Veolia will transform industrial waste into renewable energy; Opens Environmental Center in San Luis Potosí

With an investment of 170 million pesos, Veolia launched a new Environmental Center , which is located in San Luis Potosí. This plant has the capacity to co-process up to 40,000 tons of waste per year to transform it into energy and thus pay directly for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

This center is part of the alliance that Veolia signed with Cementos Moctezuma – for 10 years – to reduce its carbon footprint by 71,000 tons of CO2, by replacing the fossil fuel used in its furnaces with renewable energy generated from waste. This is equivalent to charging the battery of more than eight billion smartphones per year. In addition, it avoids transporting waste in 1,600 trailers, which emit 100,000 tons of CO2 eq. Per year, equivalent to planting more than 16 million trees in 10 years.

SLP, KEY IN VEOLIA'S STRATEGY

According to Federico Padilla, technical director, performance (DTP) and operations of Veolia Mexico, this waste to energy project will generate around 300 direct and indirect jobs in the region.

He explained that San Luis Potosí is the first economy in the Bajío region, with the best industrial behavior, according to the Inegi.

"Industrial activity has been affected by the pandemic, however, it has been resilient, particularly the manufacturing sector in San Luis Potosí, which has taken on great importance in the country's economy," he stressed.

For this reason, he said that the tools, technologies and sustainable alternatives that Veolia develops must take center stage for the industry. "We see ourselves as key players in the development of the economy and society, conserving resources, recovering them and enabling the industry to be much more efficient."

Finally, David Herranz, DTP of Veolia Mexico, explained that, through a technological infrastructure and innovation, by replacing the fossil fuel used in the industry with Solid Formulated Fuel (CFS), it contributes to reducing the environmental impact and curbing the climate change.

This facility is the second of its kind operated by Veolia in Mexico, the first is located in the Xalostoc Industrial Park, in the municipality of Ecatepec de Morelos, State of Mexico, which transforms up to 8,000 tons of waste from different industries per year.