The Spanish Government has signed a collaboration protocol with Chinese renewables player Envision to promote projects in the fields of battery manufacturing, renewables, energy storage, digital technologies and renewable hydrogen.
Within the framework of the collaboration between the Ministries of Industry, Commerce and Tourism and Envision an estimated investment of €3.8bn is planned.
Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Reyes Maroto said: “These projects show the commitment of Envision, a leading global group in green technology, which has opted for Spain as its European headquarters.
“Several autonomous communities in inland Spain will benefit from the creation of more than 4000 direct green jobs and from industrial activity committed to the energy and digital transition.”
Navalmoral de la Mata (Extremadura), Alcázar de San Juan (Castilla-La Mancha) and Navas del Marqués (Castilla y León) are the towns chosen for the location of the new plants, Maroto said.
Maroto also highlighted that the selection of three small municipalities as investment locations by Envision “is a clear sign that the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan improves the country’s territorial cohesion, contributes to reducing the gap between the rural world and the city and promotes actions in the areas most affected by depopulation.
“Thanks to the leadership of the Government of Spain, these regions are going to take a modernising leap in the coming years”.
Jose Domínguez, President of Envision Spain, said: “The value that the availability of solar and wind energy represents for the company as sources of renewable electricity in Spain.
“Envision is committed to the production of batteries for electric vehicles in zero emission industrial parks.
“For this, it will have renewable generation plants and facilities such as hydrogen or turbines that make this reality possible. Spain is in the best conditions to be the European base for its emission-free production.”
The first Envision project is a planned gigafactory for making EV batteries in Navalmoral de la Mata (Extremadura), with an investment of €2.5bn, which could create 3000 direct jobs.
The second is a plant for the production of renewable hydrogen and the manufacture of electrolysers in Alcázar de San Juan (Ciudad Real), with an investment that could reach €900m that would support between 500 and 700 direct jobs.
The third is a wind power generation and wind turbine assembly plant in Las Navas del Marqués (Ávila), worth €100m, which will employ 110 people.
The hydrogen generated in Ciudad Real and the wind power from Ávila will serve to power the Cáceres plant.
The fourth project is a centre for the development and innovation of digital products, in a location yet to be decided, which will bring an investment of €300m and will create 300 direct jobs.