Gurrea de Gállego, located in the Hoya de Huesca region, has an economy strongly linked to agricultural and livestock activity. As occurs in other areas of high production intensity, the municipality is located within a perimeter with high risk of nitrate contamination,[1] associated with the intensive use of slurry as agricultural fertilizer. This reality has led the Town Council to seek structural, effective, and long-term solutions.

“From the Town Council, we were clear that the problem of agricultural and livestock waste had to be addressed with a modern, responsible solution that would provide real value to our residents. That is why we decided to lead the process and ensure that any project implemented in Gurrea de Gállego would serve the general interest of the municipality,” states the mayor, Ana Irigoyen.

A public, transparent process with municipal control

After analyzing the availability of municipal land in an industrial use area, with the most appropriate distances and requirements, the Town Council opted to publicly tender the project. “There had been considerable interest in our area from various private developers, and the council set itself the objective of maintaining control over the activity, creating a process that would ensure maximum environmental guarantees and protection of citizens’ quality of life, selecting a company with solid and proven technical and financial solvency,” added the mayor.

This innovative initiative was presented and approved unanimously by the Municipal Council, always with the objective of seeking the best solution for residents and ensuring that the benefits of this infrastructure would directly benefit the local community.

“We wanted a process with guarantees, transparent and demanding. It was not just about installing a biomethane plant, but about ensuring that it was fully integrated into the territory and its development strategy, protecting people’s health and respecting the environment. Thus, in addition to strengthening our production system, it improves the environmental situation of the municipality, which is undoubtedly excellent for maintaining the flow of tourism that visits us,” emphasizes the mayor.

Environmental protection and quality of life: zero nuisance for residents

The project was awarded to the company “Planta de Biometano Gurrea SLU,” which is part of the ecosystem of projects promoted by IAM Carbonzero throughout Spain. Like all projects, it is being designed with BAT (Best Available Techniques) under criteria of maximum protection of air, soil, and water, incorporating advanced technologies that allow completely sealed operation: no odors, no discharges, and no noise, avoiding any nuisance to the population.

The centralized and controlled treatment of waste will reduce pressure on agricultural soils and aquifers, helping to prevent nitrate contamination and improving the environmental quality of the surroundings.

“A biomethane plant is much more than renewable energy; it is circular economy that arises from the rural and environmental need to manage existing by-products, and it only makes sense if it is integrated into the territory supporting the local agricultural and livestock sector. Our commitment is clear: to protect the health and quality of life of residents. This facility not only does not generate negative impacts, but it solves an existing problem by helping farmers to align with the demanding EU regulations and the new CAP strategy on bioeconomy,” states Álvaro Mayordomo, Partner at IAM Carbonzero.

Economic impact and local employment

The project represents an investment of approximately 20 million euros and will valorize up to 106,000 tons per year of agricultural and livestock waste, with a feedstock based on 80% slurry and manure and 20% agricultural residues, producing approximately 70 GWh per year of biomethane and an estimated 85,000 tons/year of biofertilizer. In addition, this project has an emission reduction potential in tons/year of CO2eq equivalent to that needed to heat 21,000 homes annually with fossil natural gas or 6,900 cars driving around the world annually.

From an economic perspective, the initiative will generate a direct positive impact on municipal finances and the local economy:

• Rental of municipal land located on Highway A-1209 km2 (€80,000 annually) already materialized since the award of the tender.
• Establishment of the registered office of the company “Planta de Biometano Gurrea SLU” in Gurrea de Gállego, generating recurring income via licenses, taxes, and municipal fees for more than 25 years.
• Creation of quality local employment, both in the construction phase and in the operation phase. The estimate is 50/60 positions in the construction phase and 6 to 9 stable direct jobs throughout the operation phase, prioritizing the hiring of local personnel and/or those at risk of exclusion.
• Revitalization of the local economy through indirect jobs and services.

“This project is an opportunity to revitalize and strengthen the local economy, generate quality employment, and reinforce the municipality’s industrial activity, all aligned with a sustainable development and circular economy model,” concludes the mayor.

Regarding project planning, Environmental and Agronomic work is currently underway for processing the IEP (Integrated Environmental Permit), which will be submitted in the coming months. The objective is to carry out construction throughout 2027 and commission the new facility in 2028, when commercial operation is expected to begin.

A replicable model of municipal innovation

With this initiative, Gurrea de Gállego positions itself as a benchmark in municipal innovation and responsible land management, demonstrating that from the local level it is possible to lead effective solutions to environmental challenges while driving economic development and improving citizens’ quality of life.

“It is good news that there are town councils that rely on these state-of-the-art infrastructures to protect and develop their territories. It represents a new model of integration in the area, based on the circular economy, that generates long-term value for residents and entrepreneurs in rural areas. The objective is for all entrepreneurs in the area to benefit from the synergies,” states Jesús Calle, Business Development Manager for IAM Carbonzero in the northern region.

#Biomethane #Sustainability #RuralDevelopment