A delegation from Navarra’s energy and industrial ecosystem, led by Regional Minister Mikel Irujo, visited ENGIE’s corporate headquarters to discuss joint opportunities in the energy transition, energy efficiency and urban heating and cooling infrastructure.
A delegation representing Navarra’s ecosystem
The Regional Minister for Industry and Green and Digital Business Transition, Mikel Irujo, travelled to Paris with Guillermo Alonso, Director of Invest in Navarra (SODENA), and Ramón Gonzalo García, Rector of the Public University of Navarra (UPNA). They were joined by UPNA professors Martín Larraza Kintana and Pablo Sanchís Gurpide, and by Pablo Ayesa Pascual, Director General of the National Renewable Energy Centre (CENER). The delegation also included Iker Chasco Eguílaz, Managing Director of Enercluster, and Ana Ursúa Lasheras, Director General of the Navarra Industry Association (AIN).
ENGIE’s opening session was led by Frank Lacroix, Executive Vice-President in charge of Local Energy Infrastructures, and Janis Rey, Managing Director of Local Energy Infrastructures at ENGIE Spain.
Industrial decarbonisation and public-private partnership
The programme included sessions on Navarra’s energy and industrial strategy, industrial decarbonisation, and the roll-out of urban heating and cooling networks and energy optimisation solutions for buildings. Irujo presented Navarra’s Energy Plan, the progress made so far and the challenges facing the region’s industrial base. He also set out the priority areas in which Navarra hopes to explore collaboration with the group.
ENGIE, in turn, explained how it can help regions and energy-intensive companies turn their decarbonisation goals into viable projects, backed by long-term contracts and investment models.
An established presence in Navarra
ENGIE considers Navarra a key region within its Spanish operations, given the strength of its industry and its commitment to the energy transition. The company operates the Txantrea district heating network in Pamplona under a concession granted through the public company Nasuvinsa. As Navarra’s first neighbourhood-scale biomass plant, it supplies more than 2,500 homes and avoids around 4,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year. A second phase, planned for 2027, will extend its reach.
In industry, the biomass boiler ENGIE has installed alongside Viscofan in Cáseda avoids almost 9,000 tonnes of CO₂ a year. According to Janis Rey, the meeting made it possible to explore synergies and lay the groundwork for specific projects to accelerate the decarbonisation of Navarra’s industry.
Source: navarra.es