The Regional Minister for Industry and Ecological, Digital and Business Transition, Mikel Irujo, presented the Navarra Net Zero Tech Valley last week — the first industrial acceleration valley of its kind in southern Europe. The regional government is making some 3,000 hectares available for projects linked to clean technology manufacturing. “This programme will be the cornerstone around which the future of Navarra’s zero-emission industry will revolve,” Irujo said.
The announcement was made at the 5th Industry Day, held at the Baluarte Congress Centre and Auditorium under the slogan “An industry to believe in”, with representatives from the European Commission and Spain’s Ministry of Industry and Tourism in attendance, alongside a wide representation of the region’s business community.
A hub for clean-tech investment
The valley aims to align a package of support measures to accelerate the attraction, processing and fast-tracking of new investment, while positioning Navarra as a magnet for talent and innovation in green energy. It will concentrate industrial initiatives in solar and wind technology, battery storage, green hydrogen, smart grids and climate- and energy-related biotech solutions, backed by a one-stop-shop mechanism and full support to companies throughout the investment process — including a new decarbonisation fund designed to offset the end of Next Generation EU funding.
Built on 25 years of industrial track record
The designation is backed by a report from the Department of Industry documenting more than 25 years of clean-tech manufacturing in the region. “We are not launching an ecosystem today, we are recognising one,” Irujo noted. Sodena’s Deputy Director General for Sustainability and Circular Economy, Montse Guerrero, linked the valley to the region’s S4 Strategy, built on public-private collaboration and close ties with industry, innovation and talent, “made possible by ongoing daily collaboration with Enercluster, the Navarra Industry Association and territorial business associations, and by the close connection between regional and European policy.”
Why it matters
Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Alessandro Polito, Deputy Head of the Net Zero Industries Unit, underlined the strategic value of this type of infrastructure: “Valleys allow us to compete with much larger companies because they pool capabilities, coordinate investment, connect businesses with research centres, and generate a critical mass that individual companies cannot reach on their own.” He added that such valleys “are not a label, but a reality we all need to build together — and Navarra is an example.” The designation reinforces Navarra’s positioning as an established, EU-recognised hub for clean technology manufacturing, backed by a new Industry Plan 2026-2030 and a €150 million Industrial Decarbonisation Programme for 2027-2030.
Source: Gobierno de Navarra