The Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation organised a conference in Logroño today that was attended by over 150 professionals from the energy and environment sector.

  • It was concluded that, over the next decade, revenue from energy- and environment-related technology will grow at an average pace of 11.8% annually to reach a total of approximately 2.2 trillion euros.
  • The Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation also presented its "First Export in Spain Programme" - an initiative that aims to provide free training and advice to Spanish SMEs in any sector wishing to embark on export activity for the first time.

The Minister for Industry, Innovation and Employment, Javier Erro and Minister for Agriculture, Farming and the Environment, Iñigo Nagore of the Regional Government and the Managing Director of the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation, Martí Solà, opened the seminar entitled Energy and the Environment as a Business and Employment Opportunity in Logroño today. The event, which was attended by over 150 professionals, discussed the opportunities that exist in the fields of electricity generation, electricity storage, sustainable transport, eco-friendly agriculture and energy efficiency.

The future of the energy sector in the EU

During the course of the seminar, the Director of the Fórum Ambiental Foundation, Leandro Barquín, explained the latest trends in the green jobs market in the Spanish environment sector and how the European Commission believes that the green economy will be one of the three main driving forces behind the economy in the next decade. Furthermore, he revealed how the global market for environmental technologies and the efficient use of resources has grown at an average annual pace of 11.8% and now amounts to approximately 2.2 trillion euros.

The Deputy Director General of the Centre for Environmental, Technological and Energy Research (CIEMAT), Ramón Gavela, focused his speech on explaining the opportunities to be found in the renewables sector and the main energy technologies currently available, as well as highlighting the need to undertake significant R&D&i to achieve far-reaching technological development for the energy sector within a short space of time.

In turn, the Professor from the University of Barcelona and Director of the Advanced Materials for Energy Department of the Catalonian Institute for Energy Research (IREC), Juan Ramón Morante, presented a book commissioned by the Foundation on Electricity Storage in which he details the job opportunities stemming from the various storage systems: from conventional techniques such as pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations, to new technologies such as batteries, molten salt or the use of natural gas as an "electricity store".

Energy and the environment as business opportunities

The Director of the Automotive and Transport Infrastructure Division of Altran, Yoann Groleau, spoke about the technological and cultural changes that have taken place over recent years in the transport industry, new propulsion technologies and new fuels, highlighting hybrid, electric and natural gas-powered vehicles, as well as offering information not only about the strictly technology-related opportunities but also those related to the new social structure being generated by new sustainable transportation.

In addition, the Energy Efficiency Projects Manager of GAS NATURAL FENOSA, Efrén Conde, advocated energy efficiency as a great opportunity for job creation and business activity as it increases competitiveness by reducing energy consumption and helps develop new products and services in pursuit of efficiency. In this regard, he explained the work undertaken by the Energy Service Companies and underlined that SMEs can still save 16.1% of the energy they consume.

Finally, the Director General for Rural Development and Research, María Martín, spoke about the positive outlook for job and company creation in the certified eco-friendly agriculture sector, as well as the internationalisation experience of companies and institutions in La Rioja. In this regard, the Executive Director of the First Export in Spain Programme, Emilio Segura, presented the new initiative by the Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation aimed at providing entirely free training, advice and mentoring to small- and medium-sized enterprises so they can take steps towards exporting for the first time.

Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation

The Gas Natural Fenosa Foundation, founded in 1992, targets its activity towards the promotion of information, training and raising awareness in society, and on improving energy efficiency and technological innovation in the field of energy while respecting and protecting the environment, and promotes cultural activities through the Gas Museum aimed at preserving and disseminating the historical and cultural heritage of the region. Its international activities are carried out in Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Morocco, Italy and Moldova.


Logroño, 8 October 2014.

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