CTA (Technological Corporation of Andalusia), the only Spanish partner in the European project SYMBIO, has organized the third general assembly of the initiative on January 28 and 29 in Seville, which aims to promote industrial symbiosis and circular production models.
The event’s agenda, which included the participation of project partners and representatives from key companies and institutions in the Andalusian business fabric such as Azucarera, Heineken, Naturephenolive, InsectBiotech, Moeve (formerly Cepsa), Greenland Research & Co and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development of the Junta de Andalucía, was structured into two blocks.
Andalusia with industrial symbiosis
The first block of the meeting on the 28th, which took place at the Inglaterra hotel, was dedicated to reviewing the status of the various work packages. The project promoters discussed how to continue engaging the stakeholders identified in the initiative’s proposal, continue advancing the mapping of key technologies and resources that enable industrial symbiosis, and the project’s communication and dissemination strategy, among other topics.
Additionally, progress was made in planning the next online workshop, which in the case of Spain will be held on March 19 and April 4, through which the project’s methodology and its artificial intelligence and big data tools will be presented to the stakeholders of the six participating countries (Italy, Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, and Belgium) to promote industrial symbiosis.
During lunch, partners and regional actors had the opportunity to get to know each other better and casually discuss the best ways to promote transnational synergies within the thematic framework of SYMBIO. The day ended with a guided tour of the center of Seville.
Heineken thinks green
As part of the program, on January 29, the consortium visited the Heineken factory in Seville where they were able to firsthand learn about the company’s sustainability initiatives. Consuelo Carmona, Sustainability Manager Supply Chain at Heineken Spain, hosted the visit and explained the strategies and best practices implemented at the plant to reduce environmental impact and promote more sustainable production.
Representing CTA, Carmen Ronchel, head of the Biotechnology area, Rafael Castillo, consultant, Marta Macías, consultant, and Carla del Cerro Maestre, consultant, attended.
With the celebration of the third general assembly, CTA reinforces its role as a key partner in southern Europe in the field of biotechnology, promoting public-private collaboration within the framework of the Andalusian Circular Bioeconomy Strategy (EABC) and facilitating strategic planning for the development of innovative solutions in the field of industrial symbiosis and the circular economy.
