The Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Science, through the Andalusian Energy Agency, has encouraged with 8.4 million a total of 100 projects of energy improvements in industrial facilities throughout Andalusia throughout 2010. The aid, aimed at actions of energy use, saving and efficiency in renewable energy facilities, are covered by the Sustainable Energy Development Subsidies Program of Andalusia 'A +' and have mobilized an investment of 45.5 million euros.
In a note, the Department of Antonio Ávila indicates that the total calculation of subsidized actions in the industrial sector will allow an annual saving of 33,000 tons of oil equivalent (toe) per year, which means enough energy to supply the annual needs of more than 40,000 homes, and avoid the emission into the atmosphere of almost 121,000 tons of CO2 per year, savings equivalent to that produced by the withdrawal from circulation of almost 50,000 vehicles.
The 'A+' Subsidy Program is one of the instruments of support of the Junta de Andalucía for the energy development of the community. It has a budget of 480 million and a time frame that covers until 2014 and offers, among others, a line of aid to industries based in Andalusia.
By provinces, Huelva was the one that received the most aid to the industrial sector, reaching almost 4.3 million euros and generating an investment of 26.5 million. It is followed by Almeria, with an incentive of one million euros and an investment of 5.3 million; and Granada, with an aid of one million euros and an investment of 3.8 million.
Behind these, there is Cádiz, with incentives worth 820,000 euros and an investment of 4.1 million; Córdoba, with an incentive of almost 530,000 euros and 2.5 million mobilized investment; Jaén, whose industries have requested incentives worth 408,000 euros and mobilized an investment of almost 1.5 million; Seville, with an incentive that exceeds 400,000 euros and an investment of almost 1.7 million; and Malaga, with an incentive worth 3,690 euros and a mobilized investment of 9,000 euros.
Specifically, the aid corresponding to savings and efficiency projects in the industrial sector has been the most requested, reaching a global incentive of 4.7 million euros and generating economic activity in the region worth 23.7 million.
On the other hand, the incentivized proposals framed in the category of energy studies have received aid of 400,000 euros and have mobilized 1.1 million of investment. Subsidies for energy development projects in Andalusian factories added up to an incentive of 2.7 million euros and have generated investments of more than 18.7 million. Finally, actions to incorporate renewable energy systems have also been supported with an aid of more than 568,000 euros that has generated investments worth almost 1.9 million euros.
SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS
Among the most outstanding industrial actions are the projects of the companies Cepsa Química and Atlantic Cooper, in the province of Huelva; Holcim Group, in the provinces of Almería and Cádiz; and Plastienvase, in the province of Córdoba.
The action subsidized to the company Cepsa Química represents a final investment of almost 5.8 million euros, with an aid of more than one million euros. In this way, conventional infrastructures will be replaced by others of greater efficiency that will avoid the emission of 7,300 tons of greenhouse gases per year, an amount similar to that produced by 3,700 vehicles.
Likewise, the aid granted to the Atlantic Cooper refinery amounts to 1.3 million euros and responds to various actions to reduce energy consumption through the application of advanced technology that improves the combustion efficiency of its furnaces. The economic investment mobilized is more than 5.7 million euros and will avoid the emission of more than 9,000 tons of CO2 per year, equivalent to those emitted by 5,000 homes.
In 2010, an aid of almost 570,000 euros was also approved to the company Azucarera Moreno, located in the Granada town of Salobreña. This action, belonging to the category of renewable energies, represents a global investment of 1.9 million euros thanks to which industrial processes will be modified in order to reuse the energy generated in them and thus reduce the consumption of fossil fuels. This adaptation will result in energy savings of 2,300 toe per year, energy that could supply the energy needs of 2,800 homes per year.
The cement plants of the Holcim Group, located in the towns of Carboneras (Almería) and Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) have been recipients of aid worth 370,000 and 220,000 euros respectively, generating economic activity in the region close to 4 million euros. The improvement of industrial processes in these Andalusian factories allows reducing annual CO2 emission levels by almost 60,000 tons, a figure comparable to the withdrawal from circulation of more than 24,000 vehicles.
Likewise, the Plastienvase factory in Cordoba has been the recipient of an aid of 200,000 euros for the improvement of its energy performance. This action, which generates an economic activity of more than 900,000 euros, will obtain an energy saving of 143 toe per year, enough energy to supply 180 homes.
RECENT MODIFICATION PROGRAM 'A+'
Following principles of greater efficiency in the use of public funds and quality in services to citizens, on December 16, 2010, various modifications to the 'A+' Grant Program came into force. In this way, the management of the energy development aid order has been improved and simplified, which, in addition, expands its spectrum of incentive projects, including those executed by companies in the agri-food sector.
Under the approved amendment, the simplified procedure for processing aid, hitherto only available to private citizens, is extended to all beneficiaries with the exception of large companies and the requirements for access to the different types of subsidy, especially for SMEs, are reduced. Likewise, a chapter of Specific Programs is introduced for projects with a specific target audience to access, according to their needs, more directly. (EUROPA PRESS)
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