Cepsa started to research and develop projects for the construction and operation of facilities for the production of biomethane from agricultural and livestock waste in order to decarbonize its industrial activities and replace natural gas consumption with this renewable gas. The company aims to manage a portfolio of projects in 2030. An ambitious target of 4 TWh per year, equivalent to enough energy for 650,000 homesThis will allow it to significantly reduce CO2 emissions from energy parks and chemical plants, as well as creating a complementary vector for the production and employment of green hydrogen in sustainable mobility. Using this renewable gas instead of fossil gas will mean the reuse of 10 million tons of waste per year and will prevent 728 thousand tons of CO2 emissions, which is equivalent to planting 8.7 million trees per year.
Within the framework of this goal, the energy company has signed an alliance with Kira Ventures, a leading Spanish company in the promotion and management of renewable energy assets, to put up to 15 biomethane plants into operation in Spain this decade. Both companies are currently working on the development of the first five companies, which will be located in Castilla-La Mancha and Castilla y León. It is expected to be operational between 2025 and 2026.
These facilities will use agricultural and livestock waste such as manure and sludge from the areas where they are established; They will be 100% sustainable as they will use electricity from renewable sources for their operations and utilize the heat produced by biogas.
Cepsa Biofuels Director Javier Antúnez said: “We continue to focus on second-generation biofuels through the development of biomethane plants. This marks another step in Cepsa’s strategy to decarbonise its operations and continue to support the energy transition. Thanks to biomethane production, we will be able to replace natural gas in industrial processes and thus advance our energy saving goal. 55% emissions of our activity“As well as contributing to the production of green hydrogen and offering a new sustainable mobility alternative.”
Alberto Rodríguez Gallego, partner of Kira Ventures, emphasized: “With this agreement, we reinforce our commitment to the development of new renewable energy vectors and contribute to the decarbonization of the sector. At Kira, we believe biomethane will play an important role To improve our country’s energy independence in the transition to a carbon neutral economy and to offer a more efficient alternative for the management of livestock and agricultural food waste. “Spain is poised to benefit from its potential in expanding this technology, and Kira Ventures aims to play a key role in this transition.”
This milestone is part of Cepsa’s 2030 strategic plan ‘Positive Action’, under which it promotes the decarbonisation of its and its customers’ activities, particularly through the production of green molecules (biofuels and green hydrogen). The company has an ambitious roadmap to reduce CO2 emissions by 55% in 2030 (scope 1 and 2) compared to 2019, and aims to be carbon neutral before 2050 through the use of biomethane in its industrial processes. The carbon intensity of energy sold will decrease by 15 to 20 percent in 2030.
Biomethane has the same properties as natural gas but allows CO2 emissions to be reduced by up to 100%. This similarity also means that it can be deposited or injected directly. Existing gas transportation network without the need to develop new infrastructure. In addition to being used to replace natural gas in industrial use, this renewable gas can also be used in the production of green hydrogen and as an alternative to sustainable mobility.
This second generation (2G) biofuel is obtained from biogas produced through a natural decomposition process (anaerobic digestion) of biodegradable organic agricultural, livestock and industrial waste. It then becomes biomethane after being purified through a technological process called upgrading.
Biomethane plants are a sustainable alternative for waste treatment, as they allow them to be repurposed for the production of renewable energy and the production of byproducts such as sustainable fertilizers or manures that can be used on agricultural land in the region. Also biomethane production facilities
contribute Sustainable economic development of the rural world and evacuated SpainTo promote two important sectors for the Spanish economy: agriculture and livestock.
The production of renewable gases is aligned with the REPowerEU initiative to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and CO2 emissions and also contributes to some of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda: SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy), SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible production and consumption) and Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate action).
Cepsa is a leading international company committed to sustainable mobility and energy, with solid technical experience after more than 90 years of operation. The company also has a world-leading chemicals business that operates increasingly sustainably.
In 2022, Cepsa presented its new 2030 strategic plan, Positive Motion, reflecting its goal of becoming a leader in the market. Sustainable mobility, biofuels and green hydrogen in Spain and PortugalTo be a reference for energy transformation. The company puts customers at the heart of its business and will work with them to help them advance their decarbonisation goals.
ESG criteria inspire everything Cepsa does to move towards its Net Positive goal. This decade, it will reduce CO2 emissions in scopes 1 and 2 by 55% and the carbon intensity index by 15% to 20%, with the aim of reaching zero net emissions by 2050.