Ercros receives a 14.6 M€ grant to decarbonize its operations in Vila-seca

The Ministry of Industry and Tourism has granted Ercros a total of EUR 14.6 million in aid to carry out decarbonization initiatives at its two factories in Vila-seca, which are part of the Tarragona Industrial Complex (CIT). This aid falls within the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (Perte, by its initials in Spanish) for industrial decarbonization, funded by the European Next Generation funds.

The largest portion of the aid, EUR 14.1 million, is allocated to projects at the Vila-seca II plant— included in the investment plan, Plan 3D —which will reduce the use of natural gas as an energy source and enhance competitiveness in PVC production. Specifically, the project will utilize low-grade residual heat from EDC and VCM production processes as a clean energy source, construct a new steam boiler powered by biomass, and increase the use of hydrogen co-produced at the chlorine-caustic soda plant in Vila-seca I.

The other aid, granted at the end of 2024, amounts to EUR 534,000 and will be used to generate steam through a new boiler that operates on electricity instead of natural gas, thereby reducing direct GHG emissions.

The decarbonization projects funded by this aid involve a total investment of over EUR 50 million—EUR 14.6 million of which will be covered by the European grants—and will enable a 56% reduction in GHG emissions at the CIT.

These installations will contribute to the creation of 18 new jobs, 13 direct and 5 indirect. They are currently in the design phase and are expected to become operational in 2026.