The Supreme Court has confirmed the legality of the extraordinary extension of the Ence – Energía y Celulosa biofactory concession in Pontevedra. This is established in the judgments handed down by the High Court in relation to the two appeals admitted for processing.
The company wants to express, through this statement, its satisfaction with this judicial decision.
The judgments of the Supreme Court clear up the uncertainty about the future of this facility and the 5,100 families linked to its activity. Likewise, they provide the company with the necessary security to undertake its future plans in this biofactory.
The company will continue to focus on creating sustainable wealth and employment in Galicia through the activity of this plant, which will always remain at the forefront of efficiency, best available technologies and sustainability.
The reversal of asset impairments and expense provisions recorded in the 2021 financial statements, as a result of the National Court rulings, will have an estimated positive impact of €169 million on the company’s profit in 2022.
Ence celebrates that this biofactory will be part of the future of Pontevedra and Galicia. A future to which the company wants to add value, contributing to sustainable development and including and listening to everyone.
For this reason, Ence is going to proactively engage in an open dialogue with the society with which it lives. “We want to continue listening to everyone’s voice, responding to the concerns of our environment so that, together, we are able to make visible everything we contribute to this community, as well as to continue advancing and improving,” said the president of Ence, Ignacio Colmenares. , after knowing the meaning of the judgments of the Supreme Court.
“This invitation to dialogue and active listening also includes the groups most critical of the activity of Ence Pontevedra, who we will invite to meet with us again, to find meeting points and ways of collaboration, for the benefit of all of society. “, has added.
The company’s commitment to Pontevedra and its surroundings remains alive and, once the uncertainties are cleared up, it will once again be reflected in the Social Plan that Ence develops in this region and that it immediately reactivates.
Ence’s firm commitment to Pontevedra is also evidenced by initiatives such as the solution designed in recent months to respond to temporary drought episodes, such as last summer. This solution, fully aligned with the circular bioeconomy, is based on the recovery and regeneration of water from the Pontevedra Wastewater Treatment Plant (EDAR), as well as on the biofactory water recirculation project.
BET ON NAVIA AND AS PONTES
Ence maintains and redoubles its commitment to Galicia and the circular bioeconomy. In parallel to the activity of its biofactory in Pontevedra, the company has begun studies and engineering for the start-up of a recycling and biomaterials bioplant in As Pontes.
It is a project fully aligned with the Just Transition, which will be self-sufficient with renewable energy and whose production process will be fully sustainable, with a minimum consumption of natural resources.
An innovative project that, in a novel way, will give rise to products capable of combining bleached recycled fiber and cellulose produced by Ence, without requiring new plantations, since its fundamental raw material will not be wood, but cardboard and paper recovered.
Likewise, Ence has recently announced the creation, start-up and development of a new subsidiary, Ence Biogas. A project to develop, build and operate 20 biomethane plants in different parts of the Spanish geography.
In addition, Ence continues to bet on the development of electricity generation plants with biomass, photovoltaics and storage, as well as being an important player in the decarbonisation of Spanish industry, providing energy solutions to replace, with renewable energy, the thermal energy generated with fossil fuels.
On the other hand, the company continues with its firm commitment to its biofactory in Navia (Asturias) and with the execution of the “Navia Excelente” project. An investment plan of more than €105 million of estimated investment, fully aligned with the circular bioeconomy, which includes different projects, focused on the promotion of differentiated products; in the diversification in Fluff cellulose (special for absorbent hygienic products); and an innovative decarbonization project.
