The green infrastructures of Hidralia and its shares have a capacity to generate 13 GWh while in their concessions it has reduced by the last three years 250 tons equivalent to CO2

Environmental protection is one of the main axes on which the sustainable development strategy of Hidralia, an Andalusian environmental company that is responsible for the integral management of water, is based. This means that in all the processes carried out by Hidralia and its companies involved in Andalusia (Aguas de Huelva, Aguas de Torremolinos, Aguas de Benahavís, Aguas de Montilla, Emasagra and Aguasvira) it is one of its main objectives to minimize the environmental impact and the protection and regeneration of the natural environment.

All this has led to Hidralia, in its concessions alone, having reduced in the last three years the emission of 250 TnCO2EQ (tonnes equivalent to CO2). In fact, its commitment to the circular economy, the generation of green infrastructure and investment in energy efficiency, not only has it managed to reduce its consumption, but hidralia, together with its participating companies, currently has a capacity to generate green energy in the facilities managed by the group in Andalusia of 13 GWh/year, which would amount to the average consumption of 1,300 homes, since a house in Spain consumes on average about 9,922 kilowatt hours (kWh) per year.

The ability to generate energy depends on different factors, such as rainfall level, and as long as optimal conditions are met in all facilities, so during 2020, the year marked by the difficulties caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, it was possible to generate about seven gigawatt-hours (GWh), an equivalent of the energy required by more than 700 homes.

The latest renewable energy generation actions that have been launched have a production capacity of 500,000 KWh/year. This is the case of the Torremolinos Photovoltaic Solar Park, which adds to the battery of performances performed in the period 2017/2020 with a green power generation capacity of 4.7 GWh/year.

This should be included in the implementation of actions to improve energy efficiency, over the past year, in various facilities where the equivalent of consumption of approximately 352,000 KWh/year has been captured. In this way, the implementation of Intelligent Aeration Control Systems in treatment plants, the replacement of pumps with more efficient ones, as well as changes of lighting by LED systems has continued. These actions carried out in 2020 are in addition to those already carried out in previous years (period 2017/2020) with a total reduction in consumption equivalent to more than 7.44 GWh/year.

Commitment: Neutrality

As part of the commitment to reduce its environmental footprint and its conviction of the need to mitigate emissions into the atmosphere, it highlights the transformation of its conventional fleet of vehicles by other hybrids or electric vehicles, depending on the use to which they are dedicated. In total Hidralia and its participating companies already have 71 hybrid cars and 48 electric cars.

The company's effort in its fight against climate change led to the creation of the Andalusian Climate Change Network (REDAC) together with the Hydralia+UGR Chair. An entity that was recognized last year with the Environment of Andalusia award awarded by the Junta de Andalucía itself.

REDAC has become a large network in which affiliated entities, which are already more than 550, can calculate their carbon footprint for free, exchange experiences, value their best practices and collect information on climate change mitigation and adaptation, while building business, institutional and public-private partnerships. This network seeks to promote sustainability and communication between its adhered.

In addition, Hidralia is a member of the Andalusian Emissions Compensation System (SACE) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development of the Junta de Andalucía participating with the presentation of the calculation of its carbon footprint and an action plan to reduce its emissions according to the formats provided by the Board itself.