Enagás invests in digHy to accelerate renewable hydrogen plant design software and operational certification
Strategic Investment in Hydrogen Design Infrastructure
Enagás Emprende, the corporate venture capital arm of Spain's major gas infrastructure operator, has invested in digHy, a Galician software startup developing design and operational tools for renewable hydrogen and Power-to-X (P2X) plants. The investment will fund expansion of digHy's technical team and accelerate development of its design platform and a new operational certification module. This move signals infrastructure operators' recognition that software-driven project optimisation is critical to scaling hydrogen production across Europe.
digHy's platform addresses a fundamental gap in hydrogen project development. Developers currently lack integrated tools to answer three essential questions before capital commitment: optimal site location, plant dimensioning, and production cost forecasting. The software combines hourly-modelled solar and wind resource mapping, full-lifecycle plant simulation, design optimisation, and automated technical documentation generation with complete data traceability for financing, subsidy applications, and project sales.
Operational and Certification Advantage
The new operational module under development will optimise real-time plant performance and automate sustainability certification of each molecule produced. This addresses a critical regulatory requirement: under EU frameworks, hydrogen and e-fuel production only counts towards European climate targets if certified as genuinely sustainable. Spain is currently defining accreditation standards for this certification, making timing strategically important for early-stage operators seeking to demonstrate compliance and unlock regulatory incentives.
Brais Armiño, digHy's CEO, emphasises that current project analysis excludes half the variables determining long-term returns, including grid services, certification strategy, and lifecycle performance. Integrated software tools eliminate this analytical blind spot, enabling developers to compete on precision and financial rigour rather than incomplete assumptions.
Market Positioning and Investor Implications
digHy already serves national and international clients using the platform for competitive project design. The Enagás backing provides credibility and market access through Spain's largest gas infrastructure network, positioning the software as a standard tool for hydrogen project developers across Europe. For investors evaluating hydrogen projects, digHy's platform reduces technical and financial risk by enabling detailed lifecycle cost modelling and regulatory compliance verification before capital deployment.
The investment reflects broader recognition that hydrogen infrastructure requires software-driven optimisation to achieve cost competitiveness. As EU hydrogen production targets accelerate and member states define certification frameworks, developers using integrated design and certification tools will move faster through permitting and financing cycles than competitors relying on fragmented analysis.
What to Monitor
Watch for digHy's operational certification module launch and Spain's finalisation of hydrogen accreditation standards. These developments will determine how quickly projects can transition from design to regulatory recognition and subsidy eligibility. Track Enagás's use of digHy tools across its own hydrogen development pipeline, as this will signal confidence in the platform's commercial viability and may influence adoption rates among other infrastructure operators and project developers across the EU.