More than 105,000 tons of biomass produced in a year of environmental challenges

Veolia , a leader in optimized resource management, continues its work in forest fire prevention for another year through its subsidiary Veolia Biomasa España, dedicated to the production, purchase, and sale of biomass. In 2020, the company produced 105,019 tons of biomass, 30% more than the previous year.

The company is committed to the use of biomass, as it is an economical and environmentally friendly renewable energy source that reduces CO2 emissions into the atmosphere . In this regard, thanks to its experience and specialization, Veolia Biomass Spain serves as a unified channel for biomass management and the recovery of materials for subsequent valorization.

Cleansings to restore the effects of Filomena

Just 11 days into 2021, Storm Filomena brought the heaviest snowfall in over 40 years to the Community of Madrid, as well as many other regions of Spain. Beyond the snowy scenes, these storms caused consequences that extended beyond closed roads, such as ice and its damaging effects on fallen trees and widespread damage to buildings.

With the aim of restoring the areas damaged by the storm, Veolia provided its services by carrying out maintenance work on various properties in the region. This included cleaning several private properties, all of which had been severely affected since January.

Fire prevention and forest cleanup work

In addition to the cleanup efforts to mitigate the effects of Filomena and the various environmental activities it carries out in several communities such as Madrid, Castilla y León, the Valencian Community or Navarra, among others, the company has worked in different areas of the provinces of Cuenca, Valencia and Alicante, which have been affected in the last year by natural disasters such as fires or storms.

For example, Veolia Biomass carried out a series of restoration and improvement works on the pine forest in Jijona (Alicante) following the damage caused by Storm Gloria in January 2020. The work, which has already been completed on an area of ​​more than 350 hectares of woodland, included the felling, removal, and disposal of dead, decrepit, and diseased trees that could be a source of pests and diseases for the rest of the vegetation. In addition to cleaning the area, the work aimed to enhance the forest's biodiversity without jeopardizing its conservation against pests or wildfires.

Among the recovery efforts in areas affected by fire, the company's work in Barchín del Hoyo, Cuenca, and Requena, Valencia, stands out. Furthermore, Veolia Biomasa continues to collaborate with the Public Environmental Management Company of Castilla-La Mancha (GEACAM), carrying out preventative work to create firebreaks and buffer zones in various areas of Castilla-La Mancha.

Biomass utilization activities

Veolia continues to carry out various tasks, from the forest to the plant, producing thousands of tons of biomass for its clients. The most recent example has been the felling and removal of the felled trees along the Autovía del Duero highway for the restoration and conservation of the Roman road. Many of the areas where Veolia Biomass Spain works are located in Castile and León, and, in addition to the aforementioned service, this year it has harvested timber for sawmills, posts, and watertight containers in areas of Ávila, Zamora, and Valladolid.

On the other hand, Veolia Biomass also collaborates with companies in the energy and woodworking sectors in the provinces of Soria and Salamanca. Specifically, the wood chips generated from these forest clearing operations are used to produce thermal energy in the company's facilities serving homes and industries. In fact, thanks to the more than one hundred thousand tons of biomass produced in 2020, Veolia can supply heating to 40,000 homes for a year.