Editor's Note
This editor’s note highlights the key facts and market implications behind “Orange.bat Green Hydrogen Project for Tile Indus”, with emphasis on sourcing, product fit, fabrication, logistics, or buyer impact.
The Orange.bat project, promoted by the Swiss multinational Smartenergy Group in Onda for the installation of a green hydrogen plant, takes a new step towards its commissioning in 2028. After obtaining environmental authorization in 2025 and an injection of over 80 million euros in European funds, the project, which aims to be decisive in the decarbonization process of the ceramic sector, now faces the construction of the distribution network to deliver renewable energy to one of the main nodes of the ceramic cluster: the towns of Onda, Vila-real and Betxí.
The company Redexis, which participates in the project alongside Smartenergy, has requested administrative authorization and approval for the execution project of this new isolated renewable hydrogen distribution network. This will involve the installation of nearly 29 kilometers of pipelines with a budget of 3,228,276 euros.
The Ministry of Environment, Infrastructure, Territory and Recovery, through the Territorial Service of Industry, Energy and Mines, has submitted this request for public information and has opened a 20-day period for the submission of objections.
Project Characteristics
The hydrogen pipeline project associated with the Orange.bat plant envisages the construction of a distribution network to transport green hydrogen from the El Colomer industrial estate in Onda to the industrial areas of Onda, Vila-real and Betxí, the core of the ceramic cluster. The infrastructure, promoted by Redexis, is part of the European strategy to promote renewable hydrogen as a key energy vector for decarbonization.
The route, with a total length of 28.7 kilometers, is divided into several branches and spurs built in steel, with diameters between 4 and 10 inches, according to the project which is on public display. Most of it runs through Onda (22.3 km), with extensions in Vila-real (3 km) and Betxí (3.4 km). The system will have a planned supply flow rate of nearly 142,000 m³/h and will start from the future production plant, from where it will be distributed to the various industrial estates.
The project defines both the technical characteristics and the execution criteria for the infrastructure and its auxiliary facilities, with the aim of obtaining the necessary administrative and environmental authorizations and integrating into the energy network as an installation of general interest.
The promoters' objective is to advance this distribution network in parallel with the processing and execution of the green hydrogen plant to be located in Onda, so that the deadlines for the commissioning of the infrastructure, scheduled for 2028, are met. The Orange.bat green hydrogen plant in Onda already has integrated environmental authorization since June and plans to start construction in 2027 to become operational in May 2028.
The installation, located in the El Colomer industrial estate, will have a 100 MWe electrolyzer capable of producing over 16,400 tons of green hydrogen annually, intended both for the ceramic industry of Plana Baixa and for the future H2Med network. The investment amounts to 180 million euros, of which 82 million will come from European funds, with the aim of promoting industrial decarbonization and replacing gas with clean energy.
The project foresees the plant operating almost continuously, with about 8,500 hours per year, incorporating scheduled maintenance stops. It will have an electrolyzer composed of 10 modules of 10 MW each (100 MW in total), which will allow reaching a production of over 16,400 tons of green hydrogen annually.
Furthermore, recently, the L'Alcora City Council has promoted a modification of the industrial land ordinances to facilitate the diversification of economic activities and enable the implementation of new projects, including a potential future second phase of the Orange.bat green hydrogen plant.
Source: Read the original article | Published: April 17, 2026