Iberdrola España, Agrupal, and CTNC drive the electrification of the food industry in the Region of Murcia
- Agreement to conduct a study on the energy needs of the sector and the currently available technologies to achieve efficiencies and increase competitiveness
- Agrupal and the National Technological Center for Canning and Food (CTNC) announce their joining of the Q-Cero Alliance, aimed at decarbonizing thermal demand in Spain
Iberdrola España, the Agrupación de Industrias Alimentarias de Murcia (Agrupal), and the National Technological Center for Canning and Food (CTNC) continue to push for the decarbonization of the sector through electrification by signing an agreement to carry out a study on the energy needs of companies and the currently available technologies.
The agreement, presented by Juan María Vázquez, Regional Minister for the Environment, Universities, Research, and Mar Menor; Gonzalo Sáenz de Miera, Director of Climate Change and Alliances at the Iberdrola Group (which includes Iberdrola España); and José García, President of Agrupal, aims to share knowledge between both entities and represents an opportunity to advance in the electrification and decarbonization of industry, improve energy efficiencies, and increase the competitiveness of companies.
The European Union’s decarbonization roadmap requires a gradual reduction of emissions by 2050, so this agreement will provide industries with the opportunity to take the initiative and analyze the available alternatives to improve performance, optimize costs, and increase the sector’s competitiveness.
The main objectives of the study are to improve understanding of the sector's energy performance, identify and categorize all processes and their energy consumption, analyze the economic and technical feasibility of new technologies to replace fossil fuels that enable efficiency optimization, and create scenarios and plan the necessary grid infrastructures to absorb the increased energy demand in the Region.
Currently, among the different options for decarbonizing industry, electrification is the most viable strategy through electric boilers, thermal storage, or heat pumps, ahead of other technologies that are either not scalable or lack infrastructure, with no projects under development.
A significant portion of the energy demand in the food industry comes from so-called industrial heat, which is essential for many processes. Due to the diversity of applications, this type of heat requires different temperature ranges and quantities, adapting to the specific needs of each operation.
Traditionally, the generation of this heat has relied on the use of fossil fuels such as natural gas and oil, used in boilers and industrial ovens. However, the need to remain competitive, the growing interest in sustainability, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are driving the industry to seek renewable alternatives that are more energy-efficient.
Therefore, electrification is a key element to simultaneously advance competitiveness, decarbonization, and, ultimately, the European Clean Industrial Deal roadmap that links decarbonization, industrialization, competitiveness, and energy security.
Technological development, the planning of electrical grids (essential for electrification and requiring distribution companies to have regulations that incentivize investment), the implementation of storage systems, and the electrification of transport will make it possible for renewable electricity generation, already present today, to become the fundamental tool for the social and economic progress of the Region of Murcia.
Joining the Q-Cero Alliance
Agrupal and the National Technological Center for Canning and Food have signed their membership in the Q-Cero Alliance, driven by Iberdrola España, which aims to accelerate the decarbonization of thermal demand in Spain, as well as harnessing the opportunities provided by the development of the necessary technologies and improving competitiveness associated with their use. With more than 140 members, Q-Cero is a multi-actor alliance open to all stakeholders, with a particular focus on industry.
The alliance provides a space for dialogue and sharing of experiences to highlight achievements, identify bottlenecks, and propose activities that will accelerate the decarbonization of heat in different sectors, improving competitiveness and helping to materialize the opportunities of the energy transition.
Additionally, Q-Cero has presented a ten-point plan with ten urgent measures to promote a favorable framework for a decarbonized and competitive industry, including: eliminating price distortions that prevent competition on equal terms between energy vectors; ensuring access to electricity for industry by reinforcing, extending, and optimizing electrical grids; improving and adjusting support programs; boosting the demand for decarbonized products; speeding up administrative processes; strengthening industrial policy aligned with the energy transition; maintaining regulatory stability; and promoting innovation, training, and knowledge transfer, with special attention to SMEs and value chains.
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