The Renewable Hydrogen Energy Advisory Office of Castilla-La Mancha, based in Puertollano, has completed its first six months of activity with a "very positive" balance and a response from the sector exceeding expectations. This was highlighted by the Director General of Energy Transition of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Alipio Lara, who stressed that the launch of this tool has consolidated public-private collaboration around the development of the renewable hydrogen value chain in the region.
The office, which began operations in November 2025, is currently working with 63 different companies and entities integrated into the various working groups established to drive the regional hydrogen ecosystem. This figure has increased since its inception, as it started with around 50 companies. Additionally, during these first months, it has managed 24 consultations related to specific projects. According to Lara, these are not one-off queries but business initiatives that are supported in aspects such as improving their viability, administrative processing, permit monitoring, or seeking financing. "The feedback we are receiving is very large and very powerful. Companies are responding very well, not only those integrated into the regional hydrogen cluster, but also many others that work or have interests in Castilla-La Mancha. That relationship and public-private interest in developing the hydrogen value chain is already a reality," he stated.
The Director General highlighted that the working groups have managed to bring together companies, regional administration, universities, technology centers, and innovation entities, creating a collaborative space that is already producing tangible results. "We have managed to get all the talent to participate, and it has been activated in these working groups, and that is allowing us to develop very concrete actions," he noted.
The consultations and projects reaching the office come from all five provinces of Castilla-La Mancha. Although the Puertollano hydrogen valley remains the main regional reference, Lara recalled that new development hubs are also being configured in areas such as around Manzanares, Alcázar de San Juan, and Herencia; in the province of Albacete, especially between the capital and Villarrobledo and La Roda; in northern Toledo, where a new hydrogen valley similar to Puertollano could emerge; and in the province of Cuenca, "where a new hub around hydrogen is taking shape."
New investments. Among the ongoing work, the office is finalizing a catalog of technological capabilities related to renewable hydrogen in Castilla-La Mancha. The aim is to facilitate the arrival of new investments and help companies that need to incorporate this technology into their energy and decarbonization processes. "Many companies are not looking to produce hydrogen, but to use it to decarbonize and become more competitive. We want them to know all the capabilities that exist in the region to make that possible," he explained.
At the same time, a study is being developed on CO₂ emissions generated in Castilla-La Mancha with a view to their use for the production of synthetic fuels from renewable hydrogen. Lara considers this one of the next major energy challenges. "We are already practically independent in renewable electricity generation, but now we need to ensure that the gases and fuels we consume are also locally produced. That would allow us to achieve almost complete energy autonomy and do it sustainably," he assured. He added, "the largest energy consumption is not in electricity but in gas and fuel."
Furthermore, the working groups have worked on formulating objections and proposals regarding the hydrological plans of the Castilla-La Mancha confederations, aiming to have the use of water for renewable hydrogen and synthetic fuel production specifically recognized as a differentiated activity within industrial uses.
Although he considers it premature to talk about percentages of compliance with the regional hydrogen roadmap when only seven months have passed since the office's launch, Lara highlighted the pace of work achieved. "We are going faster than we expected. We have many tasks ahead, but we are very satisfied because companies are using this accompaniment, intermediation, and advisory tool and are contributing many ideas to the ecosystem," he stated.
For the Director General of Energy Transition, the good reception of the office confirms the growing interest of the business community in renewable hydrogen as a key tool for decarbonization and future competitiveness: "The office is being a tool to secure projects and help them move forward. That was the goal, and the results of these first months encourage us to continue working in that direction."
