Circular Economy
Always view it in English
How can we progress towards the new energy model? A commitment to renewable energies and the electrification of the economy are two key pillars in the decarbonisation process.
Along these same lines, reducing emissions in existing plants is the next big step we need to take. But what happens to those centres that are no longer useful with regard to this objective? The circular economy is presented as a great ally to achieve decarbonisation throughout this process.
It is already a reality right around the world. Countries like China and the United States use are taking advantage of the circular economy as a basis for re-using materials and centres that are no longer suitable for their initial use in the decarbonisation process.
In Europe there are numerous examples. The National Museum of Modern Art, the Tate Modern, in London now contains some of the most iconic exhibitions of recent art, but a few years ago it was very different. Until 1981, what we would have seen in its place was the Bankside power station, an oil combustion plant that produced 300 MW of electricity.
But there are other examples nearer home. In Barcelona, the Catalan power station, also known as the Vilanova power station, focussed on thermal energy from 1896 to 1977. It is currently a renovated centre that is now a modernist facility where the Espai Endesa is located, an educational centre where visitors can learn about the process followed by energy through a series of interactive panels.
The museum and cultural centre that we now know as the CaixaForum in Madrid has not always been used for culture, but used to be an integral part of the old Mediodía power station. A coal-fired plant that supplied the southern part of the old historical centre of Madrid.
Another example that we can find in Madrid is the Mazarredo power station. This centre is currently an area that has been developed for start-ups, called Google Campus.
Futur-e: The future of energy installations
The circular economy functions as a tool to create shared value in the current process of decarbonisation. This principle is the cornerstone of the Futur-e programme, an initiative of the Enel Group, to which Endesa belongs, that is searching for a new use for thermal power stations that have ceased to operate. The programme already includes 23 power stations and a former mining installation.
In Spain this initiative has already been applied to the area around the Compostilla power station in León. With a participatory, transparent and open call for bids, we invited companies, institutions and other public and private agents to present projects for investment and job creation in the area occupied by the plant and the surrounding areas.
Our decarbonisation plan continues to progress and the circular economy is the ideal travel companion. Local commitment should always be the basis for the new energy model.
