Rotterdam and the Spanish region of Andalusia have agreed to work more closely on green hydrogen, with a new roadmap setting out cooperation until 2029. Signed during European Hydrogen Week in Brussels on Monday 26 October, the agreement aims to connect renewable hydrogen production in southern Spain with Rotterdam's port, industry and European transport networks.
Image: Representatives from Rotterdam and Andalusia in Brussels, where both regions agreed on a joint green hydrogen roadmap through 2029. Photograph: Municipality of Rotterdam.
ROTTERDAM, 26 October 2026 - Rotterdam's alderman for Port and Economy, Tim Versnel, and Andalusia's regional minister for Industry and Energy, Jorge Paradela Gutiérrez, signed the agreement in Brussels. It builds on a partnership established in 2024 and is intended to turn earlier discussions into joint activities involving companies, researchers and public authorities.
The two regions bring different strengths to the partnership. Andalusia has extensive solar and wind resources, together with ports capable of supporting international energy exports. Rotterdam has a large industrial sector, an established port network and connections to businesses across north-western Europe.
The longer-term idea is to connect hydrogen production in southern Spain with industrial customers in and beyond Rotterdam, particularly businesses seeking alternatives to fossil fuels.
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From a 2024 agreement to a plan through 2029
The cooperation began formally in May 2024, when then Rotterdam mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb and Jorge Paradela signed a declaration of intent during the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam.
The new roadmap gives that partnership a more defined programme through 2029. Both regions intend to bring businesses and research institutions together, exchange technical knowledge and investigate opportunities for joint investments and European funding.
Another priority is developing the workforce needed for a hydrogen-based industrial sector. That includes exploring how education and training can prepare workers for jobs involving hydrogen production, infrastructure and related technologies.
According to Versnel, the cooperation combines Andalusia's potential to produce renewable hydrogen with Rotterdam's role as an industrial and logistics centre. The municipality hopes this will help attract investment and support the transition towards lower-emission industrial processes.
For now, the roadmap establishes a framework for cooperation rather than committing the regions to a specific hydrogen delivery volume, construction project or investment amount.
Why does Rotterdam need hydrogen from Spain?
Hydrogen is already used in industrial processes, including oil refining and chemical production. Much of it is currently produced using fossil fuels, resulting in substantial greenhouse gas emissions.
Green hydrogen is produced using electricity from renewable sources, such as wind and solar power, to split water into hydrogen and oxygen. This can provide an alternative for industrial processes where direct electrification is difficult.
However, producing renewable hydrogen requires considerable amounts of electricity, making access to affordable renewable energy important. Andalusia's solar and wind resources could give the region an advantage as a production location, while Rotterdam could serve as an import and distribution point for industries elsewhere in Europe.
The connection is not an entirely new idea. The Port of Rotterdam and Spanish energy company Cepsa, now known as Moeve, announced plans in 2022 to develop a green hydrogen transport corridor between southern and northern Europe.
Such supply chains could involve transporting hydrogen in the form of ammonia, which is easier to ship over long distances. The ammonia could then be used directly in certain industrial applications or converted back into hydrogen after arriving in Rotterdam.
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Large-scale production is taking shape in Andalusia
The agreement coincides with progress on the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, a major renewable hydrogen project being developed by energy company Moeve.
Construction of its first phase, known as Onuba, began in September 2026 near Palos de la Frontera in Huelva. The initial facility is designed for 300 megawatts of electrolysis capacity, with the option to expand by another 105 megawatts. Once operational, it is expected to produce approximately 45,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen annually.
The wider Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley is planned to include production sites in Huelva and Cádiz. At full development, the project aims to reach two gigawatts of electrolysis capacity and produce up to 300,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year.
These are planned production capacities, not current output figures. Much of the infrastructure required to produce, transport and distribute hydrogen at that scale still needs to be completed.
Following the roadmap signing in Brussels, the Rotterdam and Andalusian delegations also visited Moeve's exhibition stand to discuss the project's development.
What does the agreement mean for Rotterdam?
For Rotterdam, the partnership forms part of a wider effort to develop the port into a centre for hydrogen imports, production and distribution. The Port of Rotterdam Authority is working with energy companies, infrastructure operators and research institutions on projects intended to make hydrogen available to industrial users.
In May 2026, the first 32-kilometre section of the national hydrogen network was officially completed in the Rotterdam port area, connecting the Maasvlakte with Pernis. The network is intended to expand towards other Dutch industrial regions and eventually connect with infrastructure in neighbouring countries.
Rotterdam also launched the regional LAUNCH2 hydrogen innovation alliance in May 2026. The partnership brings together public authorities, knowledge institutions and businesses to support hydrogen-related research and development.
Nevertheless, the European hydrogen sector continues to face high production costs, investment uncertainty and infrastructure challenges. These factors can delay projects, even when governments and companies agree on their potential benefits.
The new agreement with Andalusia does not resolve those challenges immediately. Its significance will depend on whether the cooperation through 2029 leads to viable projects, investment decisions and working supply chains.
For a port that has historically connected Rotterdam to international energy markets, the ambition is familiar. The question now is how quickly renewable hydrogen can become a commercially practical part of that trade.
