Ence's biomass plant in Puertollano is now connected to the grid

new biomass power in Puertollano has now been connected to the electricity grid and has generated its first megawatts of renewable energy from biomass.

The new Puertollano facility will continue its testing phase until the end of January 2020, when it is expected to complete this preliminary trial period and officially begin operations. The plant has been built using the best available techniques and will produce an estimated 325,000 MWh of electricity per year , equivalent to the energy needs of more than 60,000 people.

The Puertollano plant's operations will significantly reduce the uncontrolled burning of agricultural stubble—which has a high environmental impact—while also supporting more than 1,300 direct, indirect, and induced jobs, most of them in rural areas. These jobs will be in addition to the 500 direct jobs the plant has already created during its construction.

In addition to creating significant rural employment, biomass-fired power generation offers undeniable advantages for the electricity system by providing a reliable and manageable source of renewable energy. This contribution could be further enhanced by eliminating the current regulatory limit of 6,500 hours/year on generation from these facilities, which would lead to a more efficient use of the National Electricity System's productive resources.