The company is making progress on its photovoltaic projects in Andalusia, which will provide energy for its industrial facilities
- Two photovoltaic energy projects are involved and scheduled to begin construction in early 2024 in the municipalities of San Roque and Jimena de la Frontera, in the province of Cádiz
- The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge gave a positive assessment to this land use optimization and its environmental integration
- Constructing these installations will require an investment of more than 154 million euros, and over 550 jobs will be created, reaching over 900 in the peak phases of development
- Through the 'Sumamos Energías' program, Cepsa will promote job creation, training, and environmental protection, in collaboration with municipalities and local populations
Cepsa has obtained the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the construction of two photovoltaic energy projects in the province of Cádiz, totaling 257 MW. In this way, the company is making progress in Andalusia on its objective of developing its own portfolio of renewable energy projects to meet its own energy consumption.
One of the key elements that helped with the granting of this permit, the main authorization required to develop renewable projects that's issued by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, has been the company's commitment to sustainability and integration in the territory of each of the installations, optimizing and reducing to the maximum the surface area used, thanks to state-of-the-art panels that maximize the installation’s efficiency and minimize land take.
The construction of these two projects is scheduled for the beginning of 2024 in the Cádiz municipalities of San Roque (157 MW), with an investment of 94.5 million euros, and Jimena de la Frontera (100 MW), with an investment of 60 million euros. During construction, more than 550 jobs will be created, a figure that will reach over 900 during the peak phases of development. Likewise, to develop these projects, Cepsa will prioritize contracting local professionals and suppliers.
Once in operation, these plants will produce an estimated annual energy output of 540 GWh equivalent to the annual consumption of 164,000 households (similar to the domestic consumption of the province of Cádiz) and will prevent more than 216,000 tons of CO2 emissions each year.
Gerónimo de Angulo, director of photovoltaic project development at Cepsa, said: "These Environmental Impact Statements are a recognition of Cepsa's efforts not only to move towards a more sustainable energy model, but also to integrate our facilities into the region, from a landscape, ecological, and social point of view. We’ll keep working on beginning to build these projects within a few months, while working in dialogue with the different municipalities and citizens through our 'Sumamos Energías' program."
Andalusia, the cornerstone of Cepsa's transformation
Cepsa is currently promoting the development of five solar energy projects in Andalusia, with a total capacity of 600 megawatts, which will entail an investment of more than 420 million euros and the creation of 1,300 jobs during their construction. Once in operation, these projects will produce an estimated annual energy output of 1,280 GWh, equivalent to the consumption of 387,000 homes for a year, that is, the sum of the homes of the capitals of Cádiz, Málaga, Huelva, and Jaén. Furthermore, the production of this renewable energy will avoid the total annual emission of over half a million tons of CO2.
By developing its portfolio of renewable energies, the company seeks to sustainably supply the energy consumption of its industrial centers, especially for the production of green hydrogen, an energy vector in which Cepsa wants to be a leader in this decade, for which it has launched the Andalusian Green Hydrogen Valley, the largest green hydrogen project in Europe.
Renewable energies are defined within Cepsa’s 2030 Positive Motion strategy, with which the company seeks to become a leader in sustainable mobility and energy in Spain and Portugal and a benchmark in the energy transition.
Positive impact on the local environment
To promote joint work with all the municipalities that want to join in designing and developing actions that generate value and promote the socioeconomic development and natural capital of their municipality, within the framework of Cepsa's new solar projects, the company has launched the 'Sumamos Energías' program.
This program is based on co-design and transparent and proactive dialogue, with the aim of creating a tractor effect in the territory and maximum social and environmental integration. Each of these lines of action involves a series of initiatives related to the nature of the projects and adapted to the needs of each locality.
Through the development of projects for the generation of renewable energy and the promotion of the “Sumamos Energías” program, Cepsa contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda. Specifically, it contributes to SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
