Siemens and Portugal-based Galp Energia are working together to digitalize GalpH2Park in Portugal at Sines. When operational at the end of 2026, the facility will be one of the largest renewable hydrogen plants in Europe. Siemens is implementing its software portfolio designed specifically for the hydrogen sector in order to enable smarter operation efficiencies and the optimization of the value of the plant for the first project phase with the 100 MW hydrogen plant.
With this deployment, both Galp and Siemens are setting the path to industrial-scale renewable hydrogen production in the future, enhanced by digital technologies.
Digital twin at its heart
At the heart of the collaboration is Hydrogen Performance Suite – HPS from Siemens, which is a state-of-the-art digital cockpit that will continually improve the operations of renewable hydrogen plants. At its core is a predictive digital process twin, which is a high-fidelity algorithm derived from physics-based modelling that provides operational insights through real-time optimization to facilitate more rapid and data-driven choice-making. Siemens uses an integrated software stack when it comes to process modelling, data analytics, and real-time visualization so as to power the digital twin – converting intricate plant data into straightforward, useful information for operators to understand.
The HPS seamlessly integrates the digital twin with live plant data and external sources, including grid operators and energy markets providing Galp’s operators with complete visibility of their plant. The result is more effective production scheduling and optimized energy purchasing. Siemens estimates that the HPS can provide energy savings of as much as 15%, which is indeed an important advantage for both cost efficiency and sustainability.
GalpH2Park is a landmark for Europe’s energy transition, said the Executive Vice President of Automation Process Industries at Siemens, Axl Lorenz. He added, “We are convinced that digital innovation is the key to making renewable hydrogen economically viable and accelerating the decarbonization of industry. Siemens is turning this ambition into industrial reality – at scale.”
Lowering greenhouse gas emissions
The GalpH2Park project which is soon-to-be one of the largest renewable hydrogen plants will be powered by renewable energy, provided by means of long-term supply agreements and Galp’s own renewable generation capacity, and will produce up to 15,000 tonnes of renewable hydrogen per year. This is expected to result in a reduction of greenhouse gas emissions of around 110,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year – Scope 1 – a meaningful contribution to the decarbonization targets of Portugal and Europe.
Siemens provides a complete set of digital and automation solutions for the hydrogen sector, including monitoring and control, industrial automation, digital twin, power protection and distribution, and drives. Siemens is helping to accelerate industrial decarbonization and the global energy transition through a comprehensive portfolio of electrification, advanced instrumentation, and innovative digital services.