By María Lozano Uriz - 15th December 2008
In 2006, energy consumption from renewables was 12.72 per cent in the region, with 62.26 per cent of electricity generated from renewables
María Lozano Uriz on the Spanish Navarra region
On 22 September, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain inaugurated the Ecointegra plant in Aoiz, a small village in Navarra, in the north of Spain. The plant is the latest in a series of environment-focused initiatives in the region, this time with the added bonus of assisting social integration in the labour market.
Navarra, with a population of just over 600,000 inhabitants, is one the 15 most stable European regions. With R&D investment of 1.92 per cent of GDP (the second highest in Spain), Navarra is also a region that is highly committed to the production of renewable energies and environmentally friendly projects. It also leads the energy working group of the Conference of Maritime and Peripheral Regions.
In 2006, energy consumption from renewables was 12.72 per cent in the region, with 62.26 per cent of electricity generated from renewables. The renewables sector represents five per cent of the region’s GDP, and 5000 jobs have been created by 100 companies working in the renewable sector.
Navarra’s aim is to boost energy saving and efficiency, develop renewable energies, diversify supply infrastructures from gas and electricity and contribute to the Kyoto protocol targets through its third energy plan, which stipulates that the region will produce 75 per cent of its electricity from renewables by 2010.
But the plan is also evidence that economic growth is more energy-demanding, and that energy saving and efficiency have become more relevant than in the past. The region has managed to reduce its carbon emissions by 200 tonnes of CO2 a year as a result of its energy plans.
Within this broad framework of energy saving, other initiatives are running, such as the Ecointegra project led by the Aspace foundation. Aspace is an organisation focused on providing integrated treatment for people with cerebral palsy and similar diseases.
Within Aspace there is a specific arm focused exclusively on employment and in 2004 this division, along with various Navarra business organisations, launched Ecointegra. Its main objective is to become a European model for recycling waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
As its name suggests, Ecointegra has two main focuses – the ‘eco’ part focuses on the waste treatment of electrical and electronic equipment containing chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) while the ‘integra’ element revolves around Aspace’s mission to encourage the personal, labour and social integration of people with cerebral palsy and similar diseases.
The Ecointegra plant in Navarra has three separate elements: a treatment plant, which has created 30 jobs for mentally disabled people; a research and innovation centre focusing on the recycling of WEEE and ecodesign; and a centre for the dissemination and knowledge of environmental best practice, which seeks to raise social awareness about the waste treatment of electrical and electronic equipment and the integration of disabled people in the labour market through visits to schools or exhibitions by partner companies.
The total investment in Ecointegra is €6m, financed by the government of Navarra, the region’s employment services, various financial institutions and self-financing.
For every 1000 fridges recycled at the plant, 22,000kg of iron, 9350kg of plastic, 7700kg of polyurethane, 1600kg of aluminium, 1100kg of copper and 300kg of CFCs are recovered – while a further 17.4 tonnes of CO2 emissions are avoided.
The cerebral palsy sufferers who work at the plant feel that they are therefore contributing to a common environmental goal while benefiting themselves.
Ecointegra is an example of what collaborative thinking can produce and we in the region of Navarra are convinced of the benefits to everyone.
