Industries for Climate Action

Project name Industries for Climate Action
01/12/2021 - 30/05/2022
Beneficiaries
  • Companies of Catalonia's industrial sector
  • Citizens
Social networks :

Description

This is a collaborative project between companies geared to develop a strategic promotion of the decarbonization of Catalonia’s industries. The objective is to replace it with the use of bioenergy, with the help of the region’s voluntary sector. This project will boost the creation of local employment, an improvement in the competitiveness in the industrial sector and a better territorial sustainability.

Catalonia is one of the European regions with the highest risk of forest fires due to being in a Mediterranean climate, as it has vast areas of forests and these have been poorly managed for years. Fires have shaped and been a part of our landscapes just as much as the socio-economic structure and human activity has. However, climate change is accelerating the development of large forest fires, which can lead to irreversible changes in our landscape and serious damage to the socio-economic structure that occupies it. Therefore, we must put all the mechanisms into play and use any tool within our reach to be able to minimise these harmful fires.

The valorisation of biomass is precisely one of the most important ways for taking action. The promotion of its use for industrial heat production is, without a doubt, the main mechanism which will allow us to reduce the amount of fuel that our forests (that have been barely taken care of) must deal with.

In a context of the energy transition of the industry sector, all the sources of renewable energy will be needed in order to increase the energy autonomy, to be able to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and to not depend on fossil fuel. Among the renewable energies, biomass is the main source that can, on one hand, help reduce emissions and promote a greater economic competitiveness to the industry and, at the same time, contribute to a sustainable management of our forests, helping prevent large forest fires and protecting our landscapes. Industries changing the fossil energy source for biomass will play a key role in mitigating climate change in Catalonia and preserving the quality of its landscapes.

Catalonia, in fact, already has a multitude of industrial companies that have switched from fossil fuel to biomass for heat production. Since it’s one of the regions with the highest density of industries in southern Europe, this has become an opportunity for a bigger number of companies. Many of them are already aware of the social and environmental impact they have in their territory by using biomass, although they could go further and incorporate biomass energy as a key vector of corporate sustainability to explain to the market how they are becoming leading companies in climate action and, in particular, for the prevention of large forest fires. Consumers are growing more and more aware of the impact of their purchasing decisions and of the power they hold in promoting a more sustainable economic model. This awareness can encourage the change to biomass in many companies.

Currently in Catalonia there are more than 25 industrial facilities fuelled by forest biomass, although the amount of this kind of facilities that could have biomass-fuelling implemented in them is enormous, which is why this has become a strategic project to boost the consumption of biomass in Catalonia at a sectoral level.

ECOSERVEIS' ROLE

Ecoserveis is leading the selection of industrial companies interested in the project, the development of the marketing and promotion campaign “Industries for Climate Action” as well as the study of participatory and sustainable financing. Finally, Ecoservies will also take part in the analysis of the current situation and the results obtained during the campaign.

Objectives

The main aim of this project is to promote the decarbonization of the industry sector through bioenergy, counting with the participation of the voluntary sector, so that there is an increase in local employment and a better and more sustainable competitiveness of the industries of the region.

The objectives are properly listed below:

  1. To make a study of the current use of biomass for industrial heating and its contribution to climate change mitigation.
  2. To design a model of the production and supply chain for the development of industrial projects, with the participation of companies from the voluntary sector, in order to offer biomass of a “social” origin.
  3. To develop a communication and marketing campaign that promotes the installation of biomass facilities.
  4. To develop biomass viability studies for the participating industrial companies.

Related Projects

Promotional Video

Infographics of the project

Partners