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Agreement to optimise energy consumption and reduce the carbon footprint

2021-02-16 00:00:00.0

Iberdrola and Porcelanosa are working together on electrification and green hydrogen projects to decarbonise ceramic production

Ignacio Galán en las oficinas de Iberdrola en Valencia

The plan entails analysing and developing innovative solutions such as high-efficiency heat pumps in dryers and supplies of green energy in atomisers and hybrid ovens

Iberdrola and Porcelanosa have decided to join forces and work together on electrification projects for this industry, which will drive the decarbonisation of ceramic production in line with EU objectives and the fight against climate change.

The companies have agreed to conduct joint research into energy solutions for the ceramic firm’s plants, such as maximum efficiency, high-temperature heat pumps in driers, as well as the combined use of renewable energy and a green hydrogen supply to reach the temperatures required in atomisers and hybrid ovens.

This will help to drive the electrification of the ceramic company’s production process by improving energy efficiency and making use of residual heat.

Iberdrola will support Porcelanosa’s decarbonisation plan to the extent that energy solutions and consumption at the company's plants will be improved by using sources of energy that do not produce CO₂ emissions. The analysis will also include the installation of a self-consumption photovoltaic plant on the premises.

The energy company will also help to develop projects and the necessary engineering to support the execution of these innovative decarbonisation projects, which may also be eligible in calls for applications for European, national and regional public grants.

Green innovation to transform the industrial sector

Iberdrola is certain that the energy transition can be a driving force in the transformation of the industrial sector and for a green recovery in the economy and the job market. The company has thus launched an unprecedented investment plan worth €75 bn for the 2020-2025 period, with the aim of doubling its renewable capacity and taking advantage of the opportunities presented by the energy revolution faced by the world's main economies.

Investments in Spain for the period amount to around €14.3 bn, half of which (more than €7 bn), will be spent developing new renewable energy projects, while more than 4.5 bn will go towards strengthening and digitalising its electricity grids.

After 20 years promoting the energy transition in Spain, Iberdrola leads in renewable energy in the country, with an installed renewable capacity exceeding 16,700 MW as of September 2020 - an amount that totals more than 35,000 MW worldwide, making its generation facilities among the cleanest in the energy sector.

Iberdrola manages more than 2,100 MW of installed renewable power in the Community of Valencia, where Europe’s largest pump station, its Cortes-La Muela complex, is its maximum exponent.

It is also making progress with the formalities required for its first photovoltaic projects in the region, to a total of 450 megawatts (MW) representing an investment of more than 230 million euros.

With CO₂/kWh emissions already two thirds lower than the European average, the investment strategy in clean energy and grids will make Iberdrola a "carbon neutral" company in Europe by 2030.

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About Iberdrola

Iberdrola is a global energy leader, the world's largest wind power producer and one of the largest electricity companies by market capitalisation in the world. The Group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in numerous countries including Spain, the United Kingdom (ScottishPower), the United States (AVANGRID), Brazil (Neoenergia), Mexico, Germany, Portugal, Italy and France. With a workforce of more than 35,000 and assets in excess of €122 billion, it recorded a turnover of over €36.4 billion and a net profit slightly in excess of €3.4 billion in 2019.

Iberdrola is leading the transition towards a sustainable energy model through its investments in renewable energy, smart grids, large-scale energy storage and digital transformation, to offer the most advanced products and services to customers. Thanks to its commitment to clean energy, Iberdrola is one of the companies with the lowest emissions and an international benchmark due to its contribution to the fight against climate change and to sustainability.

About Porcelanosa

Porcelanosa is a holding company made up of eight companies and 1,082 points of sale in 134 countries. It is a world leader in the manufacture, distribution and marketing of ceramic floor and wall tiles, as well as new generation kitchens, bathroom equipment, ventilated façades, wood, marble and compact minerals such as Krion®. This multinational company with 48 years of experience has a workforce of around 5,000 people and its annual turnover reached 850 million euros in 2019, growing exponentially in the Spanish, British, Portuguese and US markets.

Porcelanosa has opted for business diversification, which has enabled it to take its brand around the world with design, innovation, technology and sustainability as its main pillars. Committed to the environment and to reducing its carbon footprint, the company has refocused its production lines towards a green model called Eco Conscious, which seeks to optimise natural resources and achieve climate neutrality through waste recycling, energy co-generation and the reuse of industrial water.