The challenge of energy transition in companies in Castilla-La Mancha, under debate in Puertollano
The minister for Sustainable Development of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, José Luis Escudero, highlighted the regional government's commitment to a new, more streamlined, efficient, and sustainable energy model, in which companies play an essential role.
For his part, the executive managing director of the Repsol Foundation, António Calçada, reflected on the importance of visualizing the energy transition from a cost-efficiency approach and relying on technological innovation to achieve it.
The of Industrial Transformation and Circular Economy at Repsol, Juan Abascal, spoke about the multi-energy company’s strategy to transform the Puertollano Industrial Complex into a multi-energy hub capable of generating products with a low, zero, or even negative carbon footprint.
In addition, during the conference, some of the main companies of Castilla-La Mancha discussed the most relevant issues of their progress towards a decarbonized, sustainable, and smart economy in Castilla-La Mancha.
This morning saw the start of the conference “The challenge of the energy transition in companies in Castilla-La Mancha,” promoted by the Repsol Foundation, the Regional Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Castilla La Mancha CECAM – CEOE, the Council of Official Chambers of Commerce, Industry, and Services of Castilla-La Mancha to analyze, over today and tomorrow, the roadmap for companies in terms of sustainability, as well as the future in the field of the circular economy, renewable power generation, the role of hydrogen, and the role that digitalization will play in the decarbonization process.
The institutional opening of the first session of the conference was given by the minister for Sustainable Development of the Regional Government of Castilla-La Mancha, José Luis Escudero; the executive managing director of the Repsol Foundation, António Calçada; the executive managing director of Industrial Transformation and the Circular Economy at Repsol, Juan Abascal; the mayor of Puertollano, Adolfo Muñiz; the vice chairman of the Confederation of Chambers of Commerce of Castilla-La Mancha, José Manuel Campillo, and the vice secretary of the Regional Confederation of Entrepreneurs of Castilla-La Mancha CECAM – CEOE, Carlos Marín.
In his talk, António Calçada pointed out that the road to decarbonization will lead companies to undertake a deep transformation process, but always maintaining their competitiveness and the employment of thousands of families. In addition, he stressed that “we should not focus exclusively on electrification, which is very necessary, but we must also accelerate other types of renewable fuel development technologies and using hydrogen for manufacturing synthetic fuels, since only these technologies will help us to decarbonize sectors such as aviation, heavy transportation, and shipping, and the steel and cement sector, among others.”
In line with this speech, Repsol's executive managing director of Industrial Transformation and the Circular Economy, Juan Abascal underlined the concept of technological neutrality, and how companies and administrations should promote it because only “by enabling the development of innovation, science, and the different technological routes will we be able to promote a rapid, efficient, and competitive energy transition.”
At Repsol, Abascal said, “our goal is to be a net zero emissions company by 2050 and, to achieve that goal, we must replace hydrocarbons with other energy sources, carbon obtained from waste, hydrogen, and renewable electricity,” in short, supporting all energy vectors and technologies.
In Spain and Castilla-La Mancha, Abascal said, “we have the natural resources, the technological and industrial capabilities, as well as the social support” to make this possible. He also advocated for promoting public-private sector collaboration and more stable and specific regulations.
For his part, the minister for Sustainable Development of the Regional Government of Castilla- La Mancha, José Luis Escudero, noted that the regional government's goal is to continue advancing “towards a new, more streamlined, efficient, and sustainable energy model, in which our companies play an essential role based on the development and implementation of renewable energy with which they will not only contribute to reducing emissions, but also to reducing their energy consumption and expenditure.”
Finally, the mayor of Puertollano, Adolfo Muñiz, who gave the initial welcome to the conference, emphasized the relevant role of industry in the city. Puertollano, he said, “is a prime industrial, technological, and sustainable hub and a city of the future,” and added that “industry presents us with a ray of hope and teaches us that we still have something to add through a qualified population and powerful investment and research to take on the future in terms sustainability.”
In today’s session, some of the most relevant companies from Castilla-La Mancha presented their views on the various challenges they face in terms of the energy transition, sustainability, and the circular economy in the process of decarbonization.
The first roundtables opened the debate on the leading projects in circular economy promoted by companies in the region whose purpose is to contribute to a resilient, inclusive, and territorially cohesive energy transition. During the event, the director of the Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano, Arsenio Salvador, noted that the industrial complex aspires to become a benchmark in the circular economy.
Arsenio Salvador highlighted the experience of the industrial complex that for 70 years has known how to transform and adapt to new processes, new technologies, and the demands of society. The new challenge of the energy transition is being taken on with different technological approaches where new energy types support the production of new materials with a lower carbon footprint. He highlighted relevant circular economy projects such as those focused on producing renewable fuels from waste, manufacturing recycled plastic materials, and recovering other types of waste, such as polyurethane foams, for which the first mattress foam recovery plant in Spain is already under construction.
Finally, under the title “Renewable generation, an opportunity for companies in Castilla-La Mancha,” several speakers discussed the renewable generation projects currently being implemented in the region. For Repsol, the development of the Kappa photovoltaic park, located in Manzanares in Ciudad Real, was discussed.
This conference is part of the activities promoted by Open Room, the Repsol Foundation’s digital community on energy transition, which aims to promote knowledge and debate on a fair and inclusive energy transition. This community is an “open digital space” for sharing knowledge and raising awareness. Its “permanent forum” is where members can access the questions and answers about the challenges and opportunities of the energy transition from prestigious experts and institutions from all spheres: public, private, academic, and social.
About the Repsol Foundation
The Repsol Foundation implements projects focused on the energy transition and society to help create a more sustainable future, carrying out its strategy in four lines of action:
- Investing in companies working for a sustainable and inclusive energy transition, generating a triple positive impact: environmental, social, and economic.
- A business accelerator to support innovative technology-based solutions in energy and mobility.
- Disseminating knowledge about the energy transition through the Open Room digital platform, a network of Energy Transition Education and Research Program at prestigious universities, and Zinkers, its digital education program to raise awareness among young people about the challenges of the future of energy.
- Promoting social and volunteering projects related to the energy transition and climate change, which drive social development.