The Moving2Neutrality Agenda, supported by the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), is a highly innovative integrated industrial project focused on the production of green hydrogen and biofuels to support the decarbonization of the transport sector, particularly in segments that are hard to electrify. The consortium, led by Petrogal, includes national reference entities with unrivalled knowledge and experience throughout the value chain as well as leading institutions in R&D activities at all stages of the production processes. At the heart of the M2N project are six major initiatives, four of which are focused on creating a Green Hub at Galp's production facility in Sines. These include the creation of Green Hydrogen, a Synthetic Ethanol unit, an Alcoholto-Jet unit (for cleaner aviation fuel), and a Hydroprocessing unit (to improve fuel quality). They’re also working on producing Cellulosic Ethanol and setting up a network of hydrogen refueling stations across the country.
CERENA is involved in two work packages, contributing to the broader project in two ways.
The first is a project called GrAPHy. This team is working on using renewable energy to make ammonia, a key ingredient in fertilizer. Ammonia (NH3) is currently produced from two main constituents: nitrogen (extracted from the air) and hydrogen. While hydrogen is obtained from methane, green hydrogen is planned to be intermittently available from non-fossil sources, such as from water through electrolysis powered by renewable energy. To optimize this process, a digital twin—an advanced virtual model of the plant system—will be developed to enable real-time monitoring and performance improvement.
The second workpackage is developed at CQE, with the participation of CERENA, and focuses on the development of green fuels to decarbonize maritime transport and aviation. This project explores the conversion of waste materials, such as used oils and biomass, into sustainable fuels for use in aircraft and ships. Additionally, the team is working on the creation of sulfur-free catalysts to produce cleaner fuels under industrial conditions.