Repsol Partners with Enerkem and Agbar to Build Waste-to-Chemicals Plant in Spain

The Spanish multi-energy company Repsol will join the Ecoplanta project, together with the technology leader Montreal-based firm Enerkem and Agbar, a global expert in water and waste management, to build a waste to chemicals plant in Tarragona, Spain. Under the joint venture Ecoplanta Molecular Recycling Solutions, the plant will process around 400,000 tons of non-recyclable municipal solid waste from its surrounding regions and produce 220,000 tons of methanol. This methanol will be used as raw material to produce circular materials or advanced biofuels, contributing to avoid 200,000 tons of CO2 and reducing the waste that ends up in the landfill. This alliance is a further step towards the multi-energy company’s ambition to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050.

The plant, the first of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula, will be co-managed by Repsol and Agbar, whilst Enerkem will be the key technological partner. The plant is projected to be in operation in 2025 after taking the project’s final investment decision by the first quarter of 2022. The project already obtained the Integrated Environmental Authorization and the approval of the Environmental Impact Statement from the local authorities. 

Repsol has a leading industrial complex in Tarragona, a factor that will allow for synergies among the facilities. This petrochemical complex is the most important of its kind in Spain. Among the many types of polymers produced there, the range of highly specialized products for the automotive sector, such as high impact resistant polymers, stands out.

According to Jose Luis Bernal, Repsol’s Executive Director for Chemicals: “We are very pleased to join forces with relevant waste management and innovative technology partners, showing our commitment to circular economy and reinforcing our commitment to recycle 20% of our polyolefins production by 2030.”

The plant will use gasification technology to transform municipal solid waste, a very complex process due to its heterogeneous nature, into high value-added products such as methanol. Enerkem is the owner of this patented state-of-the-art technology, the first to be tested on an industrial scale, after a rigorous scale-up from pilot to demonstration to commercial scale that took place over a decade, in its commercial demonstration plant in operation in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and a new facility under construction in Varennes, Québec, Canada.

The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Enerkem, Dominique Boies, mentioned: “We are proud to welcome Repsol as a partner to further support our Tarragona facility. Their strong expertise of the industry, coupled with that of Agbar, will enable us to feature the numerous benefits associated with our unique disruptive technology, transforming waste into renewable plastics or advanced biofuels.”

With this significant investment, the project has been selected to move into stage 2 of the European Union Innovation Fund, which focuses on highly innovative technologies and big flagship projects within Europe to bring on significant emission reductions.

About Repsol

Repsol is a global multi-energy supplier that facilitates the transition towards an energy model with fewer emissions. It operates low-emission power generation assets and is developing several photovoltaic and wind renewable energy projects. Repsol has set the ambitious goal of being a net-zero emissions company by 2050 and has had a circular economy strategy since 2016 that it has applied throughout the company’s value chain, from obtaining raw materials to commercializing products and services. Oriented towards the circular economy, the company’s chemical business will also make a decisive contribution to a more decarbonized economy and is committed to the efficiency of its industrial chemical processes. Its products are used to make everyday objects that improve people’s quality of life, well-being, and safety. Its wide variety of chemical products range from base petrochemicals to derivatives and include a wide range of polyolefins, all 100% recyclable. The company also has three large petrochemical facilities in Europe where differentiated products with high added value are developed. For more information visit: www.repsol.com.

About Enerkem

Enerkem has developed and commercializes a disruptive technology producing advanced biofuels and renewable chemicals from non-recyclable waste. Headquartered in Montréal, Québec, Canada, Enerkem operates a full-scale commercial demonstration facility in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada as well as an innovation centre in Québec. A full-scale commercial facility in Varennes, Quebec, Canada is currently under construction and commissioning is scheduled for 2023. Enerkem’s technology is a prime example of how a true circular economy can be achieved by diversifying the energy mix and by making everyday products greener while offering a smart, sustainable alternative to landfilling and incineration. For more information, visit www.enerkem.com.

About Agbar

Since its origins in 1867, Agbar has established itself as a benchmark in the preservation of resources. After more than 150 years of experience, we continue to adapt and innovate to meet the needs of our environment, with the purpose of improving people’s quality of life. We manage water and resources efficiently and lead the development of solutions and technologies in balance with the environment, with the aim of transferring our accumulated experience and the value of sustainability to the public.