Spain’s Science and Innovation Minister visits Repsol's industrial transformation projects in Puertollano
Spain’s Minister of Science and Innovation, Pedro Duque, today visited the Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano (Ciudad Real), accompanied by the Chairman of the multi-energy company, Antonio Brufau. Duque learned about Repsol's strategic lines of action to transform and diversify its businesses, to advance the energy transition and achieve the goal of zero net emissions by 2050.
The visit was also attended by the Mayor of Puertollano, Isabel Rodríguez, the Subdelegate of the Government, María Ángeles Herreros, the Regional Minister of Education, Culture and Sports of the Government of Castilla-La Mancha, Rosa Ana Rodríguez, and the Regional Minister of Public Works, Nacho Hernando, among other authorities.
During the visit, Antonio Brufau told the authorities about Repsol’s vectors to transform its industrial businesses and turn centers such as the Puertollano Industrial Complex into multi-energy centers, in accordance with the 2021-2025 Strategic Plan, presented by the company on November 26.
Repsol will rely on four main pillars for this transformation: energy efficiency, circular economy, renewable hydrogen, and the capture and use of CO2. The goal is to move towards a de-carbonization of the economy while promoting a new industrial drive based on digitization and technology, and a firm commitment to the productive fabric focused on the strengths of the company and Spain.
The 2021-2025 Strategic Plan contemplates total investment of €18.3 billion between 2021 and 2025. The industrial area will maintain its high competitiveness and leading assets in Europe. The business will build new platforms in carbon-neutral businesses and will reduce its emissions by more than two million tons of CO2. At its Puertollano Industrial Complex, Repsol's planned investment in decarbonization and circular economy projects will amount to more than €700 million during the five-year Strategic Plan.
Investments in these projects demonstrate how decarbonization, approached from a technologically neutral perspective, will guarantee the future and profitability of the Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano.
Economic growth and job creation engine
Antonio Brufau, who was accompanied by the Refining Executive Managing Director, Juan Antonio Carrillo de Albornoz, and the Director of the Puertollano Industrial Complex, Rosa Juárez, cited examples that include the production of the first batch of biojet in the Spanish market or the manufacture of recycled polyolefins through its Chemicals unit Repsol Reciclex range, two of the initiatives carried out recently in Puertollano.
At this industrial center, Repsol is also planning other cutting-edge solutions in decarbonization, such as the installation of a renewable hydrogen production plant using photoelectrocatalysis, a technology it is developing together with its partner Enagás.
The production of hydrogen from renewable energy sources is a very important step in the development of new technologies and an advance in generating products with a low, zero or even negative carbon footprint.
Another fundamental vector is energy efficiency as a tool to reduce CO2 emissions and contribute to the goal of zero net emissions. Last year the Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano achieved a reduction of 20,000 tons of CO2, after investing more than eight million euros. In total, Repsol invested more than €75 million in projects related to improving energy efficiency, the environment, safety, and competitiveness at its Puertollano facilities.
Repsol is one of the main engines of economic growth and job creation in the Castilla-La Mancha region of Spain. The Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano, with a very versatile productive scheme and a highly qualified human team, directly employs 1,500 people and 1,100 professionals from auxiliary companies.
Before visiting the Repsol Industrial Complex in Puertollano, the Minister of Science and Innovation participated in an event at the National Hydrogen Center, also located in Puertollano. Renewable hydrogen will be another important vector for the decarbonization of industry. Repsol's ambition is to be the leader in renewable hydrogen in the Iberian Peninsula to reach a production equivalent of 400 MW in 2025, with the forecast of exceeding 1.2 GW in 2030.