GHG emissions will be cut by 63,500 tonnes per annum

These projects expect to achieve results such as cuts in GHGs equivalent to the emissions per annum of 7000 people, equivalent to the population of Muzkiz, Lekeitio or Aretxabaleta.

These innovative industrial projects based on the circular economy join a list of 147 similar projects put into action in the Basque Country since 2014 thanks to this aid programme jointly funded by the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).

The dumping of 473,354 tonnes of waste per annum will be avoided

69% of the projects in the 2020 call focus on the saving of materials, and the rest on products. Under the Products heading five eco-design projects for equipment and components and three remanufacturing and circular business model projects have been selected. Under the Materials heading six projects for fostering the circular economy in metals, critical materials and best available technologies have been selected, plus three on plastics and six on pres and construction materials. Three contaminated soil remediation projects have also been selected.

There are projects that seek to improve the design or durability of products, e.g. those undertaken by Alava-based companies Zayer and Zigor, Gipuzkoa-based CAF, Ekide, HreHidraulic and Ekonek and Bizkaia-based Emica Bombas and Vibacar. Stand-outs among the eco-innovative projects involving metals selected are those set up by ACB Sestao, Befesa Aluminio, Furesa and Stadler. Cikautxo, Akt Plásticos and Plastigaur are leaders in innovation in the circular economy for plastics, while Euskatfund, Hormor, KrosakiAmr Refractarios, Lezama Demoliciones, Nutec Procal and Sociedad Financiera y Minera are promoting innovative circular-economy projects involving ores. Afesa and the Teknimap-Talantia consortium are leaders in innovative soil remediation technologies, while TernuaImportArrasate is moving ahead of the EU's sustainable textiles strategy with its Wearcycle project.

The projects will receive €1.2 million

 “The purpose of his aid is to encourage the design and implementation of eco-innovative projects at Basque companies which can enable us to build up a fabric of industry based on the circular economy and thus meet the 2050 carbon neutrality targets set for the Basque Country”, states Ihobe Manager Alexander Boto.

Stand-out projects on which implementation has begun in 2021 range from the automatic separation of sintered magnets to the creation of artificial-vision-based tools for automating the handling and diagnostic analysis of parts to be remanufactured and the creation of an integrated system for detecting and eliminating particle clouds generated during industrial operations.

Expected outcomes

If the technical, financial, environmental and commercial viability of these projects is confirmed, within three years the following outcomes are expected:

• There will be a decrease of 63,500 tonnes per annum in greenhouse gases (GHGs), equivalent to the emissions per year of 7300 people.
• The dumping of 475,000 tonnes of waste per annum will be avoided
• Additional turnover of €114 million per annum will be generated.
• 19 new business lines will be launched.

List of projects supported under Ihobe's 2019 call for the Circular Economy Innovation Programme