Although each project addresses different needs, they all share a common goal: to transform waste and forestry materials into a useful source of energy. This connection is evident in Begues, Murcia, in ENCE's strategy and the Intasa plant in San Sadurniño , with approaches ranging from heating for public buildings to decarbonizing factories.
Begues opens the doors of its biomass heat center
The Begues Town Council has opened registration for a guided tour of the biomass heating center located on Camp dels Prats street. The tour will take place on October 3rd at 10:00 AM, as part of Sustainability Week, and places can be reserved by writing to begues@begues.cat or calling 936 392 082, extension 221.
The activity will allow visitors to see the facility inside and understand its technical operation. The center has two biomass boilers that provide heating and hot water to the El Roure Civic Center, the La Ginesta Library, and the slaughterhouse. In total, these two boilers supply three municipal facilities.
Begues also has three other heating centers. The one at the Sant Cristòfor School also serves the El Guinyol Nursery School and the La Vinya Residential and Service Center; the one at the Municipal Swimming Pool serves the pool itself and the Municipal Sports Field; and the one at the Town Hall supplies energy to the town hall and the adjacent building. The municipality has been using biomass, primarily wood chips, to heat public facilities for over a decade , a method that reduces the use of fossil fuels and generates cost savings . Sustainability Week also includes an Environmental Play event on October 4th, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the Costeta Park, with games about water conservation. Until November 27th, the lobby of the El Roure Civic Center will host the exhibition "Begues 2030: Aligned with the SDGs."
Forest management to prevent fires and retain population
In the Region of Murcia, a forest bioeconomy project developed in Bullas and CehegÃn has created 19 jobs and removed 2.046 tons of forest biomass. The work was carried out during the first half of the year in the Los Fieles forest in Bullas and the Garrobera forest in CehegÃn, covering an area of ​​132,26 hectares of woodland.
The work has included pruning, selective clearing, felling, shredding, stockpiling, removal, and transport of the plant material. The aim is to reduce the amount of fuel available in the event of a fire, improve forest conservation, and provide an economic outlet for the extracted resources. The Director General of Local Administration, Francisco Abril, emphasized that creating jobs is key to retaining population in rural areas and argued that sustainable forest management can be an economic opportunity.
The initiative was awarded to the Association of Forest Owners of the Region of Murcia (Profomur). In addition to fieldwork, technical plans for sustainable forest management and projects to specify silvicultural actions have been drawn up. Documentation has also been prepared to advance the PEFC RED III biomass certification and marketing system . The project is part of a regional program to combat depopulation, with almost one million euros in NextGeneration European funds, covering 16 municipalities: Abanilla, Abarán, Albudeite, Aledo, Bullas, Calasparra, Campos del RÃo, Caravaca de la Cruz, CehegÃn, Lorca—especially its higher-altitude districts—, Moratalla, Ojós, Pliego, Ricote, Ulea, and Villanueva del RÃo Segura. Its initiatives include extensive livestock farming, forest tourism, fire prevention and restoration, digitalization to identify job opportunities, and support for small and medium-sized enterprises.
ENCE diversifies its energy business with biomass, industrial heat and biomethane
ENCE is refocusing its energy business towards biomass, biomethane, renewable industrial heat, and renewable fuels. Until now, the company had primarily developed a business focused on regulated electricity generation. Now, it seeks to allocate the biomass available in Spain to higher-value uses. In industrial heat, the steam generated in its boilers does not pass through a turbine to produce electricity, but is instead delivered directly to the industrial customer. This allows for the replacement of gas or fuel oil boilers with renewable heat.
In renewable fuels, one of the necessary components is biogenic COâ‚‚. ENCE presents itself as the largest producer of biogenic COâ‚‚ in Spain, with around four million tons annually, and works on agreements with various companies. Biomethane is another activity closely related to its other businesses. The company aims to build a more diversified renewables platform, not limited to regulated activities, and supported by long-term contracts that provide revenue visibility. Its objective is to triple the EBITDA of Renewable Energies by 2030.
Growth will be driven by two main sectors: industrial heat and biomethane. In industrial heat, the company started the year with one contract and expects to close five; by 2030, it aims to reach approximately 2 TWh of thermal capacity, which could contribute around €25 million in additional EBITDA. In biomethane, it has a portfolio of 40 projects, more than 20 of which are already in the permitting process . It expects to obtain one or two permits this year and around six more in subsequent years, in addition to commissioning new plants. By 2030, it anticipates reaching approximately 1 TWh of biomethane production, with around €60 million in EBITDA. These two lines alone account for a significant portion of the projected growth.
ENCE maintains that it can replace fossil fuels and materials with renewable solutions. It manages more than five million tons annually of wood and biomass, a local resource that does not depend on imports. In a context of volatile gas and oil prices, biomass offers greater stability and helps move towards greater energy independence. The company has two main businesses, pulp and energy, with an approximate EBITDA ratio of 70/30 or 75/25. In pulp, it is working to consolidate margins with specialty products, markets other than the traditional short-fiber market, and cost reductions. In renewables, electricity generation from biomass accounts for around €40 million of EBITDA, industrial heat around €35 ​​million, and biomethane around €60 million. With this momentum, the structure could approach a near 50/50 ratio between pulp and energy.
One of ENCE's key competitive advantages is its strong local presence. Its suppliers are located in rural areas: farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and other local stakeholders. The company has been purchasing timber from rural areas since 1957, operates pulp mills in Pontevedra and Navia, and has biomass plants throughout Spain, giving it in-depth knowledge of local markets. In biomethane, the business has two facets: biomethane and biofertilizers. Compost or organic fertilizer for the surrounding environment is obtained from the resulting digestate. Authorization for its first plant was requested in the third quarter of 2023, and the project portfolio reaches up to 4 TWh, four times the target set for 2030. Each project has a defined location, near injection points, and identified suppliers. The company emphasizes social integration and acceptance. The main remaining step is obtaining the necessary permits; construction will follow. Regarding biogenic COâ‚‚, it considers it a key resource for renewable fuels such as e-methanol, since both require green hydrogen and renewable carbon. It has industrial facilities that can act as hubs and, in Huelva, it owns some 47.000 hectares of plantations that could support these types of projects.
New biomass plant in San Sadurniño
The Official Gazette of Galicia published the resolution approving the modification of the Integrated Environmental Authorization for the Intasa factory in San Sadurniño. This decision will allow the construction of a new biomass plant within the existing facility. The local council celebrated the milestone, calling it "good news" because it reinforces the company's continued role as one of the main economic and employment drivers for the municipality and the surrounding region. Mayor Secundino GarcÃa described the resolution as a decisive step for the industrial future of San Sadurniño.
The approved project will allow Intasa to install a 45-megawatt boiler to modernize the plant's energy system and advance the decarbonization of its operations. The modification to the environmental permit is considered non-substantial. The new boiler will produce the steam, thermal oil, and gases necessary for manufacturing the boards. The facility will also include silos for storing biomass, gas treatment systems, and other auxiliary equipment.
The common thread running through these projects is the use of local biomass for heat, electricity, industrial processes, and renewable fuels. Begues demonstrates how biomass can heat public facilities; Murcia links it to fire prevention and rural employment; ENCE uses it for industrial heat, biomethane, and biogenic COâ‚‚; and Intasa uses it to decarbonize a board factory. In all cases, benefits emerge, such as reduced dependence on fossil fuels, increased economic activity in the region, and greater energy stability. Challenges also arise: administrative permits, social acceptance, market evolution, and the need to manage the resource sustainably.
