bp promotes the decarbonization of the ceramic sector in Spain with the help of hydrogen along with ASCER and ANFFECC.
bp, ASCER (Spanish Association of Manufacturers of Ceramic Tiles and Pavements) and ANFFECC (National Association of Manufacturers of Frits, Enamels and Ceramic Colors) have signed collaboration agreements to contribute to the decarbonisation objectives of the ceramic industry. The event was attended by Ximo Puig, President of the Generalitat Valenciana, along with representatives from bp, ASCER and ANFFECC.
bp’s objective is to collaborate with the Castellón ceramic cluster to achieve its decarbonisation, a commitment that both the Spanish and regional governments consider key in the decarbonisation path of the Spanish industry.
The ceramic cluster of Castellón, located in the Valencian Community, is an industry with high thermal intensity. The tile industry is the second world exporter in volume and the first European producer, and the ceramic frit industry is the world leader in its sector. Its more than 250 companies, located 30 km from the Castellón refinery and with a turnover of more than 5,000 million euros in 2020, represent 8% of industrial production.
bp, for its part, is undertaking the transformation of its Castellón refinery into a clean energy hub capable of producing renewable energies and green hydrogen not only for the decarbonisation of its own operations but also for its supply to the ceramic sector in the region and to other industries.
With the signing of these two agreements, the intention of the parties is to jointly identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration and to explore and develop in the future technical solutions that allow bp to supply green hydrogen and biomethane to the companies that are part of these associations, being able to contribute in this way to the substitution of natural gas in the ceramic industry.
Both ANFFECC and ASCER will promote among their associates the establishment of future collaboration agreements for the execution of specific projects that are identified by the parties.
This initiative is in line with the previously announced green hydrogen project at bp’s Castellón refinery. The planned operation date is 2024 with the first 60MW electrolyser and it will have significant expansion potential in the coming years. The green hydrogen will be used to produce clean fuels and decarbonise the operations of the bp refinery, as well as other thermo-intensive and heavy mobility industries in the Valencian Community.
These two agreements show a strong alliance between bp, which has been working with hydrogen in its operations for more than 53 years and is currently developing projects related to green hydrogen in other parts of the world, and the ceramic cluster, helping its economic viability and international competitiveness through decarbonization and contributing to the creation of quality employment in the region.
The signing of these agreements represents one more step in bp’s ambition to achieve its goal of zero net emissions in 2050 or before this date and help the world to achieve it, betting on helping large industries accelerate their own decarbonization processes . It also reinforces bp’s commitment to consolidate the role of the Valencian Community as a driving model for the decarbonisation of industries, cities and regions in Spain.
Andrés Guevara, president of bp Spain.
These agreements will allow us to move forward hand in hand with the ceramic industry, one of the economic engines of the province of Castellón and the entire Valencian Community, in the development and implementation of credible and realistic projects that allow the sector to undertake its goal of decarbonization and boost its future competitiveness at the same time that we advance in our transformation towards an integrated energy company.
Vicente Nomdedeu Lluesma, president of ASCER, stated:
The agreement is in line with the strategy towards the decarbonisation of the Spanish ceramic sector and will allow us to discover the role that alternative energies such as green hydrogen, currently uncompetitive, may have in the future of the industry .
Joaquín Font de Mora, the president of ANFFECC also points out:
At ANFFECC we believe that this type of collaboration agreement between the ceramic cluster and important agents in the business and energy sector, such as bp, enhances the synergy between the ceramic industry and other vectors, in a moment of special relevance given the crisis in energy prices that our country is currently suffering.
“These alliances will undoubtedly encourage joint work to find new formulas that allow the industry to decarbonise, being able to be more efficient and competitive.”
For his part, the President of the Generalitat, Ximo Puig, stressed that the ceramic cluster ” looks to the future ” in its alliance with bp to contribute to the decarbonisation objectives, and underlined that the agreements signed in this direction will contribute to consolidate the “ energy sovereignty ” of this industry, essential to guarantee the capacity for recovery and economic transformation.
It is, as he has said, a ” successful operation in a common cause ” that is moving towards ” an authentic revolution for the future of the ceramic sector “, an industry that has achieved ” great progress” in innovation and internationalization.
From this point of view, Ximo Puig, who highlighted bp’s commitment to sustainability and innovative ” global vision “, underlined that the agreements reached are committed to ” a logical transition that must be undertaken intelligently, rationally and with the ability to maintain the competitiveness of our benchmark cluster ”.
A strategy aligned with bp’s transformation into an integrated energy company
These agreements come at a time of full transformation of bp into an integrated energy company, as was made clear last month during the bp 30th anniversary commemoration event at the head of the Castellón refinery.
Its goal is to progressively convert the refinery into a clean energy hub . bp’s intention is not only to reduce the emissions associated with the company’s operations, but also to help the Valencian Community become a strategic enclave for the decarbonisation of Spain.
bp is working to consolidate public-private alliances that represent a guarantee for its transformation in Spain and, more specifically, of the Castellón refinery by the end of the decade, integrating a set of plans in different areas, such as mobility, heavy industry , as is the case of ceramics, and tourism, among others.
In this context, the agreements established with ASCER and ANFFECC show progress in the decarbonisation of the industrial sector and in promoting sustainability in the Valencian Community.
bp’s ambition is to become a net-zero emissions company by 2050 or sooner and help the world decarbonise. bp is partnering with countries, cities and corporations to provide integrated clean energy and mobility solutions to help them with their decarbonisation plans.
The Spanish ceramic cluster, a benchmark in the industry at an international level
Spain is positioned as a leader in the world ceramic sector in terms of technological development, design and quality of service thanks to a dynamic and innovative industry.
The ceramic tile manufacturing sector is the third industry that contributes the largest surplus to Spain’s trade balance, with total sales that in 2020 reached 3,842 million euros. With the presence of its products in 190 countries, 75% of its turnover corresponds to exports, while the rest of the sales are destined for the national market.
One of the main characteristics of the Spanish tile sector, which directly employs around 16,100 workers, is the high geographical concentration of the industry in the province of Castellón. Approximately 94% of national production originates in this province, where 80% of the companies in the sector are located. Thanks for staying up to date at Hydrogen Central.
As for the Spanish ceramic frits, glazes and colors industry, thanks to the efforts dedicated to R&D and internationalization and as a result of the competitiveness achieved, this sector has been the absolute world leader for decades, with widely recognized prestige at the international level. international.
70% of production is for export, with multiple destinations throughout Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The frit industries have been betting heavily on innovation for some time and allocate a significant part of their resources to the research and development of new products.
This commitment, together with the proximity and synergy between the ceramic industries and the factories of frits, glazes and ceramic colors within the tile cluster, has catapulted the Spanish ceramic world to the highest international levels in quality, competitiveness, design, and innovation.
In fact, the Spanish ceramic cluster is considered the ‘Silicon Valley’ of ceramics. No other area in the world has this industrial and business fabric dedicated to this product. In recent decades, Spain has produced the main ceramic innovations that have revolutionized the market and ceramic production worldwide.
Highlights:
- bp announces the signing of two collaboration agreements with ASCER and ANFFECC to join forces in the decarbonisation process of the Spanish ceramic industry.
- As part of bp’s own ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and to help the world get there, the company aims to help energy-intensive sectors, such as ceramics, accelerate their own decarbonisation processes.
- bp, within the framework of transformation towards an integrated energy company, will convert its Castellón refinery into a clean energy hub capable of producing and supplying hydrogen and other renewable energies to the industrial sector, mainly the Spanish ceramics industry.
- The ceramic tile manufacturing sector and the Spanish ceramic frits, glazes and colors sector, concentrated mainly in the province of Castellón and with a joint turnover of more than 5,000 million euros in 2020, represent more than 250 companies and generate more than 20,000 direct jobs. Together with the ceramic machinery sector, as a ceramic cluster they represent 8% of the industrial production of the Valencian Community and their decarbonisation is critical in the energy transition agenda in Spain.
- This initiative is in line with the announced green hydrogen project at the Castellón refinery, which will be used to produce clean fuels and decarbonize the refinery’s operations, as well as other thermo-intensive and heavy mobility industries in the Valencian Community.
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bp collaborates with ASCER and ANFFECC, the main Spanish associations in the ceramic sector, to jointly identify decarbonisation opportunities, January 18, 2022
