The Repsol Foundation and the University of Castilla-La Mancha (UCLM)) They have presented a new one in Ciudad Real Chair on waste utilization and biomass valorization, The initiative aims to foster dialogue and collaboration around these solutions as drivers of the energy transition and industrial competitiveness. It was announced during the event. “Waste and biomass valorization: connecting research, industry and competitiveness”, held at the Rectorate of the UCLM.
The new chair was established to strengthen the connection between universities, businesses, and institutions in a strategic area for advancing towards a circular and low-carbon economy. During the event, some of the main challenges affecting the industrial deployment of these solutions were addressed, such as the sustainable and scalable availability of biomass, the logistical efficiency of the supply chain, the technological adaptation of processes, economic competitiveness, and the need for a stable regulatory framework.
He participated in the event AVEBIOM, represented by Elias Hernandez, within the panel “Innovation in biomass and waste: industrial impact, local development and opportunities for the territory”, in which he shared a table with representatives from Repsol, ASAJA, Sercampo, the Valdemingómez Technology Park and the Puertollano City Council.
During his speech, Elías Hernández emphasized the importance of structuring the resource chain in the territory and to generate synergies between the agri-food and industrial sectors so that biomass can consolidate itself as a competitive and replicable solution. As an example, he cited the project of ACOR, where a large biomass cogeneration plant will become operational in the coming months, using 110,000 tons of biomass, 50,000 of which will come from agricultural waste supplied by the cooperative's 4,200 farmers. As explained, this project will allow them to replace 400,000 MWh of gas from biomass, avoid 100,000 tons of CO₂ and create 150 jobs throughout the value chain, with an investment of 160 million euros.
Furthermore, when discussing how to transfer these advances to other territories and sectors, Hernández specifically cited the cases of García Carrión, ACOR and Solvay He cited examples of heat-intensive industrial processes where biomass is already replacing fossil fuels. He pointed out that these types of experiences demonstrate not only the technical feasibility of the change, but also its capacity to generate economic activity in the surrounding area, maintain value in the territory, and benefit local SMEs, farmers, and ranchers.
AVEBIOM also raised the need for the certification and validation of biomass sustainability, currently verified through voluntary schemes such as SURE, Take into account the realities of local waste and avoid unnecessary bureaucratic burdens for producers. The goal, Hernández noted, is to facilitate the incorporation of more biomass resources into new energy and industrial value chains.
