The project, presented by the Asociación Empresa Ribera (AER), is set to become a benchmark in the fight against decarbonisation and the generation of qualified employment in the region. To this end, a plan has been designed that includes the construction of a series of modern research laboratories capable of housing up to 25 researchers, together with areas for the cultivation of three species of microalgae on a surface area of approximately 50,000 square metres. The estimated investment will be around 30 million euros and is expected to create at least 50 direct jobs and up to 40 indirect jobs.
Led by the consultancy Idavinci and backed by leading research institutions, this centre will seek not only to promote innovation in microalgae, but also to meet the demands of sectors such as agri-food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
The project, scheduled to start production in 2025, seeks to establish Tudela as the European epicentre for microalgae research and production, taking advantage of its strong business ecosystem and strategic geographical location. “Everything necessary for our R&D centre to be a success is perfectly met by La Ribera: the profile of most of its companies and management staff, as well as the institutional support needed to make Tudela the ‘great European benchmark for microalgae’,” says Idavinci CEO Marcos Martín.
For his part, Rafael Loscos, president of AER, assures that this ambitious initiative is more than justified where a rich and varied business environment with a wide range of activity sectors converge together with the enormous possibilities offered by the Agri-Food City. In addition, he highlights “the special geographical location of the area and its environmental and climatic characteristics” as key factors for its success.
Source: diariodenavarra.es