Asturiana de Zinc’s New Solar Plant to Boost Sustainability and Cut Emissions
Asturiana de Zinc (AZSA) will use the aid granted under the Strategic Project for the Recovery and Economic Transformation (PERTE) of Industrial Decarbonization to construct the largest solar plant for industrial self-consumption in Spain. The 28.7-megawatt facility will be located at the San Juan de Nieva site, utilizing the area of the old waste ponds, which have been closed and environmentally rehabilitated.
The new solar park will feature 41,000 solar panels, expected to generate 32,600 megawatt-hours annually for internal consumption. This initiative aims to reduce AZSA's electricity consumption by 1.6% and cut carbon dioxide emissions by 4,600 tons. Power transmission will be conducted without overhead wires to minimize the environmental impact.
Work on the project is anticipated to begin in the second half of this year. This development aligns with Glencore's goal to achieve net-zero emissions in its production processes by 2025. The new electrolysis plant at AZSA has also been modernized to support this objective.
Energy costs are a significant factor for Asturiana de Zinc, which consumes two million megawatt-hours annually. The energy crisis of 2022 saw energy expenses rise to 75% of the company’s total costs, though this was reduced to 55% last year.
