Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno

What Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno does

Centro Nacional del Hidrógeno (CNH2) is a Spanish public-sector research centre founded in 2007 and headquartered in Puertollano (Ciudad Real, Castilla-La Mancha), legally constituted as C.N.E. HIDRÓGENO Y PILAS DE COMBUSTIBLE (CIF S1300109D). It is jointly sponsored by the Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha and the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, and operates as Spain's only dedicated national reference centre for hydrogen and fuel cell R&D. The Centre runs an integrated suite of specialised laboratories on a single site, covering alkaline, PEM and solid oxide electrolysis, PEM and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC/SOEC), bioenergy routes, LOHC hydrogen storage, materials characterisation, a fab-lab, an integration laboratory and a 100 kW photovoltaic installation, organised around six R&D lines: hydrogen production, storage, transformation (including Power-to-X and e-fuels), applications, safety and standards, and technology implementation.

CNH2's business model rests on three revenue streams: (i) public grants and co-financed projects (FEDER, Spain's Plan de Recuperación components 17 and 23, the EU Clean Hydrogen Partnership and Horizon Europe, EISMEA/I3 Instrument, CDTI Misiones), which dominate funding; (ii) fee-based professional services — consultancy, engineering and contracted research delivered to industry and public-sector clients via a dedicated service catalogue and the public procurement platform; and (iii) training programmes (the 80-hour Hydrogen Technologies Course delivered twice yearly online plus bespoke Specialised Technical Training) and educational outreach via the Senda del Hidrógeno didactic itinerary. The Centre operates within large multinational consortia including Green Hysland (Enagás-led, 30+ European organisations), ELEKTRA (€13M, 15 partners led by Iberdrola for low-carbon steelmaking) and Hympulso (€15.5M, led by Talgo for hydrogen-powered rail). Its go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales for services, event-led community engagement (EHEC, HydrogenSphere, SEST, MEDIELES), and project-based consortium partnerships.

Notable first-of-a-kind outputs include the activation of Spain's first green hydrogen fuel cell installed in a hotel (Hotel Waves Bahía de Palma, Iberostar) and an ad-hoc 600 kW fuel cell test bench validating the bimodal hydrogen-powered train prototype. CNH2 holds ENS Basic certification under Spain's National Security Framework, the Employees GOLD workplace certification (2026), and a 2026 Domingo Martínez Foundation research grant for the ESCALA-SOFC project.

Name

Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno

Legal name

C.N.E.HIDROGENO Y PILAS DE COMBUSTIBLE

Website

https://cnh2.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Centro Nacional del Hidrógeno (CNH2) is Spain's national public research centre dedicated exclusively to hydrogen and fuel cell R&D, operating specialised laboratories in Puertollano (Ciudad Real). It delivers applied research, engineering, consultancy, and training services to industrial, public-sector and European consortium clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Research Services

NAICS

Basic Chemical Manufacturing (3251), Chemical Manufacturing (325)

SIC

Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Safety, Monitoring & Compliance for PtX Storage (Leak Detection, Hazard Mgmt, Standards) (EUAFAFAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Green Ammonia Storage, Handling & Terminals (Tanks, Refrigeration, Safety) (EUAFAFAA)

Keywords

• Hydrogen research services
• Fuel cell technology
• Electrolysis systems R&D
• Power-to-X e-fuels
• Hydrogen safety standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad Real

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Professional services (Consultancy, Engineering, Contract Research): CNH2 markets a service catalogue spanning consultancy, engineering, and contract research, delivered to industry and public sector clients. The website has a dedicated 'Contracting Services to CNH2' contact reason, indicating a fee-for-service revenue stream alongside its public-funded research mandate.
2. Public funding and grants (national and EU): Substantial revenue from public grants: Spanish Plan de Recuperación (component 17 and component 23), FEDER 2014-2020, Clean Hydrogen Partnership / Horizon Europe (e.g., Green Hysland Grant Agreement 101007201, IH-MIE Grant Agreement 101228317, ELEKTRA Grant Agreement 101294850, 20KELVIN EQC2024-009001-P), CDTI Misiones, ERDF co-financing, and EISMEA/I3 instrument. EU consortium project ELEKTRA has €13M budget; Hympulso has €15,576,398.45 total investment.
3. Training and capacity-building programmes: Revenue from the Hydrogen Technologies Course (80 hours, online, two editions per year) plus bespoke Specialised Technical Training programmes and Outreach Visits. Targeted at professionals, engineers, technicians, students, and institutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Centro Nacional del Hidr\u00f3geno (CNH2) is a Spanish national research centre that operates specialised laboratories and pilot plants across the entire hydrogen value chain (production via alkaline, PEM and solid-oxide electrolysis plus bioenergy; storage including LOHC; transformation via PEM and solid-oxide fuel cells and Power-to-X e-fuels; safety and standards; and end-use applications in industry, mobility and energy). On top of this infrastructure CNH2 delivers fee-based contracted consultancy, engineering and contract research services, and runs an 80-hour online Hydrogen Technologies Course plus bespoke technical training and outreach visits for industrial clients, public bodies and academia.

Product overview

Centro Nacional del Hidrógeno (CNH2) is a dedicated Spanish national research and technology centre (located in Puertollano, Ciudad Real) that operates as a platform-plus-modules offering around hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Its core consists of specialised laboratories and facilities (PEM electrolysis, alkaline electrolysis, solid oxide/SOFC/SOEC, PEM fuel cells, bioenergy, materials, LOHC, storage, integration, fab-lab and a 100 kW photovoltaic installation) organised around six R&D lines (Hydrogen Production, Hydrogen Storage, Hydrogen Transformation, Hydrogen Applications, Standards and Safety R&D, and Technology Implementation). On top of this research infrastructure it offers a structured services portfolio (Consultancy, Engineering and Contracted Research) and a training offering (the "Hydrogen Technologies" Course, Specialised Technical Training, and Outreach Visits through the "Senda del Hidrógeno"). The portfolio is delivered through major project collaborations (ELEKTRA, IH-MIE, Green Hysland, HYmpulso, SYMPHONY, ESCALA-SOFC, and many others listed under Projects in Execution and Finished Projects).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DivulgaH2: CNH2's dedicated outreach and dissemination platform for hydrogen technologies education.
• Senda del Hidrógeno
• Auto CNH2

Products and services

• Consultancy Services (Consultor\u00eda) Consultancy offering on hydrogen technologies, including technical advisory, training design, and strategic guidance for industry and institutions, delivered through CNH2's Consultancy and Training Unit.
• Engineering Services (Ingenier\u00eda)
• Contracted Research Services (Investigaci\u00f3n)
• Catalogue of Services (Cat\u00e1logo de Servicios)
• Laboratories and Facilities (Laboratorios e Instalaciones)
• Hydrogen Technologies Course (Curso Tecnolog\u00edas de Hidr\u00f3geno)

Quantifiable outcome

• First green hydrogen fuel cell installed in a hotel in Mallorca, processing at least 8 tons of green H2/year to cover >70% of thermal and >20% of electrical demand of Hotel Waves Bahía de Palma (Iberostar).
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

32 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship international event partner, strategic regional technology-centre partner, strategic international cooperation agreement, core regional academic partner, core hydrogen cluster partner, flagship hympulso project lead, flagship green hysland coordinator, key green hysland partner, flagship elektra project lead, key r&d partner across multiple projects, supporting collaborator, supporting academic collaborator, key hympulso industrial partner, hympulso consortium partner, public infrastructure observer, key elektra consortium partner, elektra consortium partner, elektra end-user industry partner, elektra engineering partner, tutoring government ministry, tutoring regional government and internal — data protection officer.

• International Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (IHFCA)flagship international event partnerGTM or Marketing Partner · 25 June 2026Co-organiser with CNH2 of HydrogenSphere 2026: Connecting the Global Hydrogen Ecosystem in Madrid (25 June 2026, Campus WPP). Brings together governments, international organisations, industry, investors and standardisation bodies to discuss demand creation, financing, hubs/corridors, and certification of the global hydrogen market.
• ITECAM (Industrial Technology Centre of Castilla-La Mancha)strategic regional technology-centre partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026Co-organiser with CNH2 of the Info Day on the IH-MIE Open Call for SMEs in hydrogen mobility. ITECAM is the Industrial Technology Centre of Castilla-La Mancha, joining CNH2 to brief SMEs on funding, cooperation and technical support available through the €1.8M IH-MIE Open Call (€60,000 per SME, TRL 6+).
• Sociedad Mexicana del Hidrógeno A.C. (Mexican Hydrogen Society)strategic international cooperation agreementStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026Long-term cooperation agreement signed on 11 March 2026 at the European Hydrogen Energy Conference 2026 in Seville, aimed at strengthening international collaboration in hydrogen and fuel cells between Spain and Mexico.
• Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)core regional academic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint promoter of the SYMPHONY project on advanced materials for symmetrical SOFCs adapted to alternative fuels, funded under the 2024 Scientific Research and Technology Transfer Project Grants call, co-financed by ERDF. Co-organiser of the 1st Mediterranean Electrochemistry School (MEDIELES 2026, 25-29 January 2026, Puertollano).
• H2CAT networkcore hydrogen cluster partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-organiser with CNH2 of the 29 April 2026 technology event 'Renewable hydrogen: connecting Castilla-La Mancha and Catalonia for CDTI Misiones projects' to foster collaboration and new hydrogen initiatives between the two regions.
• Talgoflagship hympulso project leadStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner of the Hympulso project developing a bimodal hybrid passenger train prototype using hydrogen and/or batteries with gauge-changing capability. CNH2 designed and installed an ad-hoc 600 kW fuel cell test bench for validation. Total project investment €15,576,398.45 funded under Plan de Recuperación (orden TED/1444/2021).
• Enagásflagship green hysland coordinatorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoordinator of the EU Green Hysland project (Grant Agreement 101007201) supported by the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under Horizon 2020, demonstrating the full renewable hydrogen value chain in Mallorca with 30+ European organisations.
• ACCIONAkey green hysland partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloper (with Enagás Renovable) of the solar PV hydrogen production plant in Lloseta (Mallorca) supplying green hydrogen to the Iberostar hotel fuel cell within the Green Hysland project.
• Iberdrolaflagship elektra project leadStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead partner of the EU ELEKTRA project (Grant Agreement 101294850), which develops electrified reactor technologies for low-carbon steelmaking, integrating hydrogen vectors and carbon circularity. Project budget €13M with 15 European partners.
• Tecnalia Research & Innovationkey r&d partner across multiple projectsStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EU ELEKTRA project on advanced electrification of key industrial reactions for low-carbon steelmaking. Also collaborating entity in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project.
• Fundación Tecnaliasupporting collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail transport project.
• Universidad Pontificia Comillassupporting academic collaboratorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project providing academic expertise.
• Ingeteamkey hympulso industrial partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hympulso project contributing energy electronics for fuel cell integration in the bimodal hydrogen-powered train prototype.
• Optimus 3Dhympulso consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project (additive manufacturing/3D components).
• Repsolhympulso consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project contributing energy industry expertise.
• Senerhympulso consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEngineering partner in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project.
• Golendushympulso consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project.
• Adifpublic infrastructure observerStrategic or Co-development PartnerObserver in the Hympulso hydrogen-powered rail project, contributing rail infrastructure knowledge.
• Fertiberiakey elektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerProducer of green ammonia in the EU ELEKTRA project, supplying feedstock for ammonia cracking into high-purity hydrogen for direct reduction and blast furnace applications.
• SYPOXelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner in the EU ELEKTRA project on low-carbon steelmaking.
• H2SITEelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner in the EU ELEKTRA project for low-carbon steelmaking (membrane/ammonia cracking technology).
• Johnson Mattheyelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatalyst and process technology partner in the EU ELEKTRA project for low-carbon steelmaking.
• The University of Manchesterelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in the EU ELEKTRA project on electrified reactors for low-carbon steelmaking.
• Arcelor Mittal Innovación Investigación e Inversiónelektra end-user industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnd-user industry partner in the EU ELEKTRA project, providing steel-industry validation context for new electrified reactor technologies.
• SNAMelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerGas infrastructure operator partner in the EU ELEKTRA project for low-carbon steelmaking.
• Empresarios Agrupadoselektra engineering partnerImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngineering consultancy partner in the EU ELEKTRA project for low-carbon steelmaking.
• MODELTAelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EU ELEKTRA project on electrified reactors for low-carbon steelmaking.
• 1CUBEelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EU ELEKTRA project on low-carbon steelmaking technologies.
• ZEFIRAelektra consortium partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the EU ELEKTRA project on low-carbon steelmaking.
• Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (Spain)tutoring government ministryOthersTutoring public administration: CNH2 is constituted as a public research centre dependent on Spanish ministerial and regional (Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Mancha) authorities. Logo displayed on the website footer. Co-financing comes through the Plan de Recuperación, Transformación y Resiliencia.
• Junta de Comunidades de Castilla-La Manchatutoring regional governmentOthersRegional co-financier and tutoring administration of CNH2; provides funding via the Plan Complementario de Hidrógeno Renovable and other regional programmes. Logo displayed on the website footer.
• Miguel Ángel Fernández Sánchezinternal — data protection officerOthersDelegado de Protección de Datos (Data Protection Officer) at CNH2, contactable via [email protected]. Internal compliance role, not an external commercial partner.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• H2SITE: Spanish/Basque startup developing membrane reactor technology for hydrogen production and ammonia cracking. CNH2 partner in ELEKTRA; comparable in addressing hydrogen/ammonia value chain technologies, though H2SITE is commercial and product-focused where CNH2 is research-focused.
• ITM Power: UK-based commercial manufacturer of PEM electrolysers and hydrogen refuelling stations. Comparable to CNH2's electrolyser R&D work but operates as a commercial equipment vendor, not a public R&D centre — useful for benchmarking the commercial side of hydrogen production that CNH2 researches.

Broad incumbents

• CEA-Liten (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission - Laboratory for Innovation in New Energy Technologies): French public research laboratory dedicated to new energy technologies including hydrogen, fuel cells, solar PV and batteries. Directly comparable to CNH2 in public-sector R&D mandate, hydrogen/electrolyser/fuel cell labs, and EU consortium participation, but at substantially larger scale.
• CENER (National Renewable Energy Centre of Spain): Spanish public R&D centre focused on renewable energy (wind, solar, biomass, grid). Highly comparable to CNH2 in mission, public-sector status, and consortium-based business model, but specialises in renewable generation rather than hydrogen end-to-end.
• VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland: Finnish state-owned applied R&D organisation with significant hydrogen and fuel cell programmes. Closely matches CNH2 in public-sector applied research mission, multi-disciplinary labs, and EU project participation, but operates at much larger scale.
• Fraunhofer ISE (Institute for Solar Energy Systems): Germany's leading applied R&D institute for solar energy, hydrogen production via electrolysis, and power-to-X. Comparable to CNH2 in mission, public funding model, and hydrogen production/safety research, but much larger in scale and broader in scope.

Direct peers

• ITECAM (Industrial Technology Centre of Castilla-La Mancha): Spanish regional technology centre co-located in Castilla-La Mancha, partnered with CNH2 on IH-MIE Open Call. Direct peer in mission, public co-funding model, and industrial R&D services, though focused on broader industrial technologies rather than hydrogen specifically.
• CIC energiGUNE: Spanish Basque Country research centre for energy storage, batteries, hydrogen and thermal energy. Directly comparable to CNH2 as a regional/national applied R&D centre with overlapping hydrogen research lines and a similar public-private funding mix.
• Tecnalia Research & Innovation: Spanish private applied R&D centre and CNH2's consortium partner in ELEKTRA and Hympulso. Closely comparable in mission (applied industrial R&D), business model (public co-funding plus commercial services), and Spanish/EU project focus, though with broader energy and industrial scope.

Regional players

• Fraunhofer IWES (Institute for Wind Energy Systems): German Fraunhofer institute focusing on wind energy, hydrogen production and grid integration. Comparable institutional model (German public R&D) with overlapping hydrogen-from-renewables research, but primarily German/European in geographic scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cnh2_es
• YouTubeyoutube.com/cnh2es
• Facebookfacebook.com/CNH2es
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cnh2
• Instagraminstagram.com/cnh2_spain

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Centro Nacional del Hidrogeno