The Olmedo biomass cogeneration plant, developed by ENSO in collaboration with an agricultural cooperative, is the largest of its kind in Spain. With an investment of close to €70 million and the backing of the Regional Government of Castile and León, this infrastructure will mark a turning point in the decarbonisation of the agro-industrial sector.
Located in the heart of Castilla y León, on the premises of the country’s largest sugar factory, this plant follows an ESE (Energy Services Company) model and integrates advanced technical solutions to replace the use of natural gas with certified forest and agricultural biomass (SURE), providing 100% renewable thermal and electrical energy for the industrial processes of a sugar factory.
The project will enable the cooperative to cover most of its energy needs in a sustainable manner through the use of forest and agricultural biomass, generating 346,000 tonnes of steam and 45,000 MWh of renewable electricity. Electricity production will reduce CO₂ emissions into the atmosphere by more than 80%.
The result is energy savings of 40%, a reduction in CO₂ emissions of between 60,000 and 86,000 tonnes avoided annually, and a direct impact on local and rural development thanks to the creation of more than 30 direct jobs and 150 indirect jobs, encouraging the rural population to stay and improving per capita income in the area.
The plant will annually generate this steam flow to cover the totality of the sugar factory's thermal needs, guaranteeing a continuous, efficient, and 100% renewable supply, with a direct impact on reducing costs and emissions.
SURE certified sustainable forest and agricultural biomass, partly supplied by cooperative partners, strengthening the circular model and circular economy through the use of byproducts and agricultural waste.
Renewable electricity mainly for self-consumption and sale to third parties, optimizing energy efficiency through high-efficiency cogeneration.
Thanks to the substitution of natural gas with biomass, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 80%.
The Olmedo biomass cogeneration plant, developed by ENSO in collaboration with the ACOR cooperative, represents a strategic decarbonisation project for the agro-industrial sector. Designed under the ESE model, it integrates advanced technical solutions that enable natural gas to be replaced by certified forest and agricultural biomass, providing 100% renewable thermal and electrical energy for ACOR's industrial processes.
Since its commissioning, the plant has established itself as a benchmark infrastructure in energy efficiency and sustainability, capable of generating large volumes of steam and renewable electricity, optimising self-consumption and the sale of surpluses. Its design incorporates advanced control systems, high-efficiency cogeneration and biomass use strategies that guarantee continuity of supply and reduction of CO₂ emissions.
The plant not only provides renewable energy, but also acts as a driver for local development. It generates direct and indirect employment, strengthens the biomass supply chain and promotes population retention in rural areas. Energy production will reduce CO₂ emissions by tens of thousands of tonnes per year, reinforcing ENSO and ACOR's commitment to a cleaner and more sustainable industrial model.
Located in Olmedo, a strategic agro-industrial hub in Castile and León, the plant is integrated into an environment marked by agricultural tradition and technological innovation. Its development contributes to the competitiveness of the ACOR cooperative and the sustainable transformation of the entire regional agro-industrial chain, promoting a circular economy model that converts agricultural waste into useful energy and quality employment.
