Basque industry launches first phase of actions to achieve net zero emissions

Representatives of the refinery (Energy Cluster), cement (Aclima), iron and steel (Siderex), foundry (AFV) and paper (Basque Paper Cluster) sectors met in San Sebastian to finalise the first phase of actions of the initiative Basque Net Zero Industrial Super Cluster launched last autumn to “achieve net zero emissions targets by 2050”.

The meeting was attended by the Minster for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Arantxa Tapia, and representatives of SPRI, and it has established the work plan to be developed in the coming months, in which Iberdrola and Petronor will play an important role as driving entities through the sharing of lines of activity that they develop or plan to launch to promote the decarbonisation of these sectors, among other actions.

The work plan designed for the development of the first phase of the Initiative, which is expected to run from April 2022 to April 2023, is structured in six work areas:

• Four sequential areas of work, aimed at:
  • Identifying the industrial processes with the highest energy consumption in the five prioritised industrial subsectors.
  • Specifying possible technologies and measures to reduce CO2 emissions associated with energy consumption in this process.
  • Evaluating the current or potential value chain in the Basque Country for the development and supply of the technologies and measures identified.
  • Identifying and defining possible pilot and demonstration projects for the application of technological solutions in the industrial processes analysed.
• Two cross-cutting areas of work consisting of the:
  • Definition of the management and monitoring bodies for the actions of the Basque Net Zero Industrial Super Cluster.
  • Communication and international positioning of the Initiative.

In order to make progress in the development of the identified works, the participants of the Basque Net Zero Industrial Cluster have agreed, through SPRI, that in the coming weeks they will coordinate the publication of a tender for technical support for the development of the work of this first phase, which is expected to take effect between April 2022 and April 2023.

Presented by the Minister for Economic Development, Sustainability and the Environment of the Basque Government Arantxa Tapia in the Basque Countryon 28th October and in the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2021-COP26 held in Glasgow on 3rd and 4th November 2021.The “Basque Net Zero Industrial Super Cluster” initiative is one of the four regional projects invited to take part in the initiative promoted by the World Economic Forum to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Specifically, the “Transitioning Industrial Clusters towards Net Zero” initiative, promoted by the World Economic Forum, aims to highlight the achievements of industrial clusters in the transition to net zero emissions and, in this way, to motivate and offer experiences and good practices to other clusters so they can take on commitments in the transition to net zero emissions.

With almost 80% of the world economy now committed to achieving net zero emissions, it is urgent to act to meet this ambitious goal, and it is essential that companies in the various industrial sectors, especially those with high energy consumption (and therefore the CO2 emissions associated with such consumption), play a key role in fulfilling these commitments.