BIORIG to invest €250 million to build 10 biomethane facilities in Castilla y León

 

Biorig, Solarig's biomethane division, has announced an investment of €250 million in 10 biomethane production facilities in Castilla y León.

• The facilities will produce biomethane equivalent to the annual gas consumption of 20% of households in Castilla y León. The facilities, which will be built in rural areas of the provinces of León, Zamora, Salamanca, Valladolid, Burgos and Soria, are expected to be operational by the end of 2025.
• These infrastructures are strategic for the region's sustainable rural development, generating wealth and helping to retain population by creating more than 350 local jobs. The 10 plants will enable more than 1.5 million tonnes of agricultural and livestock waste to be reused, producing renewable gas that will prevent the annual emission of 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere.
• Organic fertilisers will also be produced, and state-of-the-art technology will be incorporated to capture biogenic CO₂ and achieve zero discharge in operations.

29 November 2023 - Biorig, Solarig's biomethane division, has announced an investment of €250 million for the development, construction and operation of 10 biomethane production facilities in the autonomous community of Castilla y León.

The plants will produce an amount of biomethane equivalent to the total annual gas consumption of 20% of households in the autonomous community. The new facilities will be located in rural areas in municipalities across the provinces of León, Zamora, Salamanca, Valladolid, Burgos and Soria, generating a significant positive impact on the sustainable rural development of the area. The project will also create more than 350 jobs and enable more than 1.5 million tonnes of agricultural and livestock waste to be recovered each year, preventing the emission of 300,000 tonnes of CO₂ into the atmosphere. The facilities, whose development is already underway, are expected to be operational by the end of 2025. The development project for the first of these facilities was presented last October in San Millán de los Caballeros (León).

“Castilla y León has the greatest potential for biomethane generation in Spain. In addition to being new sources of green energy production, these facilities are essential infrastructures for the proper long-term management and valorisation of waste in the region. Fifteen years ago, we invested in and built the largest solar energy plant in Castilla y León, in the municipalities of Frechilla de Almazán and Coscurita (Soria), an infrastructure that continues to produce renewable energy reliably today. Today we are announcing the development of 10 plants that reflect our commitment to biomethane in this autonomous community,” explained Miguel Ángel Calleja, Chairman of Solarig.

“We are currently developing all 10 facilities, all of which will use agricultural and livestock waste as their main energy source. They will be 100% sustainable, zero-emission plants, respectful of the rural environment and compliant with the most stringent environmental and sustainable agricultural soil nutrition regulations. Our growth plan in Castilla y León represents a differentiating factor for the region's energy development and a driver of growth for strategic sectors such as agriculture and livestock farming,” said Manuel Alonso, Managing Director of Biorig.

Zero-discharge technology

The 10 facilities will incorporate state-of-the-art technology to ensure zero discharge: from the capture of biogenic CO₂ to the use of rainwater, enabling zero water consumption and ensuring zero discharge. Likewise, the by-products or digestates (the residues remaining after the process used to obtain energy), once their potential for biogas production has been extracted, will be treated to become organic fertilisers. This will reduce dependence on chemical fertilisers and contribute to more sustainable fertilisation of the region's agricultural soils.

BIORIG, circular economy and energy sustainability

Biorig is Solarig's biomethane production division. It was created to provide innovative solutions in the field of renewable gases and CO₂ capture. Its activity focuses on managing organic waste and transforming it into renewable gases, while promoting the development of projects within the framework of the energy transition and the circular economy.

Solarig, sustainable energy solutions for society

Solarig develops the infrastructure needed for the energy transition and builds, operates and financially structures large-scale renewable energy projects. The company currently manages more than 10 GW of photovoltaic assets and has a portfolio exceeding 20 GW across 16 countries. Solarig drives global decarbonisation in the regions where it operates through renewable energy and green gas solutions. Headquartered in Madrid, Spain, the company has a strong presence in Europe, Central and South America, Japan and Australia. Committed to innovation and sustainability, Solarig has a team of more than 1,000 professionals.

Solarig is working towards the energy transition and global decarbonisation, contributing to achieving the highest possible levels of energy independence in the markets where it operates. Solarig aims to play a fundamental role in the sustainable progress of society, leading the transition towards cleaner energy sources. The company strives to generate a positive impact on the environment through its operations and projects.