Signature(s)
Summary sheet
- Energy - Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply
- Water, sewerage - Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
- Solid waste - Water supply; sewerage, waste management and remediation activities
- Industry - Construction
The project comprises the research, development and innovation (RDI) investments over the 2025-2028 period in the fields of water desalination and treatment, construction, renewable energies and circular economy. In addition, the project includes investments to support the promoter's digital transformation.
The project will support European Promoters to deepen their knowledge of technologies in the areas of water treatment and recycling, desalination, waste recovery, renewable energy, water management and construction. Additionally, it will also support digitalisation activities, including advanced data analytics and AI, system monitoring and optimisation, supply chain traceability, cyber security, advanced system and automation.
The proposed operation supports the Bank's Research, Innovation and Digital objective. It also supports four of the Bank's Strategic Priorities: 1) TECHEU 2) Europe's security and defence through investments in cybersecurity, 3) reinforcing Europe's social infrastructure through R&D into sustainable construction technologies and 4) consolidating the role of the EIB Group as the climate bank through investments in climate technologies, including water treatment, reuse and desalination.
The project will finance investments in Digitalization and RDI, which are ultimately directed to (i) develop new materials, processes and technologies in order to build sustainable infrastructures and (ii) to increase the efficiency of renewable energy generation.
The Project generates positive knowledge externalities through cooperation with suppliers, customers, and scientific institutes. It also generates environmental positive externalities arising from the deployment of technologies and products with lower carbon footprint and better public health. It contributes to enabling access to renewable energies, advanced water treatment, more sustainable construction techniques and to digital services. Moreover, the project will also help maintaining and creating highly skilled jobs in the promoter's various research facilities in Spain, a small percentage of which are located in EU cohesion regions.
The EIB provides a long-term financing combined with customized and flexible financial terms and conditions, which mirrors well the time horizon of R&D activities.
The project predominantly concerns digitalisation and RDI activities that do not fall under any of Annexes of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (EIA) Directive 2011/92/EU (as amended by 2014/52/EU) and therefore do not require screening or an EIA Report. If applicable, EIA requirements, Birds Directive 2009/147/EC and Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC will be checked during appraisal according to the risk-based approach as defined in the EIB Group Environmental & Social Policy.
The Promoters have been assessed by the EIB as being a private company not being subject to EU rules on public procurement or concessions. However, if at the project appraisal, the EIB were to conclude that the Promoters are subject to the EU public procurement legislation then the Bank would require the Promoters to apply those rules.