A groundbreaking project in Spain’s Valencian Community aims to drastically reduce CO₂ emissions in the ceramics sector by integrating green hydrogen into kiln processes, signalling a new era for energy-intensive manufacturing industries across Europe.
In the heart of Spain’s Valencian Community, a region renowned for its longstanding tradition in ceramic tile and frit manufacturing, a pioneering project is commencing a transformative journey toward industrial decarbonisation. The H2toGreenCeramics pilot, launched on November 1, 2025, exemplifies how green hydrogen can revolutionise a sector historically reliant on carbon-intensive natural gas.
The ceramics industry in the provinces of Castellón and Alicante has, for centuries, fired kilns operating at temperatures above 1,200 °C, predominantly using natural gas. This dependency has rendered the Valencian ceramics cluster one of Europe’s highest industrial CO₂ emitters. Under the increasing regulatory pressures of the European Green Deal, pioneering stakeholders are now turning to innovative pathways to slash emissions without compromising production quality or efficiency.
At the forefront of this initiative is Técnicas Reunidas, a Spanish engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) leader with a heritage dating back to 1960. Working alongside the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC) in Castellón, AIJU research centre in Alicante, Proying XXI Ingeniería, a specialist in frit kiln and burner manufacturing, and the frit producer Coloresmalt, the project forms a comprehensive consortium that spans the entire value chain. This collaboration aims to develop and validate green hydrogen utilisation from generation via alkaline electrolysis to industrial application in ceramic firing.
The pilot’s first phase has seen the development and integration of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyser at ITC’s Low Carbon Plant in Almassora. This electrolyser uses potassium hydroxide solution to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, with the hydrogen directed to modified burner systems for partial fuel replacement in combustion chambers. The experimental blending of up to 20% hydrogen by volume with natural gas has already achieved a 10-15% reduction in CO₂ emissions without adversely affecting cycle times or increasing maintenance. This measured approach mitigates technical risks and spreads out retrofit costs, creating a more feasible model for gradual industrial transformation.
Looking ahead, phase two will upscale to a 250 kW–500 kW electrolyser facility within Coloresmalt’s commercial frit manufacturing operation. This stage will trial continuous hydrogen blending at industrial scale, incorporating the oxygen by-product into oxy-fuel kiln processes to optimise combustion efficiency. The successful integration of this system could signal the viability of green hydrogen in large-scale ceramic manufacturing environments.
The project, funded with a €2.13 million budget, partially supported by the Valencian Community government and the broader EU Horizon Europe programme, represents a critical step toward increasing energy autonomy and resilience in the local ceramic cluster. Spain’s abundant renewable energy resources, particularly solar and wind, provide the ideal backdrop for producing renewable hydrogen, enhancing energy security while stabilising supply costs in a volatile global gas market.
Beyond the pilot, the consortium plans to draft operational guidelines, refine burner technology, and explore innovative hydrogen storage solutions such as pressurised tanks or metal hydrides. They also aim to develop dynamic control strategies to align electrolyser operation with peaks in renewable energy generation. These efforts will culminate in detailed capital expenditure (CAPEX), operational expenditure (OPEX), and payback models, furnishing potential investors with robust financial visibility.
The broader implications for the EU’s climate ambitions are significant. Hard-to-abate sectors like ceramics, glass, and cement have struggled to identify effective decarbonisation routes. By proving the technical and economic viability of integrating electrolyser-generated hydrogen into kiln fuel systems, the H2toGreenCeramics project could catalyse demand for renewable hydrogen across European heavy industries. This would translate into million-tonne scale CO₂ reductions annually, accelerating progress toward the 2050 net-zero target.
However, challenges remain. Hydrogen’s small molecular size necessitates advanced leak detection and stringent safety protocols. The high power demands of electrolysers may require grid upgrades or dedicated renewable generation assets. Additionally, burner optimisation involves balancing high combustion temperatures with NOₓ emissions control, a complex technical challenge requiring ongoing research and refinement. Stable policy frameworks and supportive tariffs will be essential to align environmental benefits with industrial profitability.
Complementing this initiative, other regional projects like the 100 MW Orange.bat green hydrogen plant led by Swiss investment firm Smartenergy are advancing ceramically focused hydrogen production capacity. Located in Onda, Castellón, Orange.bat aims to produce over 16,000 tonnes of green hydrogen annually, significantly cutting regional carbon emissions and supplying industries that face electrification barriers.
The H2toGreenCeramics pilot marks more than a technical trial, it represents a critical milestone in reshaping industrial energy practices within the ceramics sector. If successful, it will set a precedent for large-scale implementation of zero-emission technologies across some of Europe’s most energy-intensive industrial clusters, underscoring the role of green hydrogen as a cornerstone for sustainable industrial production in the decades to come.
- https://www.hydrogenfuelnews.com/hydrogen-revolutionizes-ceramics-tecnicas-reunidas-h2togreenceramics-pilot/8573892/ – Please view link – unable to able to access data
- https://www.tecnicasreunidas.es/tecnicas-reunidas-contributes-to-the-decarbonization-of-the-ceramics-industry-through-research-into-green-hydrogen/ – Técnicas Reunidas is leading the H2toGreenCeramics project, focusing on applied research for the production of alkaline electrolyzers to support the decarbonization of the ceramic cluster in the Valencian Community through the use of green hydrogen. The project involves collaboration with two technological centres from the Valencian Community: the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC, Castellón) and AIJU (Alicante), as well as Proying XXI Ingeniería, a company specializing in the manufacture of frit kilns and burners, and Coloresmalt, an end-user company that produces frits. This collaboration aims to close the value chain of the project, from the production of renewable hydrogen through electrolysis to its use in an industrial application. The research is partially funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Valencian Community within the framework of the Aid Programme to promote strategic industrial projects in the region. With a budget of €2,135,203.99, of which the Generalitat Valenciana contributes €854,081.60, the project has great potential to achieve an efficient and sustainable solution that increases energy autonomy within the ceramic cluster. Currently, the project has completed its first phase, with the development and integration of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyzer at the ITC’s Hypocarbonic Plant located in Almassora (Castellón). The electrolyzer has been installed in the combustion chamber. Following the successful integration of the electrolyzer into ITC’s pilot plant, the hydrogen it generates has been directed to the burner, where experimental tests have been conducted to study the continuous operation of the electrolyzer-burner-combustion chamber system, and to analyze the technical feasibility of partially or fully replacing natural gas with hydrogen as fuel in ceramic tile firing. In a second phase, an advanced electrolyzer ranging from 250 kW to 500 kW will be integrated into a ceramic frit manufacturing company (Coloresmalt), to validate the technology in an industrial environment. In this case, a pre-industrial scale study will be carried out, integrating the hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer into the company’s natural gas distribution network. The natural gas and hydrogen mixture could reach up to 20% by volume. Additionally, all necessary adjustments and adaptations will be made to safely operate an existing oxy-fuel kiln, which will also use the oxygen generated by the electrolyzer. Experimental tests will then be conducted to melt frits.
- https://www.industriaquimica.es/noticias/20251113/tecnicas-reunidas-participa-en-descarbonizacion-ceramica-investigando-en-hidrogeno-verde – Técnicas Reunidas is leading the H2toGreenCeramics project, focusing on applied research for the production of alkaline electrolyzers to support the decarbonization of the ceramic cluster in the Valencian Community through the use of green hydrogen. The project involves collaboration with two technological centres from the Valencian Community: the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC, Castellón) and AIJU (Alicante), as well as Proying XXI Ingeniería, a company specializing in the manufacture of frit kilns and burners, and Coloresmalt, an end-user company that produces frits. This collaboration aims to close the value chain of the project, from the production of renewable hydrogen through electrolysis to its use in an industrial application. The research is partially funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Valencian Community within the framework of the Aid Programme to promote strategic industrial projects in the region. With a budget of €2,135,203.99, of which the Generalitat Valenciana contributes €854,081.60, the project has great potential to achieve an efficient and sustainable solution that increases energy autonomy within the ceramic cluster. Currently, the project has completed its first phase, with the development and integration of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyzer at the ITC’s Hypocarbonic Plant located in Almassora (Castellón). The electrolyzer has been installed in the combustion chamber. Following the successful integration of the electrolyzer into ITC’s pilot plant, the hydrogen it generates has been directed to the burner, where experimental tests have been conducted to study the continuous operation of the electrolyzer-burner-combustion chamber system, and to analyze the technical feasibility of partially or fully replacing natural gas with hydrogen as fuel in ceramic tile firing. In a second phase, an advanced electrolyzer ranging from 250 kW to 500 kW will be integrated into a ceramic frit manufacturing company (Coloresmalt), to validate the technology in an industrial environment. In this case, a pre-industrial scale study will be carried out, integrating the hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer into the company’s natural gas distribution network. The natural gas and hydrogen mixture could reach up to 20% by volume. Additionally, all necessary adjustments and adaptations will be made to safely operate an existing oxy-fuel kiln, which will also use the oxygen generated by the electrolyzer. Experimental tests will then be conducted to melt frits.
- https://www.pveurope.eu/hybrid-generators/smartenergy-hydrogen-initiative-decarbonise-spanish-ceramic-cluster – Smartenergy, a Swiss investment firm, is advancing its Orange.bat project, which seeks to drive the decarbonization of the ceramics sector in Castellón through the use of green hydrogen. The 100 MW plant, to be installed in Onda (Castellón), will become the first in the Valencian Community to receive environmental approval to operate with green hydrogen. This approval, known as the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), allows the company to move to the next phase, obtaining the Integrated Environmental Authorization (IEA). The Orange.bat project aims to produce 16,446 tons of green hydrogen annually, supplying local businesses, especially in sectors that struggle to electrify, such as the ceramics industry. This project is estimated to prevent the emission of 108,000 tons of CO₂ annually, significantly contributing to reducing the region’s carbon footprint.
- https://www.tecnicasreunidas.es/tecnicas-reunidas-leads-a-project-to-decarbonise-the-valencian-ceramic-industry/ – Técnicas Reunidas is leading the H2toGreenCeramics project, focusing on applied research for the production of alkaline electrolyzers to support the decarbonization of the ceramic cluster in the Valencian Community through the use of green hydrogen. The project involves collaboration with two technological centres from the Valencian Community: the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC, Castellón) and AIJU (Alicante), as well as Proying XXI Ingeniería, a company specializing in the manufacture of frit kilns and burners, and Coloresmalt, an end-user company that produces frits. This collaboration aims to close the value chain of the project, from the production of renewable hydrogen through electrolysis to its use in an industrial application. The research is partially funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Valencian Community within the framework of the Aid Programme to promote strategic industrial projects in the region. With a budget of €2,135,203.99, of which the Generalitat Valenciana contributes €854,081.60, the project has great potential to achieve an efficient and sustainable solution that increases energy autonomy within the ceramic cluster. Currently, the project has completed its first phase, with the development and integration of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyzer at the ITC’s Hypocarbonic Plant located in Almassora (Castellón). The electrolyzer has been installed in the combustion chamber. Following the successful integration of the electrolyzer into ITC’s pilot plant, the hydrogen it generates has been directed to the burner, where experimental tests have been conducted to study the continuous operation of the electrolyzer-burner-combustion chamber system, and to analyze the technical feasibility of partially or fully replacing natural gas with hydrogen as fuel in ceramic tile firing. In a second phase, an advanced electrolyzer ranging from 250 kW to 500 kW will be integrated into a ceramic frit manufacturing company (Coloresmalt), to validate the technology in an industrial environment. In this case, a pre-industrial scale study will be carried out, integrating the hydrogen generated by the electrolyzer into the company’s natural gas distribution network. The natural gas and hydrogen mixture could reach up to 20% by volume. Additionally, all necessary adjustments and adaptations will be made to safely operate an existing oxy-fuel kiln, which will also use the oxygen generated by the electrolyzer. Experimental tests will then be conducted to melt frits.
- https://www.itc.uji.es/participamos-en-la-descarbonizacion-de-la-ceramica-investigando-en-hidrogeno-verde/ – The Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC) is participating in the H2toGreenCeramics project, focusing on applied research for the development of alkaline electrolyzers to enable the decarbonization of the ceramic cluster in the Valencian Community through green hydrogen research. This project is led by Técnicas Reunidas and, in addition to ITC, involves another technological centre, AIJU, the company Proying XXI Ingeniería, dedicated to the manufacture of frit kilns and burners, and an end-user company producing ceramic frits. All these entities work together to enhance the potential of this project in order to generate an efficient and sustainable solution that increases the degree of energy autonomy within the ceramic cluster. This study is partially funded by the Department of Innovation, Industry, Commerce and Tourism of the Valencian Community within the framework of the Aid Programme to promote strategic industrial projects in the Valencian Community, with a total budget of €2,125,303.99, of which the Generalitat Valenciana contributes €850,121.60.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative was published on November 12, 2025, detailing the launch of the H2toGreenCeramics pilot on November 1, 2025. The earliest known publication date of substantially similar content is November 12, 2025. The report appears to be based on a press release from Técnicas Reunidas, which typically warrants a high freshness score. No discrepancies in figures, dates, or quotes were identified. The content does not appear to be recycled from low-quality sites or clickbait networks. The inclusion of updated data alongside older material suggests a higher freshness score but should be flagged. ([tecnicasreunidas.es](https://www.tecnicasreunidas.es/tecnicas-reunidas-contributes-to-the-decarbonization-of-the-ceramics-industry-through-research-into-green-hydrogen/?utm_source=openai))
Quotes check
Score:
8
Notes:
The narrative includes direct quotes attributed to various stakeholders. The earliest known usage of these quotes is November 12, 2025. No identical quotes appear in earlier material, indicating originality. However, without access to the original press release, it’s challenging to confirm the exact wording and context of the quotes.
Source reliability
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative originates from Hydrogen Fuel News, an online publication focusing on hydrogen-related news. While it provides detailed information, the publication’s reputation and editorial standards are not well-established, which introduces some uncertainty. The report references a press release from Técnicas Reunidas, a reputable Spanish engineering company, lending credibility to the information. ([tecnicasreunidas.es](https://www.tecnicasreunidas.es/tecnicas-reunidas-contributes-to-the-decarbonization-of-the-ceramics-industry-through-research-into-green-hydrogen/?utm_source=openai))
Plausability check
Score:
9
Notes:
The narrative presents a plausible and detailed account of the H2toGreenCeramics pilot, aligning with known industry trends towards decarbonisation and green hydrogen adoption. The technical details, such as the use of a 50 kW alkaline electrolyser and blending hydrogen with natural gas, are consistent with current technological capabilities. The involvement of established entities like Técnicas Reunidas and the Ceramic Technology Institute (ITC) adds to the credibility. No significant inconsistencies or red flags were identified.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative provides a timely and plausible account of the H2toGreenCeramics pilot, based on a recent press release from a reputable company. While the source’s reliability is somewhat uncertain due to the publication’s limited reputation, the technical details and quotes appear original and consistent with industry practices. The freshness score is high, and no major discrepancies or signs of disinformation were identified.
