Capital Energy, Emobi Industries and Sodical sign a strategic agreement to drive the reindustrialisation of El Bierzo

Business and the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon place renewable energies at the centre of the region’s economic, social and business dynamics

• The energy group agrees to encourage the suppliers of its facilities in this autonomous community to purchase wind towers produced by the company from El Bierzo.
• To meet the industrial goals of this partnership, Emobi Industries is to create up to 800 direct jobs over the coming years at its plant in La Llanada (Ponferrada) and increase its production to 45 tower sections per week, helping position El Bierzo as an international wind power hub
• Both companies will promote the integration of young people into jobs in the renewable energy sector and the return to work of disadvantaged groups and the unemployed over the age of 55 linked to mining and the running of coal-fired power plants

Ponferrada (Leon), 4 February 2022.- Capital Energy, a Spanish energy enterprise established two decades ago that seeks to become the first vertically-integrated 100% renewable energy operator in the Iberian peninsula; Emobi Industries, a company specialising in the design, manufacture and assembly of metal structures for over 15 years and with the firm intent of also leading the production of wind towers; and the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon have once again highlighted their mutual commitment towards the socio-economic development of the autonomous community.

These enterprises and the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon, through its industrial and business revitalisation and investment company Sodical, have signed a strategic agreement to promote the reindustrialisation of El Bierzo, which will place renewable energies as the backbone of the economic, social and business dynamics of a district significantly affected by the closure of mines and thermal power plants.

The signing of the agreement, which took place at the head offices of Sodical in Valladolid, was attended by the managing director of Sodical, Carmen Sanz; the regional director of Capital Energy in Castilla y Leon, Víctor Fernández; the CEO of Emobi Industries, Miguel Ángel Díaz, and the managing director of the same company, Guillermo Bergareche.

Under this agreement, the energy group agrees to encourage the suppliers of its facilities in Castilla y Leon to purchase wind towers manufactured by the company from El Bierzo, in which the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon has a stake through Sodical. Initially, Capital Energy will prioritise the experience of Emobi Industries in manufacturing this fundamental part of wind turbines, where it hopes to become an international benchmark, following the acquisition of the La Llanada plant in Ponferrada. Both then hope to expand their cooperation to other key components of the renewable energy industry.

This partnership commercially consolidates the Emobi Industries wind tower plant in Ponferrada and supports the enterprise’s business plan. In fact, it would enable the company to manufacture up to 15 tower sections per week as of this year at its La Llanada facility, where it also plans to create up to 200 new jobs.

Over the coming three years, the company plans to reach a weekly production capacity of up to 45 sections, enabling it to create around 800 direct jobs and 2,400 indirect jobs and help establish El Bierzo as a leading international wind power hub. It will have the support of Sodical for this, which holds a stake in the company, and they will jointly analyse any public invitations to tender for the sector that may apply. 

Another strength of the agreement is the commitment made by all parties to promote training and the creation of a job bank in El Bierzo associated with the renewable energy sector. The enterprises will therefore work with vocational training centres in the district and universities from Castilla y Leon in organising practical training cycles to encourage the integration of young people into the workplace, as well as initiatives aimed at the return to work of disadvantaged groups and the unemployed over the age of 55 linked to mining and the running of coal-fired power plants. 

In addition, under the terms of the agreement, Capital Energy and Emobi Industries agree to explore new forms of collaboration as part of their commitment to sustainability. These include the signing of future power purchase agreements (PPAs) for renewable energy and the implementation of self-consumption, storage and green hydrogen solutions in industrial centres, facilities or plants in El Bierzo. They will also jointly analyse initiatives related to the development and implementation of activities regarding the circular economy and fair transition.

Víctor Fernández, regional director of Capital Energy in Castilla y Leon, said that “this new agreement confirms not only our confidence in the region's excellent industrial and business network but our desire to become a driving force for the socio-economic development of the region in general, and particularly of El Bierzo. With the help of Emobi Industries, we will continue to support a green and fair energy transition that helps improve the quality of life of all those living in the region”.

Guillermo Bergareche, managing director of Emobi Industries, said “The signing of this agreement represents yet another step towards consolidating our strategic industrial development plan and our commitment to El Bierzo, as well as our contribution towards sustainability and the environment.”

Carmen Sanz, managing director of Sodical Instituto Financiero de Castilla y León, said that the signing of this strategic agreement helps meet the goals entrusted to Sodical by the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon, such as the reindustrialisation of Castilla y Leon, territorial cohesion, and the generating of quality employment.

Castilla y Leon, spearhead of the renewable energy project of Capital Energy

Castilla y Leon is the hub of Capital Energy’s clean energy project. It is no coincidence that the company has implemented 46 renewable energy projects in the region, totalling a combined installed capacity of over 3,300 MW, more than 2,800 MW of wind power, and around 500 MW of solar power. The construction of this entire portfolio would involve an overall investment of more than €3 billion, the creation of almost 11,000 direct jobs, a tax contribution of over €60 million during the construction stage, and a contribution to GDP of €850 million.

During the operation and maintenance of these facilities, the group would provide stable, quality employment for around 420 professionals and would generate an annual economic impact of around €14.5 million, through local and regional taxes. It would also contribute more than €85 million to GDP each year. 

This renewable capacity could generate 9.5 terawatt hours (TWh) per year, enough to cover the energy consumption of around 3.6 million households. Almost 3.5 million tonnes of CO₂ would also be prevented from being released into the atmosphere. It should also be highlighted that more than half of the projects will have a positive impact on what are known as the areas of impact of fair transition: Compostilla and La Robla in the province of Leon, and the district of Alfoz in Burgos.

In addition, Capital Energy has offices in Valladolid, Ponferrada and Soria, from which more than twenty local professionals work on the development of clean energy in the region and which have the capacity to expand this workforce as the projects progress. Furthermore, as part of its commitment towards the socio-economic growth of Castilla y Leon, the group has already signed agreements with leading enterprises in the region, such as the one signed last September with the biotech company from El Bierzo, ADL BioPharma, and is commissioning the services of many different local engineering, consulting and construction companies, generating around 40 indirect jobs.

Along these lines, Capital Energy has launched the Territories Project, a different initiative that combines its commitment towards the decarbonisation of the economy and the transformation of the energy model and its desire to boost the development of the regions. To do so, it agrees to implement agreed actions with local stakeholders that will contribute towards encouraging the increase of the rural population and will be framed by specific lines of action, including the improvement of infrastructures and services, connectivity and digitisation, protection of artistic and cultural heritage, education, health, and the social and labour integration of disadvantaged groups.

An agreement that boosts and speeds up the strategic plan of Emobi Industries

Through this unprecedented agreement, Emobi Industries would have guardianship of Spain's leading renewable energy developer to bring its La Llanada plant to full capacity, where it has already invested €15 million in its acquisition and industrial adaptation.

Thanks to this partnership, Emobi Industries could increase its current production capacity from 780 to more than 2,340 sections per year, with an estimated turnover of around €250 million.

Financial and institutional support would also speed up the investments needed to meet the huge challenge promoted by its strategic plan, which involves manufacturing up to 45 sections per week over the next four years, making the Emobi Industries project one of the largest in the world. 

About Sodical Instituto Financiero de Castilla y León

One of the fundamental goals of ADE CAPITAL SODICAL, S.C.R., S.A. is the promotion of industrial development in Castilla y Leon, which will contribute towards its territorial cohesion and generate quality employment. To meet this goal, it manages funds from the Regional Government of Castilla y Leon for the reindustrialisation of the Autonomous Community and the corporate use of its local resources through stakes in the share capital of the enterprises and/or the granting of shareholder loans. It is also an essential financial tool included in the Second Industrial Design Master Plan of Castilla y Leon 2021-2025.

About Capital Energy

In line with its commitment to a green and fair energy transition, Capital Energy currently has a wind and solar portfolio on the Iberian Peninsula of around 34 gigawatts (GW) of power, with more than 8 GW already awarded grid access permits. 

Capital Energy has achieved its strategic goal of being present along the entire value chain of renewable generation: from design, where the enterprise has a consolidated position thanks to its 20-year track record, to construction, production, storage, operation and supply. The company now has 16 offices in Spain and Portugal.

About Emobi Industries

Emobi Industries is a local capital enterprise with an industrial calling, committed to the economic revival of El Bierzo and to consolidating an ambitious project, committing financial resources, forming a highly qualified team with extensive experience in the sector, and considering people the main asset of its project.

Starting in 2017 with the acquisition of the La Llanada plant that once belonged to Coiper 2000 (the main supplier of wind towers in Europe between 2000 and 2010), the goal of Emobi Industries is to provide the facilities with the productive means necessary to make this facility what it once was.