Portuguese project developer Madoqua announces a partnership with Dutch energy transition project developer and consultancy Power2X and Danish fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners’ Energy Transition Fund (CIP) to build MadoquaPower2X, a €1 B industrial-scale project for the production of green hydrogen (H₂)and ammonia in Sines, Portugal, creating 200+ direct and indirect jobs. 

MadoquaPower2X will use renewable energy and 500MW of electrolysis capacity. It is the first project to be installed at the future energy and technological hub of Sines, with an industrial scale production of 50,000 tpy of green H₂ and 500,000 tpy of green ammonia. 

This project is the first real step in the implementation of a new energy transition model, of which Portugal is an early mover, asserting itself as a relevant player in the new energy world order. 

The H₂ produced under this project can be used by the local industry as well as processed to create green ammonia for export from the terminal at port of Sines.

Rogaciano Rebelo, CEO of Madoqua said, “We are proud to bring this strong consortium to Portugal and collaborate with partners across the green H₂ and H₂ derivatives value chain. Portugal is structurally well positioned to play a leading role in the emerging energy transition space in Europe. The project, along with the development of dedicated renewable power generation assets, will contribute significantly towards Portugal’s National Hydrogen Strategy (EN-H₂)." 

Electricity will be sourced from renewable power produced in Portugal, in particular from renewable energy communities for wind and solar plants that are being developed in parallel. This approach will ensure availability of dedicated renewable energy throughout the lifetime of the project. 

The project is currently under development and is expected to be fully permitted and ready for a FID by the end of 2023, with construction to commence thereafter and first H₂ production by the middle of the decade. 

Occo Roelofsen, CEO of Power2X said, “Power2X is excited to develop this flagship project together with our partners in order to accelerate Europe’s energy transition and contribute significantly to the 2050 net-zero target. MadoquaPower2X will pave the way for decarbonization of critical industrial processes and reduced dependency on natural gas imports.” 

MadoquaPower2X, including future phases, will make significant contributions towards Portugal’s EN-H₂ by 2030. In particular, the project will contribute nearly 25% of Portugal’s envisaged 2GW electrolyzer capacity by 2030. The integrated H₂ and ammonia project will generate 1,000 (direct and indirect) jobs, including future phases, which equates to 10% to 12% of new job creation targets. Furthermore, at €1 B of investment, the project will contribute 10%–15% of Portugal’s H₂ investment targets. Additionally, if preferred over ammonia production, MadoquaPower2X could meet 100% of Portugal’s gas grid H₂ injection targets. Lastly, as this project has the capacity to consume all locally produced H₂ for ammonia production, it is proud to support the Sines green H₂ loop initiative as one of the largest launching customers. 

João Galamba, Portuguese Secretary of State of Environment and Energy said, “This important investment represents the actual implementation of Portugal’s National Strategy for H₂, in line with the European Industrial Strategy, as well as the more recent measures proposed by the European Commission on Repower EU.” 

The consortium members are exploring opportunities with stakeholders to further expand the project to potentially produce 1 MMtpy of green ammonia, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 1 MMtpy. Subsequent phases will commence development in 2024, with full commissioning before 2030. 

Philip Christiani, Partner at CIP said, “We are thrilled to announce our involvement in MadoquaPower2X, a pioneering European green H₂ project. Sines provides an excellent location for this project – proximity to local heavy industry, an existing export terminal and the political will demonstrated by Portugal to be a key green hydrogen leader in Europe. We look forward to working with our consortium partners to bring MadoquaPower2X to life.”