Ence’s biomass renewable energy plants in Andalusia generate enough electricity to meet the domestic needs of 800,000, a population greater than the entire province of Córdoba. It is a green and sustainable energy, in addition to being manageable, which contributes to the decarbonisation of the national system, generates employment opportunities in the “Emptied Spain” and represents an environmentally responsible solution for the plant remains of agricultural activities in rural territories.
Ence manages three biomass generation facilities in Andalusia: the Huelva energy complex, which has a capacity of 137 MW, and the La Loma plants, in Jaén, (16 MW) and Lucena, in Córdoba, (27 MW). Together, last year they contributed 950,300 MWh of renewable and fully manageable electricity to the grid from the recovery of plant remains, mainly agricultural.
These types of facilities allow us to take advantage of the great opportunity posed by the global challenge of the energy transition towards a decarbonised model and contribute to meeting the renewable generation objectives established at the European and Spanish level. In addition, the entire process represents a paradigm of sustainability, betting on proximity biomass, which does not compete with other uses, managed through the Ence model, which has already been endorsed by certifications such as the SURE verification scheme.
On the other hand, the energy use of all the forest and agricultural remains in the surroundings of Ence’s plants in Andalusia has a high social impact in terms of economic stimulation and employment. According to data from the Association of Renewable Energy Companies (APPA), each megawatt installed for biomass supports 30 jobs between direct, indirect and induced, which raises the social impact of Ence’s energy activity in this autonomous community up to 5,400 jobs.
At this point, the contribution of these facilities to the fight against “Empty Spain” is evident, by creating employment and wealth in the rural environment in which they operate. In fact, on average, 85% of the direct and indirect workers of these plants are professionals from neighboring towns; and the company is committed to giving priority to suppliers located in the region in its purchasing processes, as part of its commitment to developing the environments where it operates.
Ence’s positive effects in Andalusia will be driven by the company’s new investment projects, through new plants in Huelva, Seville, Jaén, Córdoba and Almería. In El Ejido, Ence is planning a new biomass plant that will value the plant remains from greenhouse cultivation, solving the environmental problem that its management entails, and thus contributing to the circular economy in its surroundings.
Ence is the largest generator of renewable energy with biomass in Spain, with an installed capacity of 266 MW and a project portfolio of 505 MW. The company acquires, annually, 1.7 million tons of biomass, applying its own decalogue that guarantees its sustainable use as fuel, thus promoting the circular economy in rural areas. Ence’s plants, by taking advantage of local agricultural and forestry plant remains, contribute to reducing their environmental impact, solving problems in their management, and minimizing the risk of fires.
