Q-Cero Alliance to decarbonise thermal energy demand in Spain

The Q-Cero Alliance has been launched with more than 40 companies to decarbonise thermal energy demand in the industrial and building sectors in Spain.

The Alliance, which was initiated by the Iberdrola chair for sustainable development at the Polytechnic University of Madrid, is intended as a meeting and dialogue point to accelerate decarbonisation in an area where it is currently lagging.

The current pace of decarbonisation in the industrial and building sectors in Spain is below the pace needed to achieve the commitments made to limit global warming to 1.5°C, according to an Alliance statement.

The Alliance intends to identify bottlenecks and develop proposals and activities to accelerate the electrification of heat in these different sectors and thereby contribute to materialising the opportunities of the energy transition.

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The electrification of heat is a sector with special particularities, as although there are numerous barriers common across businesses, there are also significant differences between them.

This poses challenges but also opens the opportunity to develop new markets and decarbonisation technologies in Spain, the Alliance asserts.

"There is a real urgency to change our energy system,” said Ignacio Galán, Chairman of Iberdrola, at the launch, which was held at the company’s headquarters.

“This is a real partnership to decarbonise and seize new opportunities. Many companies also share this commitment, and that is why we are reaching agreements among ourselves and with the financial sector to achieve the goal of a three-fold increase in clean energy."

Thermal energy demand in Spain accounts for around 40% of the final energy demand and is divided approximately equally between thermal heat for industry and heating and cooling in buildings, both residential and commercial.

The strength of industry in Spain is limited and increasing energy costs are impacting its competitiveness.

However, the country has a competitive advantage with its renewable resources, which is considered to offer a huge opportunity to attract industry and generate employment and other added value.

The Alliance is being coordinated at the Polytechnic University’s Centre for Innovation in Technology for Human Development, where the Iberdrola chair is based.