The unit, which is the first in the country dedicated exclusively to H2v, is located in Cabo Negro, Región de Magallanes.
Empresa Nacional del Petróleo (Enap) is 72% complete in the erection of the country's first plant dedicated to the production of green hydrogen (H2v), located in Cabo Negro industrial complex, in Región de Magallanes. The project is in the final stage of civil works, while the production of the main equipment in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, is progressing, starting to arrive in Chile this month. Among them are the 1 MW PEM electrolyzer, the compressor, and the storage system, developed by the German company Neuman & Esser, responsible for the design and construction of the system.
The prefabricated foundations that will support the plant modules have already been installed at Enap's Cabo Negro Industrial Complex, along with the water, electricity, and natural gas network tie-ins, which will enable the project's integrated operation.
This was confirmed by Nicolás Correa, Enap's corporate manager of Development and Strategic Planning, who specified that the state-owned company expects the project to be entirely finished and operational by the first quarter of 2026. “This project not only positions us as pioneers, but also enables a new stage of development for Enap. We are constructing technological, operational, and human capacities that will allow us to open new sustainable energy businesses and project the company into the future, just as Enap was a pioneer in hydrocarbon production 80 years ago,” he said.
The executive highlighted that since the company announced its Decarbonization Plan last year, “one of the main pillars has been to set ambitious goals for advancing both in the production of low-carbon fuels in refineries and in infrastructure projects to enable green hydrogen in Magallanes.”
Stages and production
The plant, which represents an investment of around USD $14 million, is being erected by the German company Neuman & Esser and it was designed in a modular format to allow for future relocation. In addition to being the manufacturers, their specialists also contributed with their experience to train Enap's multidisciplinary teams in technical operation and maintenance in order to ensure efficient start-up and operation.
The plant will operate with a 1 MW PEM (Proton Exchange Membrane) electrolyzer. It will be powered by renewable energy from Vientos Patagónicos wind farm, in which Enap is the principal shareholder (with 66%).
The plant will have a production capacity of 19 kilograms of hydrogen per hour, which is equivalent to what a bus or truck needs to travel 300 kilometers. “This production will not only serve Enap, but also for the development of applications with third parties, special projects of the Green Hydrogen Technology Center in Magallanes, as well as mobility, among others,” Correa stated.
It is important to mention that the green hydrogen plant is one of Enap's many sustainability initiatives, which also include the incorporation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) trucks, the production of Enap Renewable Diesel—based on used cooking oil—and the arrival of Latin America's first electric tugboat. With this, the state-owned company reinforces its commitment to a diversified, sustainable growth model based on creating technological and human capabilities for the country's energy future.