro Felguera, regional developer Hyren, gas distributor Nortegas Green Energy Solutions, transport giant ALSA Grupo S.L.U., and academic minds from the University of Oviedo as well as Poland’s GIG-PIB. On the regulatory front, they’ve already nailed down the water-use rights from La Nalona mine workings, with approvals in place from both the Confederación Hidrográfica del Cantábrico and the national ecology ministry.

Turning Coal Legacies into Electrolyzers

The backbone of the Mine-to-H2 project relies on electrolysis technology that utilizes treated mine water. Instead of tapping into local rivers or aquifers, this system cleverly reuses the drainage from old mine tunnels, thereby transforming what used to be an environmental headache into a valuable resource. After the water goes through a pretreatment process to get rid of any particles and minerals, it flows into electrolyzer stacks where it gets split into oxygen and hydrogen with the help of an electric current. The whole process is powered by renewable electricity, some of which will be generated from an on-site solar farm, ensuring that the hydrogen produced is genuinely green. Plus, the design is super adaptable, meaning the facility can increase production based on demand from local industries, heating systems, and transport needs.

But that’s not all—this project smartly integrates heating as well. The existing District Heating Pozo Fondón network is already doing great work by circulating geothermal mine water and heat from biomass to buildings nearby. By capturing the heat that’s produced during the electrolysis process with heat exchangers, they’re boosting overall system efficiency and cutting down on fuel use. This synergy showcases how hydrogen infrastructure can work hand in hand with heating networks and could even inspire similar setups in other regions that want to maximize their energy output from electrolytic processes.

Solar Power to the Rescue on Previously Mined Land

To lock in a reliable renewable power supply, the consortium is also planning to set up a dedicated solar power plant on rehabilitated land that once served as open-pit mining sites between Mieres and Langreo. The idea is to install solar panels on this repurposed terrain, generating alternating current that can either directly power the electrolyzer or feed back into the local grid through power purchase agreements. Using former mining sites for photovoltaic arrays not only helps sidestep land-use conflicts but also highlights a circular approach—turning lands once scarred by coal mining into fields of clean energy.

A particularly exciting part of the initiative is the mobility demonstration. ALSA is set to roll out two interurban buses powered by hydrogen from the Pozo Fondón facility: one will have a fuel cell electric drivetrain, while the other is modified to run on hydrogen using a combustion engine. Fuel cell buses will produce electricity on board through a hydrogen-air reaction, releasing only water vapor in the process. The combustion engine bus will adapt existing technology to burn hydrogen, achieving lower CO2 emissions and better NOx control. To keep this mobility flow going, the site will also host facilities for compression, storage, and refueling to ensure fleets are always ready to hit the road.

Backed by Strategic Investment and Policy Support

From a financial angle, the boost of 9 million euros in funding from the EU’s RFCS indicates strong confidence in the potential of generating hydrogen from mine water. The rest of the funding comes from consortium partners and regional authorities, creating a solid investment profile that can help cover early-stage challenges. The project is targeting tough-to-decarbonize sectors that typically rely on grey hydrogen and plans to blend its output into the local gas grid through Nortegas Green Energy Solutions. This opens up multiple revenue avenues, including industrial sales, heating credits, and transport service contracts with ALSA.

On the regulatory side, progress has been steady. Thanks to a positive strategic environmental review from local authorities, planning has moved swiftly, and the recent municipal approval has framed the land use needed for building permits. This showcases a coordinated effort across municipal, regional, and national bodies, setting a great example for other just transition initiatives. The ecology ministry and river basin authority have set a key precedent by allowing the use of mine water, underscoring how regulatory clarity can speed up complicated energy transitions.

The Mine-to-H2 project is also part of the bigger picture for the Asturias H2 Valley as well as Spain’s overall push toward industrial decarbonization. It’s a promising test case for transitioning coal assets into sustainable solutions across Europe. Other former mining regions could take notes and adapt this mine-water electrolysis technique, linking hydrogen production with district heating or industry needs. The operational insights and data from Pozo Fondón—covering everything from water chemistry to electrolyzer effectiveness and grid connections—could serve as a valuable reference for future projects.

What’s Next?

As detailed engineering work kicks off immediately, the consortium has set its sights on getting the project up and running by late 2027. The upcoming steps include finalizing the procurement of the electrolyzer stacks, securing agreements for grid connections, and refining the refueling protocols for the bus fleet. Engaging the local community will be crucial to managing construction noise and getting the public on board with hydrogen initiatives. Keeping costs in check will depend on streamlining supply chains for electrolyzers, compression units, and safety gear, but early collaboration among partners is expected to provide some advantages here.

By morphing a coal mine into a multifunctional green hydrogen hub, complete with district heating, solar energy, and hydrogen-powered transport, Asturias is truly leading the way in decarbonization. This project is a prime example of how traditional industries can be integrated with modern technology to speed up the energy transition while maintaining industrial skills. If all goes well, Mine-to-H2 could spark more investments in sustainable energy systems, helping solidify hydrogen’s place in achieving zero-emission goals in Europe’s former mining strongholds.