The project, with an investment of 25 million euros, aims to cover 80% of its energy needs with renewable sources.

Magtel contributes to the new circular economy model that Covap will have implemented in 2024. The tech company is building a photovoltaic solar farm at the facilities of the Valle de los Pedroches Farming Cooperative.

The target is to cover 80% of its power needs with renewable sources in 2024.

This commitment to sustainability led Covap to invest 25 million euros in a sweeping renewable energies programme, with which it plans to establish a 360º management system. By taking advantage of solar power, the wastes and by-products from members’ farms and manufacturing processes and forest-origin organic matter, it will generate the electricity and steam required for its five industrial plants.

The managing director of Covap, Antonio Carmona, pointed out that ‘the project fulfils the need to instigate a transformative change in the way that we produce’.

The managing director of Magtel, Martín Salgado, explained that, at present, in the majority of the projects executed in Andalusia, and this is a fantastic example ‘we provide advanced tech solutions for energy and environmental sustainability for industry, applying the innovation that characterises all of our business actions’.

Salgado is also committed to ‘being leaders in the change to sustainability of Covap’s industry. This project has several very interesting prospects, as well as providing proximity and approachability for industry both for equipment and producers.’

In addition to the 6MW photovoltaic facility with production of 11,000 MW/year, the project also considers a 7MW biogas plant that will be executed by Genia Bioenergy and will supply 40,000 MW/year, and a 13.4MW biomass plant rolled out by Veolia that will generate 80,000 MW/year.

The advantages of this new circular economy model are the maximum use of all own resources, less energy dependency from abroad, an 80% reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the reuse of 60,000 m³ of water and the production of 25,000 tonnes of organic fertilisers, which will be employed to produce raw materials for animal feed. The company will also create new quality jobs, an opportunity to retain talent in this region.

Moreover, the CEO of Genia Bioenergy, Gabriel Butler, has highlighted that the ‘circular economy cycle that Covap is implementing with its biogas and biomethane plant should become a benchmark for agriculture and livestock activity in Spain’. The other project partner, Veolia Servicios Lecam, via its managing director Francisco Villalobos, expressed that ‘the company is – starting today – a key ally for working hand-in-hand with Covap towards its decarbonisation challenge’. At Veolia, we have designed a biomass plant with the capacity to cover 100% of the demand for steam at Covap facilities’.