Heineken Spain and the company Solatom Indertec (CSIN) inaugurated yesterday in Valencia what they present as “the largest solar thermal plant for industrial use in the world in the Fresnel category.” Located on the grounds of the brewery’s factory in Quart de Poblet, the plant uses “cutting-edge technology” developed in Valencia and represents new progress in the brewery’s ambitious goal of using 100% renewable energy in production by 2025 in Spain. , as well as reaching zero emissions throughout the value chain in 2040 at a global level.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by President Carlos Mazón, as well as the mayor of Quart de Poblet, Cristina Mora; and the director of Corporate Affairs of Heineken Spain and president of its Cruzcampo Foundation, Carmen Ponce; as well as Miguel Frasquet, technical director of CSIN and co-founder and CEO of Solatom.
At the event, Mazón pointed out that this project means placing “Valencian science at the service of industry, employment and economic growth” and highlighted that it generates stability in employment, both in Quart de Poblet and in Valencia and throughout the Community. Valencian.
Likewise, he stressed the importance of public-private collaboration in the promotion of renewable energy and sustainability and assured that projects of this magnitude require “a favorable regulatory framework, with adequate incentives and close cooperation between companies and administrations.”
With this new solar thermal plant, built in eight months, the brewery plans to avoid the emission of almost 1,300 tons of CO2e per year. When it is at full capacity at the end of 2024, the Quart de Poblet factory will be able to operate with 42% renewable energy, coming from both electricity and thermal energy.
“In 2020 we became the first brewery to make its products with 100% renewable electricity. And we will not rest until we make all the energy we use in production, with projects such as the two solar thermal plants that we have inaugurated in the last six months, first in our factory in Seville and now in Valencia,” declared the Director of Affairs. Corporate of the firm.
The project has a total investment of 3 million euros and has been financed 48% with FEDER funds through the IDAE. It is formalized through a long-term energy purchase agreement or contract between Heineken Spain and CSIN, which guarantees the brewery a supply of completely renewable solar thermal energy for the next 15 years.
The company highlights that 83% of the components are of local origin and that their development has allowed the creation of more than 160 jobs in the process and the involvement of 63 Spanish companies. Among them, CSIN stands out, formed by the energy project construction company Interdec and the Valencian technology startup Solatom; or the Valencian MIPESA, responsible for the machining of the Fresnel collector structure.
In addition, Plumbing Industrial Mariola de Alcoy, in charge of the hydraulics of the solar field, and Instalaciones Torrijos de Bétera, responsible for the connection to the boiler room, among other companies, have also contributed to the construction of the plant.