Acideka inaugurates in Lantarón the first chemical plant to decarbonise 100% of its industrial heat, powered by solar energy from NetOn Power

Acideka, a Basque family-owned chemical company with more than six decades of history, has inaugurated, on 1 July, a pioneering industrial decarbonisation project at its plant in Lantarón (Álava), making it the first chemical plant to fully electrify its industrial heat production with renewable energy. NetOn Power has taken part in this initiative as the company responsible for the renewable generation that powers the new system.

The event was attended by representatives of the Government of Spain, the Basque Government, the Provincial Council of Álava and Lantarón Town Council, underlining the project’s significance for the energy transition of industry.

The solution replaces two diesel boilers with a molten-salt thermal storage system, the ThermalBox® developed by Build to Zero, which converts renewable electricity into the steam required by the plant’s production processes. As a result, Acideka eliminates 100% of the direct (Scope 1) emissions associated with heat generation and avoids up to 1,310 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

The energy that powers the system comes largely from a 2.13 MWp solar photovoltaic self-consumption plant delivered by NetOn Power, one of the first of its kind in the Basque Country. Solar generation covers 85% of the thermal system’s electricity consumption, approximately 3,972 MWh per year, and on days with high solar irradiation photovoltaic output meets its entire demand. The photovoltaic plant received funding from IDAE, the Spanish Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving, while the thermal storage system was supported through the Spanish Thermal Storage PERTE programme.

On the occasion of the inauguration, NetOn Power highlighted the replicability of the solution: “an on-site solar PPA gives industry access to clean energy at a stable price and with no upfront investment, overcoming distribution grid constraints on new demand and accelerating its transition”.

This project reflects NetOn Power’s purpose of contributing to the competitiveness and sustainability of industrial companies through comprehensive self-consumption solutions integrated into their local environment. NetOn Power thanks Acideka for its trust and its firm commitment to decarbonisation, as well as all the partners whose collaboration made this milestone possible.