Repsol supplies renewable fuels for Antarctic Campaign of the Spanish Army

Press Release 28/02/2024 10:00

Repsol supplies 100% renewable fuels to cover part of the energy needs on the Gabriel de Castilla Base run by the Spanish terrestrial army during the four months of the Antarctic Campaign.
The commitment to care for and respect for the environment is one of the aspects that characterize the Antarctic Campaigns, now in their 37th year. For the multi-energy company, renewable fuels are a key pillar in its strategy to achieve zero net emissions by 2050.
The detachment that the Armed Forces deploys on Deception Island is composed of thirteen army personnel who collaborate with the Ministry of Science and Innovation in the realization of scientific research work. They help cover all the needs of the personnel housed on the base, from moving around the island to ensuring their safety in emergency situations caused by the weather.
Renewable fuels are a sustainable option that is already available and can reduce net CO₂ emissions immediately, without the need to modify existing engines and distribution infrastructure.

28 February 2024 - 10:00 CET | PDF | 71.15 KB

In Antarctica, a unique continent dedicated to science, the Spanish Army are realizing the 37th Antarctic Campaign, this year more sustainable than ever thanks to Repsol's 100% renewable fuels that provide part of the energy that the Gabriel de Castilla Base needs for electricity, hot water, and heating.

For four months, these facilities are home to the 13 army personnel deployed there. Their main task is to support and collaborate with the Ministry of Science and Innovation in the research projects that different teams of scientists carry out there during the austral summer.

The renewable fuels have been specifically provided for this mission by the Repsol Technology Lab, the innovation centre of the company, as the temperature on Deception Island, (South Shetland Archipelago) where the base is located reaches -30ºC.

The Spanish base "Gabriel de Castilla" consists of different modules, such as the living quarters where the dining rooms and dormitories are located, the scientific module where research projects are carried out, and other buildings for maintenance and support of the activity on the island. To provide energy for these facilities, 2,000 liters of 100% renewable diesel will be used.

The Antarctic continent is the largest natural reserve on the planet and for the Spanish Army, which manages the Gabriel de Castilla Base, sustainability and minimization of the environmental impact during campaigns has always been a maxim, as defined in the Antarctic Treaty and the Madrid Protocol. In addition, in 2010 the Antarctic Gabriel de Castilla Base achieved the Environmental Management System Certification by AENOR, based on ISO 14001, culminating a process initiated ten years earlier that highlights the Armed Forces's commitment to environmental protection. Repsol's 100% renewable fuels provide a sustainable solution without the need to modify existing engines and facilities and, therefore, an ideal solution to immediately reduce the net emissions of CO₂.

Renewable fuels

Renewable fuels are those produced from renewable raw materials and are one of the main levers in Repsol's strategy to achieve zero net emissions by 2050. Among them, advanced biofuels are those made from waste, such as used vegetable oils or agricultural and forestry waste.

Repsol has been producing and marketing biofuels for more than two decades, and since 2019, it has been incorporating organic waste in its manufacturing. Renewable fuels are already present in all service stations in Spain in a content of more than 10% of the fuels sold, in accordance with current legislation.

To accelerate the reduction of transport emissions, Repsol has opted for 100% renewable fuel, which it already supplies at more than 85 service stations located in the main cities and transport corridors of Spain and Portugal, thus meeting the target it set itself in May, when it began distributing it in Madrid, Barcelona, and Lisbon. By 2024, Repsol will increase the number of 100% renewable fuel supply points to 600 service stations on the Iberian Peninsula.

In the coming weeks, Repsol will start up the first plant in the Iberian Peninsula dedicated exclusively to the production of 100% renewable fuels from waste at its industrial complex in Cartagena, Spain. It will produce 250,000 tons per year, which will avoid the annual emission of 900,000 tons of CO₂. In Puertollano, the company has announced its second plant, the transformation of an existing unit in its Industrial Complex, which will be equipped with cutting-edge technology to produce these sustainable fuels.

Repsol's goal is to reach a total production capacity of renewable fuels, including renewable hydrogen and biomethane, of between 1.5 and 1.7 million tons in 2027 and up to 2.7 million tons in 2030 in the Iberian Peninsula and the United States and to lead the market for this type of fuels.