Central Lechera Asturiana SAT strengthens its commitment to comprehensive sustainability and energy savings. The cooperative has reached an agreement with EDP Solar meaning that 1,000 family-owned livestock farms have access to the most innovative self-consumption photovoltaic solutions on the market, including the design, installation and commissioning of customised facilities for each livestock holding.

Asturias, with over 1,700 hours of sun a year, has great potential to generate solar power. This is an opportunity for greater energy savings for the livestock farms. During the presentation of the partnership agreement between both companies, the Chairman of Central Lechera Asturiana, Alberto Alvarez, stressed this and went on to explain, “we are continuing to consolidate our commitment to our family-owned farms in all areas: economic, social and environmental. We are firmly committed to comprehensive sustainability. Thanks to the Livestock Guarantee, we have certified all the services that endorse this commitment and, now, thanks to the agreement signed with EDP, we have taken a step further in continuing to guarantee the sustainability of our family-owned farms”.

In turn, the EDP Spain Commercial Director, Miguel Fonseca, stressed that “this agreement is a key instrument not only for the livestock company to contribute to the sustainability of their activity, but also to achieve significant cost efficiencies. At EDP, we are proud to share our experience in solar power with this trail-blazing team”.

EDP Solar has conducted a study that reflects the savings that can be obtained with self-consumption. Taking solar power to the nearly 1,100 CLAS farms would involve installing over 25,000 solar panels, achieving a total installed power of 11 MWp. The savings achieved with the power generated by these photovoltaic facilities would be equivalent to the annual average consumption of over 3,400 households, a municipality such as Navia.

All the livestock farms of the cooperative would generate together savings equivalent to the annual average consumption of a municipality such as Navia and would avoid the emission of over 3,700 tons of CO2.

As regards the environment, the implementation of those 11 MWp would avoid the emission of over 3,700 tons of CO2 each year, an impact on the air quality similar to that of 250,000 new trees.

The study conducted by the energy company envisages a standard facility for an Asturian livestock farm reaching 11 kWp of power, which leads to annual average savings of 40% in electricity consumption (12 MWh), at the same time that the emission of 3.7 tons of CO2 would be avoided, which is equivalent to each farm planting 250 trees.

Furthermore, the commissioning of these facilities is an energy efficiency measure to boost the competitiveness of Central Lechera Asturiana SAT and contribute to decarbonisation.

The EDP Solar facilities will also include an innovative real-time control and monitoring system, which will further optimise their use.

Self-consumption is one of the energy solutions with greatest savings potential and an energy efficiency measure that drives competitiveness by means of energy savings and contributes to decarbonisation.

Thanks to this self-consumption agreement, EDP is strengthening its strategic alliance with CLAS and is progressing with the line of energy projects for its customers, by offering the latest technological innovation and comprehensive solutions adapted to its customers’ needs.

EDP Group

EDP is a leading international energy company in the creation of value, innovation and sustainability. It is on the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (World and STOXX). It is also a world leader in renewable energy.

In Spain, where the EDP Group directly employs over 1,500 people, it is the benchmark on the energy market, where it is present in generation, with over 4,600 MW of installed power, 668,500 electricity distribution supply points and a business customer portfolio to which it sells electricity, natural gas and services of over 14 TWh.

CENTRAL LECHERA ASTURIANA SAT

Central Lechera Asturiana SAT is a company that has been trading for over 50 years and which is made up of nearly 7,000 partner-farmers and whose purpose is to assure the future for its sustainable family-owned farms.

Its unique work method is certified by its “Livestock Guarantee” seal issued by SGS. This seal certifies programmes, services and measures aimed at fostering the balance between livestock farming, the social needs of the farmers, the welfare of the animals and environmental protection in order to guarantee their sustainability in the future. Furthermore, maintaining its activity is a way to guarantee the protection and survival of the rural environment.

Central Lechera Asturiana SAT is the majority shareholder of CAPSA FOOD (Central Lechera Asturiana, Larsa, Ato , 39ytu, Vega de Oro, Asana and Innova Food Ingredients), and is the leading company of the Spanish dairy sector and the first Spanish food company to obtain the B-CORP certificate. It also holds a majority stake in ASA (Sociedad Asturiana de Servicios Agropecuarios, S.L), ASEAGRO, CLAS GESTION and BIOGASTUR.