The President of the Board of Castilla-La Mancha, Emiliano García-Page, today opened in Puertollano the new renewable energy generation plant with low emission biomass of 50 MW of Ence in the town of La Mancha, in an act that has told with the presence of the Mayor of Puertollano, Isabel Rodríguez García, as well as the President of the company, Ignacio Colmenares, and the President of Honor, Juan Luis Arregui.
In his speech, Emiliano García-Page, stressed that “we are facing a project that is committed to the revitalization of a city that has been industrial capital, and has been especially linked to the energy sector. With its implementation, employment is created and the trauma that constituted the closure of Elcogás for this municipality is restored ”. He also stressed that “the profitability of clean energy and the circular use of natural resources, such as that of this project, is enormous, and in Castilla-La Mancha we must take advantage of it.”
Ignacio Colmenares stressed in his speech that the project “constitutes an example of a contribution to the just energy transition thanks to the acquisition of Ence in 2017 of the site of the former Elcogás thermal power plant, for the construction of this new renewable biomass generation plant . A project that is in line with the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 and that has allowed us to maintain quality industrial employment, which contributes to the revitalization of the economy of the area and that favors the decarbonization of our energy system ” .
The event was also attended by the Minister of Economy, Business and Employment, Patricia Franco Jiménez, the Minister of Sustainable Development, José Luis Escudero Palomo, and the President of the Diputación de Ciudad Real, José Manuel Caballero Serrano.
An example of just energy transition
The new 50 MW biomass generation plant is a clear example of a just energy transition, contributing very positively to the environment. In fact, it stands out for its high generation of direct, indirect and induced employment (about 27 jobs per installed MW). It will produce an estimated 325,000 MWh / year, equivalent to the energy needs of more than 60,000 people. To do this, it will consume around 238,000 tons / year of biomass, among which is pomace, vine shoots and shoots, olive leaf, and woody forest and agricultural remains.
All of this biomass will comply with the Decalogue of Ence for the Sustainability of Biomass as a Fuel, a pioneering initiative in the Spanish company launched to guarantee its commitment to sustainability in the use of biomass and the care of the environment in the use from this renewable energy source. In addition, the activity of the Puertollano plant will allow a strong reduction in the uncontrolled burning of agricultural stubble – which has a high environmental impact -, while contributing to the maintenance of more than 1,300 direct, indirect and indirect jobs. induced, most of them in rural areas. These jobs will be added to the 500 direct jobs generated by the plant during its construction.
Ence has made an investment of about € 100 million in its new plant that has the Best Available Techniques to guarantee a permanent respect for the environment and the highest levels of energy efficiency in such an installation.
