Climate change

New energy solutions

Vista edificio del Centro de Tecnología Repsol

Exploring new energy solutions

We believe in a scenario in which energy is produced at a financial and environmental cost that society can afford. Renewable energies will play an increasingly important role in the move toward a world with lower emissions. Our experience as an integrated energy company allows us to lead the search for new energy solutions.

We have spent years researching and improving energy for transportation, as well as developing so-called alternative energies. We continuously monitor the trends and latest technologies developed in the field of renewable energy, we take part in pilot offshore wind power projects that use new wind turbine technologies, we invest in electric transportation, and we help reduce emissions by producing and researching biofuels.

Focusing on three main areas

As a company, we work for a future with alternative energies

Biofuels
Sustainable mobility
Wind power

Revolutionizing how biofuels are developed

We help reduce CO₂ emissions by using sustainable biofuels, adding bioethanol to gasoline and biodiesel and hydrotreated vegetable oil to diesel.

Our hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) or hydrobiodiesel refineries produce a vegetable oil from oilseeds treated with hydrogen, which forms part of the diesel fuel formulation.

We are at the forefront of advanced biofuel production

We follow international standards that certify the sustainability of the raw materials used in our entire production chain. The percentage of biofuels included in our gasolines and diesels is higher than the limits required by current legislation.
We focus on promoting advanced biofuel projects that use non-food raw materials such as lignocellulosic biomass which have a high technological content and reduce our carbon footprint. They are developed at the Repsol Technology Center (RTC).

With these initiatives, we seek to obtain high performance molecules for internal combustion engines that are compatible with current fossil fuels by:

Identifying and selecting microorganisms with a high capacity for lignocellulose degradation.
Designing and building the synthetic metabolic routes for producing these molecules in a model microorganism.

Preliminary results with one of the enzymes studied led to the biological synthesis of a whole family of compounds which, until now, could not be produced biologically. Biological processes tend to occur in milder reaction conditions, result in less waste or fewer by-products, and therefore normally have less of an impact on the environment. Another advantage is that they can be produced using renewable raw materials.

Innovation and technology for sustainable mobility

We are promoting the evolution toward sustainable transportation through a variety of synergies with projects in this area:

Through the company IBIL, in which Repsol and the Basque Energy Agency (EVE) each have a 50% share, we have the most widespread charging network on the peninsula.
- Based on 100% renewable energy, intelligent facilities and terminals, and an infrastructure control center.
- It operates over 700 charging stations in Spain, both public and private.
- With a total investment of €6 million.

We work with Scutum, a Repsol investee company since 2014, through the INNVIERTE* program, which focuses on the design, production, and sale of electric platforms and battery extraction systems for electric motorcycles.
- One of the company's competitive advantages is its removable battery pack system. It has a European patent and industrial design rights for the electric platform, which adapts to the needs of the customer.
- It has a fleet of over 450 electric motorcycles.
- It has signed large contracts with big corporate clients such as the Spanish post office, Correos, which added 100 Scutum S0₂ electric scooters to its fleet in 2016.
We are researching and creating technologies so that the batteries used in electric cars can be charged faster and last longer. We aim to develop technologies that minimize or eliminate these limitations.
We are also promoting the responsible use of transportation with our corporate electric car sharing program. More than 280 users have registered with the service and in 2016 they traveled over 76,000 km.

_{* The INNVIERTE program is part of the Spanish Strategy of Science, Technology and Innovation 2013 – 2020. This strategy involves the objectives, reforms, and measures that must be taken in all aspects of R&D in order to boost its growth and impact. The program consists of an agreement with the CDTI (Spain’s Center for the Development of Industrial Technology) to co-invest in Spanish technological SMEs in the field of alternative energy and energy efficiency. The joint investment pledged is €9.3 million, with Repsol contributing €5.3 million and also managing the subsequent company portfolio.}

Partaking in offshore wind power pilot projects

We own a stake in the company Principle Power, Inc. (PPI). PPI is the first company in the world to design, install, and operate a semi-submersible floating structure to generate offshore wind power. The first prototype has produced around 17,000 MWh since it was launched at the end of 2011 in Portuguese waters.
We are also continuing to develop the WindFloat Atlantic (WFA) Project as part of a consortium with EDP Renewables, Mitsubishi Corp., Chiyoda Corp., and Engie. We own a 19.4% stake.

Best practices

The best way to show our commitment to the fight against climate change is by sharing real stories about the actions we have taken.

WindFloat Atlantic