What is the carbon border adjustment mechanism and why is it so controversial?

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  • The EU proposes to apply a tariff on imported carbon-intensive products.

  • The measure (CBAM) will be implemented in two phases, will come into force in 2026 and will initially apply to imports in sectors such as cement, hydrogen and electricity.

As part of the fight against climate change, the European Union (EU) has launched what it considers to be one of the key instruments within the European Green Pact: The Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, also known as CBAM. It is an essential part of the “Fit for 55” measures package, a set of proposals to revise and update EU legislation to ensure that the EU’s intermediate target of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 55% by 2030 is met.

This proposal has already been described as “bold, complicated and controversial” and several countries have already expressed concerns about its implementation. The measure will undoubtedly disrupt trade relations between the EU and its partners, but let’s look at exactly what it is.

The CBAM is intended to be implemented in parallel to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to counter the so-called ‘carbon-leakage’. Based on the “cap-and-trade” principle, the ETS sets a price on carbon and, each year, industries covered by the ETS must buy allowances corresponding to their GHG emissions. These allowances are limited, and each year the limit is lowered with the aim of creating financial incentives for companies to reduce their emissions.

Risk of carbon-leakage

The issue is that this could lead to what is known as carbon leakage: although some companies, which production processes are high in GHG emissions, are allocated free allowances to support their competitiveness, these will be progressively phased out, raising the risk that they may consider moving their production to other countries outside the EU in order to avoid the increased costs associated with the ETS, importing products at a more advantageous price to the detriment of the environment.  

This is where the CBAM applies. This is a tariff on carbon-intensive products imported to the EU to balance by equalising the carbon price of imports with the carbon price of EU products. The phasing out of the free allocation of allowances under the ETS will take place in parallel with the introduction of the CBAM mechanism, ensuring coherence between climate objectives and trade policy.

The CBAM will be implemented in two phases, so that before the entry into operation of the final version, there will be a transitional period with the following objectives:

  • To serve as a learning curve for importers, producers and the authorities involved.
  • To allow the collection of info
     rmation on GHG emissions to help refine the methodologies for calculating these emissions.
  • Align the price of carbon produced in the EU with that of imported goods.

This first transitional period will run from 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2025, and initially applies only to imports from the sectors most at risk of carbon leakage: cement, iron/steel, aluminium, hydrogen, fertilisers and electricity (although it has already been agreed that this will be extended to more products, such as chemicals and polymers). The specific goods that are affected by CBAM are detailed in Annexes I and II of Implementing Regulation (EU) 2023/1773, where the CN codes for all affected materials are listed.

In addition, the obligations arising from the importation of these goods are also set out:

  1. Register in the transitional CBAM Register, which allows communication between all parties to the mechanism (European Commission, competent and customs authorities, traders and reporting companies).
  2. Submit CBAM reports on a quarterly basis. Importers of goods (or their indirect customs representatives) are responsible for reporting the GHG emissions implicit in their imports. The report must be submitted no later than one month after the end of the quarter, and emissions calculations can be made in 3 ways:
    1. Using default reference values published by the European Commission. This method can only be used to report 100% of the implied emissions until July 2024; it can be used for the remaining transitional period to report up to 20% of the implied emissions.
    2. Using an equivalent methodology that considers either a carbon pricing system, a mandatory emissions monitoring system, or a monitoring system that may include verification by an accredited third party (always where the installation is located). This method may be used for imports until December 2024.
    3. Using the new methodology provided by the EU. It may be applied throughout the transitional period.

No payment or financial adjustment will be required during this first phase.

Once the mechanism fully enters into force on 1 January 2026, importers will be obliged to purchase the corresponding CBAM certificates. It should be noted that this mechanism is not a tax to be paid on import, but that the purchase of the certificates must be acquired prior to the importation of the products subject to CBAM. If the importer can prove that a carbon price has already been paid during the production of the imported goods, this amount can be deducted from the corresponding amount to be redeemed at CBAM.

Subsequently, by 31 May each year at the latest, the importer or his representative must submit an annual report, stating the goods imported in the previous calendar year and their corresponding emissions, as well as the number of CBAM certificates purchased for that year.

Antía Míguez, Technologist at Genesal Energy

Energy transition and decarbonisation, an opportunity to seek sustainable industrial models.

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One of humanity’s greatest challenges is the fight against climate change, global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions need to reach a ceiling as soon as possible, but this implies carrying out a process of decarbonisation of current socio-economic systems and “transitioning” towards new efficient models in the use of resources, from raw materials to energy fluxes, based on clean and competitive energies. Genesal Energy is well aware of this.

How to perform the transition?

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), it is not enough to replace current energy infrastructures, dependent on fossil fuels, with other renewable and sustainable ones. It is also necessary to implement energy efficiency measures which allow more than just reducing consumption. As is often said colloquially, “the best energy is the energy that is not consumed”.

In this context, the industrial sector must play an active role in the process of change. Genesal Energy is doing so: We have launched OGGY (Off Grid Genesal energY), our own energy management system that allows real-time monitoring of both production and energy consumption, deciding at all times what to do with these flows to make the most efficient use of them: store them in the battery system, consume them at the company’s facilities, discharge them into the grid or a combination of the previous options.


This system consists of three main blocks (Figure 1):

  • The OGGY is capable of controlling different sources of energy generation, including the conventional electricity grid. In the specific case of the application at Genesal Energy, the sources are the following:
    • Two photovoltaic building façades on our HQ warehouses (Illustration 2), which occupy a surface area of 111 m2. They are made up of 93 units of the latest generation crystal-silicon photovoltaic glass, with seven different sizes to suit the design of the original façade. In total, the installed power is 13.1kWp, which allows for a generation of 11 000 kWh per year. These panels are not installed on top of the old façade, they are integrated into it, allowing for better thermal insulation of the buildings.

    • This means that we haven’t just focused on renewable self-consumption, but it has also been possible to reduce cooling needs by up to 50% reducing the air conditioning of the buildings. This installation alone – not mentioning the rest of the energy system – is going to avoid the emission of 245 tonnes of CO2 in 35 years, the equivalent of a saving of 661 barrels of oil per square metre.
    • In addition to the façades, 126 photovoltaic panels with an output of 57.33 kW have also been installed on the roof of the company’s warehouses. These panels save more than 20 tonnes of CO2 per year.
    • Testing of generators at the company’s facilities. All generators sold by Genesal Energy are tested at its facilities before being sent to the customer. This allows us to offer a top-quality warranty, but it also means consumption of fossil fuel. In accordance with the principles set out by the circular economy, the company has decided to reuse this energy by reintroducing it back into the value chain. The OGGY stores a percentage of the energy generated in these tests.
    • Although the amount of energy generated in the facilities Genesal Energy could make us self-sufficient, we have maintained the connection to the conventional electricity grid in case of system failures.
  • The core, and the most important part, is the energy management algorithm or EMS, which is responsible for controlling all energy fluxes. This energy system continuously analyses the status of generation, storage and consumption in order to determine the system’s working profile at any given moment.
    In addition, it considers variables external to the system, such as the weather forecast (to predict what the energy generated by the photovoltaic installation will be) or the price of electricity in real time (deciding whether to feed the energy into the grid or store it in the battery system).

The integration between the OGGY system and the generating sources is performed through MODBUS, an open communication protocol used to transmit information through serial networks between different electronic devices. This is essential for the system to be able to properly manage all the fluxes and where they are directed to.

As for the storage system, it consists of a rack of lithium batteries with a total power of 92 kWh, grouped into 14 modules.

  • Finally, there are the energy consumption points. In the case of Genesal Energy, these are the ones in the factory itself and the offices.

 

All Genesal’s actions, research and projects developed in the sustainability field are based on the absolute conviction that we are doing the right thing. The industrial sector must understand the processes of ecological transition and decarbonisation as opportunities to promote its own transformation towards sustainable models. Comprehensive energy management systems such as OGGY are key to this new scenario.

Antía Míguez, technologist at Genesal Energy

Is HVO this the fuel of the future?

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Hydrogenated vegetable oil is making its way into the market due to its numerous properties and is one of the paths towards the energy transition.

Electricity is by no means the main form of energy used, nor is it easy to bring electrification to all sectors, and although it is true that the advance of renewable sources is remarkable, these days 80% of the world’s primary energy demand is still based on fossil fuels. An issue, not only because of the high levels of emissions and their consequences on climate change, but also because of the finite nature of these fuels.

Genesal Energy is very aware that it is urgent to find new sustainable fuels for those sectors where electrification is not going to happen overnight. HVO enters the scene, which in recent years has been positioning itself as one of the main alternatives to diesel. We give you all the keys to this new fuel.

What is HVO?

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (HVO) is a second-generation biofuel. Although it has the words “vegetable oil” in its name, it can be produced from a variety of vegetable and non-vegetable sources:

  • Used vegetable cooking oil (UCO, Used Cooking Oil).
  • Waste animal fat.
  • Tall oil, a by-product of wood pulp manufacture.
  • Non-food grade vegetable oils (rapeseed, soybean and palm).

On their own, these oils are not effective fuels. However, through a process known as hydrotreating, it is possible to convert the fats in these oils into hydrocarbons almost identical to conventional diesel.

Is it the same as biodiesel?

No, biodiesel and HVO are different fuels. While both are based on triglycerides from vegetable oils and animal fats, biodiesel is made by esterification: the oily source is treated with an alcohol, usually methanol, and a catalyst. This produces glycerine and a fuel made from fatty acid methyl esters or FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester).

On the other hand, to obtain HVO, the oils are subjected to a hydrotreating process. Simply put, hydrogen is used to remove oxygen from the oil at high temperatures, splitting the fat molecules into separate chains of hydrocarbon molecules. The result is a stable fuel comparable to fossil diesel in both form and performance, making HVO superior to biodiesel as an alternative to fossil fuel.

What are the advantages of using HVO?

They include the following:

 

 

  • -If waste oils are used as source, and produced relatively locally, the use of HVO can result in a reduction of CO2e emissions by up to 90%.
  • When burning HVO, emissions of carbon monoxide (COx) and other polluting particles are lower.
  • Its service life is long: up to ten times longer than diesel.
  • Its performance is maintained even at extreme temperatures (-30°C).
  • It has good chemical characteristics. It is aromatic, low density, with a very high cetane number and no sulphur. In addition, its calorific value, and therefore its energy content, is higher than that of biodiesel.
  • Unlike biodiesel, which needs to be blended with conventional diesel to work properly, HVO is a direct fuel, which can be completely replaced in most diesel units.
  • Also in comparison, biodiesel is prone to degradation and needs very specific planning for storage. Only a single oil tank is needed to store HVO. In fact, conventional diesel tanks can be filled with HVO, and vice versa, so that if, for example, we are running on HVO, but it runs out and it is impossible to procure it quickly enough, we can switch back to diesel.

Different brands in the combustion engines and distributed energy worlds have already started to echo the benefits of HVO, certifying that their products are compatible with this biofuel.

For example, several companies have declared that all their Euro 5 and Euro 6 engines are compatible with the use of HVO.

Is HVO sustainable?

Speaking of sustainability we must pay attention not only to its properties, but also to its entire value chain. Are the source and production relatively local? Regarding the origin of the source, are only waste oils used, or do they also include, for example, oil crops? Have changes in land use been necessary to make such crops available? If we look at the whole picture, to speak of a 100% HVO we need to be sure that it is produced from a source derived from real waste and that environmental and social criteria are respected along the whole value chain.

And another question arises: If we have available an HVO that we know is not 100% sustainable… Is it better to use it or to continue using fossil diesel? Do we look for an alternative, such as another type of biofuel or even a synthetic fuel? These are difficult questions to answer that depend on many factors.

The Greenesal Scale

In order to facilitate decision making on the choice and use of fuels, Genesal Energy has created the “Greenesal Sustainability Assessment Scale for Fuels”.

It is a tool that will allow us to evaluate the sustainability of fuels, so that it is not only easier to choose between the different options available, but it will also provide a clear idea of the real impact of each one of them.  In addition, the tool will fairly weight factors related to the three spheres of the sustainable development:

  • Environmental sphere: raw material origin, GHG emissions, soil organic carbon, eutrophication, acidification, energy balance, biodiversity.
  • Economic sphere: capital costs, operational costs.
  • Social sphere: land rights, issues related to working conditions, relationship with local communities.

In this way, not only will it be possible to distinguish between different types of fuel, but it will also be possible to know which has a greater positive impact on the search for a sustainable future.

 

Sustainability. What it really is?

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Over the last few years, the terms sustainability and sustainable development have been on everyone’s lips. Sustainable vehicles, sustainable fuels, sustainable fashion, sustainable food products… but do you really know what these concepts mean?

What is sustainability?

The concept of sustainable development was first recorded 36 years ago, with the publication in 1987 of the Brundtland Report for the United Nations, entitled “Our Common Future”. It warned of the negative environmental consequences of excessive industrialisation, economic development and globalisation, and proposed sustainability strategies centred around 3 main strategic lines:

  • Quality and sustainable economic growth to alleviate poverty.
  • Improving the quality of this economic growth, addressing issues such as energy supply, food security and the preservation of ecosystems.
  • Care for the environment, which should become a fundamental element in the decision-making process of institutions, organisations and companies.

In addition, the report focused for the first time on social, economic and environmental issues and how they relate to each other. It also clearly defined what is meant by sustainable development: “Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

The 3 pillars of sustainable development

Sustainability is still understood in the same way today, with the emphasis still being placed on the need to find an integrated balance between the social, environmental and economic spheres to speak of truly sustainable development:

Social justice.

It seeks the well-being of all people and communities. We all need to have our basic needs covered: jobs, healthcare, food and energy security, water supply or access to good education, among others. Furthermore, these issues must be addressed in a way that considers and respects the cultural and social diversity of each community and ensures that there are no situations of injustice or discrimination of any kind, promoting the role of all members of society in determining their future.

Economic viability.

It pursues a new business model that generates wealth in a sustainable way. The productive system must satisfy social needs while ensuring that neither natural resources nor the well-being of future generations is put at risk. In other words, the economic approach must integrate the needs of the population and environmental limits to promote responsible balance in the long term.

Environmental protection.

In order to find a model that allows us to exploit resources without depleting them, contributing to their recovery for future use, and to make progress in the fight against climate change, it is necessary to apply environmental protection measures that, at the same time, consider the needs of the population and the economic means available where they are to be applied.

How to achieve sustainability? The 2030 Agenda

Once the concept of sustainability was defined, the next challenge was to figure out how to achieve it. The concept needed to be crystallised into concrete policies that would provide a stable framework for action; this led to the emergence of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Agenda was adopted in September 2015 by the 193 UN Member States as an ambitious roadmap to achieve sustainable development by 2030 by ending poverty, protecting the planet and improving the lives and prospects of people around the world. It is composed of 17 SDGs, which are further subdivided into 169 targets and 232 indicators.

This is not the first initiative in favour of sustainable development; in fact, the SDGs are a continuation of the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015), which at the time constituted the first international confluence to tackle global problems. While it is true that not all the targets set by the MDGs were met, there were important advances that were extended through the 2030 Agenda, such as the realisation of the need to work collaboratively. Only through partnerships and the active involvement of people, companies, administrations and countries around the world will it be possible to achieve the SDGs.

In terms of its central axes, the 2030 Agenda is built around what are already known as the 5Ps:

1- People

End poverty in all its forms and ensure that all people can fulfil their potential with dignity and equality in a healthy environment.

2- Planet

Protect the planet’s natural resources through sustainable consumption, production and management, and combat climate change, to ensure a decent environment for future generations.

3- Prosperity

To ensure that everyone can enjoy a prosperous and fulfilling life, and that economic, social and technological progress occurs in harmony with nature.

4- Peace

Foster peaceful, just and inclusive societies free from fear and violence.

5- Participation

Implement the Agenda through strong global partnerships, based on solidarity and focused on the needs of the most vulnerable.

Innovation and energy transition, our biggest challenges for 2023

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Sustainability is not a new concern for us at Genesal Energy. Even when few in the industry were thinking about the concept, when it was still considered a passing fad, we were taking it seriously. We began work on a detailed action plan aimed at maximising the energy efficiency of all the projects that bear our name. This commitment to clean energy and the environment has moved from theory to practice and has made it possible for us to complete all of the tasks we set ourselves for 2022.

We have wrapped up a number of projects and implemented important initiatives such as the Faculty of Energy Transition, the first in Galicia, created in collaboration with the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC).

Faculty of Energy Transition

2022 marked the beginning of a wonderful adventure full of possibilities. Within a year of its inauguration the faculty presented its first awards for the best undergraduate and master’s degree theses; going forward these awards will be presented annually to students who have done outstanding work on issues related to energy transition and sustainability.

Many challenges await us in 2023, and environmental guidelines are essential; our intention is to build on the progress made in 2022 in order to achieve the best possible results. We intend to strengthen our commitment to the 2030 Agenda and to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by implementing new processes to identify and prioritise the areas which are most relevant to the company, many of which already form an integral part of our business strategy.

Energy Transition Plan

2023 will also be the year in which we launch our Energy Transition Plan at the corporate, production and industry levels; we are steadfast in our conviction that the fight against climate change is a moral obligation that demands a long-term commitment, and that words are not enough: change requires action.

This is why we will continue to research and develop sustainable and increasingly efficient solutions throughout 2023, not only for our customers, but also for the company itself.

One of our most exciting projects in this regard is the installation of the first integrated photovoltaic façade in Galicia at our headquarters in Bergondo, A Coruña, which will be 100% operational at the beginning of the year. This achievement is just the beginning of what we want to do in the medium and long term.

Greenesal

We went a step further on our crusade for sustainability and energy transition in 2022, taking concrete action in the form of several specific initiatives. Going forward these will be managed through Greenesal, a thoughtful, well-planned and ambitious programme designed to make a difference in terms of sustainability. We are confident that 2023 will be its year.

Reducing the carbon footprint of all our facilities, hosting courses, seminars and conferences, and promoting collaboration between public bodies and private enterprise in order to encourage R&D&I projects are all part of a long list of initiatives planned by Genesal Energy for the next twelve months.

Data centres and healthcare

Proactivity is one of the company’s guiding principles on our quest to create unique, high-quality, customised energy solutions which are as respectful as possible of the planet. The development of projects for two green hydrogen plants, the design and manufacture of a generator set for a large recycling plant which aspires to be an industry leader in Spain, and equipment designed to ensure a continuous supply of electricity at the new Mint in Madrid are among the solutions developed in 2022 by our engineering department. All of these projects use Genesal Energy customised generator sets; we monitor and oversee the entire purchase and installation process with our clients from minute one, up to and including post-sales maintenance. This is, without a doubt, one of the most important ways in which we add value for our clients, a point of difference which we will continue to improve.

Genesal Energy’s roadmap for the new year is focused on sectors with strong potential for growth in terms of energy use, such as data centres, everything related to renewable energy and the development of energy solutions in fields such as healthcare and strategic defence.

In the ongoing search for competitive advantage, our Distributed Energy Technology Centre (CETED in the Spanish acronym) will continue to play an essential role in our commitment to manufacturing high quality generator sets both for sale and for lease, a business model with a bright future and an increasingly important part of operations at our subsidiaries in Mexico and Peru.

The manufacture of customised generator sets, essential in all facilities and infrastructure related to communication and transport, will also be a priority, together with all of our projects aimed at increasing the use of clean energy sources.

And, of course, as a company founded almost 30 years ago with the dream of becoming an established player on the global market, international expansion and the search for new markets are key goals for the coming year, during which sustainability and energy transition will be our biggest challenges.

When it comes to sustainability, we set the standard!

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The University of Santiago de Compostela and Genesal Energy have created the first Faculty of Energy Transition in Galicia.

As part of our commitment to sustainability, and because we believe that caring for the environment is a collective responsibility, Genesal Energy is going back to school; we have teamed up with the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) to create the first Faculty of Energy Transition in Galicia.

The inauguration was held in the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) rector’s hall at San Xerome College and presided over by Antonio López, the rector of the university, and Julio Arca, our Director of Finance and Strategy.

At the event, the rector stressed that science “is crucial to the energy transition and to energy sovereignty” and expressed his conviction that the new faculty “represents a step forward, as it strengthens the ties between universities and industry”. The head of Finance and Strategy at Genesal Energy emphasised the importance of committing to clean energy and to solutions that help us move forward with the energy transition. “The energy transition is fundamental to our efforts to fight climate change. Transport, industry and electricity generation account for 60% of greenhouse gas emissions, and the electricity sector has the greatest potential for emissions reduction”, Julio Arca noted in his speech. The event was also attended by Gumersindo Feijoo Costa, Vice-Rector of Planning, Technologies and Sustainability at USC; Montserrat Valcárcel Armesto, Vice-Rector of Campus Coordination at the Lugo Campus; Enrique Roca Bordello, the new Faculty Director; Marcela Fernández, head of Genesal Energy’s R&D&I Management Unit; Paula Avendaño, our head of Marketing and Communication, and Marta Blanco, the company’s legal adviser.

What is energy transition and why have we created a specialised faculty?

The energy transition is the process of transformation, or the set of changes which must be implemented, in order to make the switch from our current fossil-fuel based models of energy production, distribution and consumption to more sustainable models based on the use of renewable energy, electrification and distributed generation. Alternative fuels, digitalisation, energy efficiency and a circular economy are key to this.

When it comes to knowledge management and its application in society, we believe collaboration between public bodies and private enterprise is essential. The creation of the Faculty of Energy Transition will allow us to further develop our collaboration with the university and strengthen the relationship between universities and the energy industry at a crucial time, when the ecological transition as a whole – and by extension the energy transition – is becoming increasingly important due to the key role it must play if we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to research and education.

Where are its offices?

The offices of the Faculty of Energy Transition are located in the School of Engineering (ETSE) at USC (the Engineering and Management of Sustainable Processes and Products Research Group) and in our Distributed Energy Technology Centre (CETED) at the company’s headquarters in Bergondo (A Coruña).

What are its goals?

Research, support for teaching and the diffusion of knowledge related to the field of energy transition, particularly in areas concerned with distributed energy systems, are the principal goals of the faculty. It will also:

  • Promote the development of R&D&I projects and encourage participation in these.
  • Develop distributed energy grid systems based on zero-emission fuels.
  • Organise activities which stimulate reflection and debate in the field of energy transition, promoting its incorporation into bachelor’s and master’s degree programmes in disciplines related to the faculty’s mission.
  • Promote ideas competitions and the creation of awards for projects and undergraduate and master’s degree theses.
  • Create student internships at Genesal Energy, with and without university credit.
  • Organise specialisation courses, conferences, seminars, meetings with experts, and visits to organisations, companies and institutions related to the faculty’s mission.
  • Support USC graduates in their search for employment by participating in faculty activities where appropriate.

The Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition advocates for women in the energy industry

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This morning seven women with positions of responsibility in the energy industry opened the first Seminar on Women in STEM and the Energy Transition: Accelerating Progress towards Sustainability, held at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) School of Engineering and organised by the Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition.

At the seminar opening Enrique Roca, the faculty director, spoke about the importance of increasing the visibility of women engineers and professionals in STEM fields in order to promote parity, which remains a long way away; according to experts, women in STEM will finally achieve parity in 2050. The director pointed out that today only 29% of women in the energy industry, and in STEM fields in general, hold positions of responsibility.

Rocío Vega Martínez, from the Digitalisation Department at Reganosa; Beatriz Mato Otero, Director of Corporate Development and Sustainability at Greenalia; María Landeira Suárez, Naturgy’s Delegate for Renewable Development in Galicia; Ángeles López Agüera, university professor representing the Energy Sustainable Applications Group; Ángeles Santos Casal, HR Director at Genesal Energy; Rebeca Acebrón San Miguel, CEO of Acebrón Group, and Marta Gómez Palenque, the Government of Castilla-La Mancha’s Head of Circular Economy all spoke at the seminar, which addressed issues related to the energy transition and the future of renewables in an industry that is committed to leaving fossil fuels behind.

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The seminar was held at the offices of the Faculty of Energy Transition in the School of Engineering (ETSE), and marked the beginning of its calendar of academic events.

The Faculty of Energy Transition is an initiative of the A Coruña-based company Genesal Energy in collaboration with USC. It was created in December of last year, and its goals include promoting collaboration between public bodies and private enterprise, increasing education and employment opportunities, and raising awareness about energy transition and more sustainable energy models.

Women in STEM to present the first seminar organised by the Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition

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The “Women in STEM and the Energy Transition: Accelerating Progress Towards Sustainability” seminar will bring together eight prominent energy industry professionals in an all-female programme on May 4th at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC).

The conference will address issues such as talent development, the challenge the energy transition represents for the industry, and the job opportunities that will arise as a result.

Bergondo (A Coruña), April 25th. A number of scientists, directors, engineers and researchers will speak at the first seminar organised by the Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition, ‘Women in STEM and the Energy Transition: Accelerating Progress towards Sustainability’, to be held on May 4th at the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC).

This is the first academic event organised by the Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition, created in December of last year by the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and Genesal Energy. It is hoped that the seminar, the only one of its kind in Galicia, will become a regular event.

“Our vision is for the Faculty of Energy Transition seminar to be a bridge between the academic and business worlds, periodically bringing together leading professionals and talented university staff – of which there are plenty – so that they can share their experiences while they discuss and analyse the challenges of the energy transition”, explained Julio Arca, Director of Finance and Strategy at Genesal Energy and one of the organisers of the event.

For its first seminar, the Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition wanted to organise a forum focusing on women in STEM, as their role is increasingly important in a sector that continues to be male dominated, particularly at management level, despite ongoing efforts to address the disparity.

Who, when and where

At the Faculty of Energy Transition event, eight leading professionals with positions of responsibility in the worlds of industry, academia and public administration will share their experiences and discuss issues such as talent development, employment and the challenges of the energy transition.

Andrea Míguez da Rocha, from the Business Development Department at Reganosa; Beatriz Mato Otero, Director of Corporate Development and Sustainability at Greenalia; María Landeira Suárez, Naturgy’s Delegate for Renewable Development in Galicia; Natalia Barreiro Mata, Director of the Repsol refinery in A Coruña; Ángeles López Agüera, university professor representing the Energy Sustainable Applications Group; Ángeles Santos Casal, HR Director at Genesal Energy; Rebeca Acebrón San Miguel, CEO of Acebrón Group and Marta Gómez Palenque, the Government of Castilla-La Mancha’s Head of Circular Economy.

The first Genesal Energy Faculty of Energy Transition seminar will be held on May 4th from 9.30am to 1.30pm in the USC School of Engineering (ETSE) auditorium. Registration is via the form below, which will remain live until all places are filled.

Our challenge in 2022: sustainability without excuses

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Progress on the road to cleaner and more sustainable energy models is being made every day. At Genesal Energy we are travelling down that road, and we do not intend to lose our way. There is no plan B for the planet. We are very much aware that the ecological transition must be an ongoing endeavour, which is why a large number of the projects we participated in during 2021 were focused on sustainability.

For the same reason, our future efforts – in both the short and medium term – will focus on meeting the targets of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); we are implementing a process of identifying and prioritising those that most apply to us, many of which are already an integral part of our business strategy.

At Genesal Energy we are very proud of how we managed the challenges of the pandemic during 2021, and we welcome the new year with a number of exciting projects in the works related to two of the core components of our business strategy: internationalisation and a commitment to innovation.

Continued growth

Our commitment to research – as a tool which enables us to stand out in the energy market – has been a defining feature of our trajectory as a company, and has helped us expand both nationally and internationally since our foundation. In a highly competitive market, making full use of new technologies in the products we design is key to ensuring continued growth.

In the latter part of 2021, a year of transition due to the health crisis, Genesal Energy began to take part in in-person events once again; we were happy to be able to participate in the Mindtech Fair, for example, held in September in the city of Vigo. This fair is one of the most important in Europe for the energy industry, and we were able to demonstrate elements of what we already do and also much of what we intend to achieve in the future during the transition to green energy.

At our stand we showcased our Hybrid Microgeneration system, which combines several batteries powered by different renewable sources, our generator sets with integrated diesel engines which comply with EU Stage V regulations and our line of gas-powered units. These are three clear examples of our progress on the path to energy efficiency and achieving emissions neutrality by 2050. We intend to increase our investment in products which prioritise energy efficiency during 2022, because we believe this is the way forward if we want to save the planet. We are doing our part.

Genesal Energy Stage V Generator Sets

Proactivity is one of our guiding principles when it comes to creating consistently cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions. We have made our commitment to renewable energy a reality, and this was once again in evidence over the last twelve months: in our contribution to the development of the future Fenicias wind farm in Mexico, for example, which will reduce CO2 emissions into the atmosphere by more than 320,000 tonnes per year, and to the supply of emergency energy to the substation of a large photovoltaic power plant in Atacama, Chile, one of the largest energy projects in that country.

We also manufactured a generator set for Cabrera Solar, the largest photovoltaic power plant in Andalusia and one of the largest in Europe, in another demonstration of our commitment to sustainability.

Genesal Energy Group installed in a wind farm

The future is called hydrogen

Alongside the gradual transition to gas, hydrogen will play a key role on the road to sustainability. We are involved in a number of projects in this area, such as the development of emergency systems for green hydrogen plants in Barcelona and Ciudad Real, which produce energy without emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

We are very aware of the importance of leading by example; in addition to designing generator sets for sustainable facilities, we seek to apply the same philosophy at home. One of our newest projects is the development of a photovoltaic façade for our headquarters in Spain. We believe that every contribution is valuable.


The future photovoltaic façade at our headquarters

Our R&D&I department is the beating heart of the company, the lab where ideas are born, and special projects are dreamed up. It is where we develop the ad hoc solutions that have opened many doors for us in a diversified and ever-changing energy market.

Our diverse range of machines are adaptable to every scenario and fits all needs. Our bespoke solutions guarantee success. This can be seen in the machines we design to withstand extreme temperatures around the world, from Algeria, where in 2021 we collaborated in the creation of the Sonelgaz plant, capable of operating at 55°C, to Qatar, where we transport generator sets to the desert.

Our generator sets for low-temperature environments, such as the one we created for the LitPol Link substation, part of the interconnection power lines between Poland and Lithuania, are also at the cutting edge of the industry. This year we will continue to improve our lease range, already well established in Peru and Mexico.


 Our lease range facilities at Genesal Energy Mexico

The pandemic cast a shadow over all aspects of our lives this past year. However, despite all the negative effects of the health crisis, one silver lining is that Genesal Energy has been considered an essential service throughout. This is why we have more positive energy than ever. We are conducting research, making steady progress, and strengthening our foundations. We contribute to ensuring the safety of critical infrastructure and facilities such as hospitals, ports and airports, and design emergency energy solutions for the service industry in hotels, office complexes, and administrative buildings, among others.

Close collaboration with our clients and a comprehensive service which involves us taking charge of the entire process, from design to the manufacture, delivery, installation and maintenance of each of the units that come out of our factory, are part of our identity. In addition to these characteristics, sustainability is now a key aspect of our business, an unapologetic commitment to clean and sustainable energy. This is the future we must strive for.