The Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mines of the Andalusian Government, Jorge Paradela, has presented to mayors, companies, and representatives of associations, entities, and unions the 15.2 million euros in aid from the Just Transition Fund to «support new opportunities for sustainable industrial development» in the Cordoba region of Valle del Guadiato, benefiting the 11 municipalities that make up the area: Belmez, Espiel, Fuente Obejuna, La Granjuela, Los Blázquez, Obejo, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, Valsequillo, Villaharta, Villanueva del Rey, and Villaviciosa de Córdoba.
At an event held in the municipality of Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, attended by the mayor, María Victoria Paerna, the President of the Provincial Council of Córdoba, Salvador Fuentes, the Government delegate of the Junta in the province, Adolfo Molina, and the delegate of the Ministry in Córdoba, Agustín López, the minister emphasized that «these aids will contribute to boosting a decarbonized industry that represents new economic opportunities for this region and to retaining population in the area.»
With this purpose, the incentives will support two types of actions. On the one hand, the implementation of sustainable development projects, renewable energies, and circular economy linked to the production of clean fuels or new energy vectors, the use of natural resources, and the generation of electric or thermal energy from biomass. On the other hand, the aids will support the implementation of the infrastructures necessary to sustain this sustainable development, such as the implementation of intelligent electric energy systems, and the necessary facilities for alternative fuels to fossil fuels and the regeneration of abandoned spaces.
Moment of Minister Jorge Paradela’s intervention in the presentation of aids for Valle del Guadiato.
Jorge Paradela has announced that the publication of the incentives call in BOJA is scheduled for next March, and the opening of the application window at the end of that same month. The aids are primarily aimed at microenterprises, small or medium-sized companies, as well as large companies, although local territorial entities or local public sector projects may also submit proposals.
To take advantage of all these opportunities, the minister emphasized that «it is essential for the central government to provide the province of Córdoba, and particularly this region, with the necessary investments in the upcoming planning of the 2025-2030 electric transport infrastructure.»
«The northern region of Córdoba, along with other areas in the provinces of Jaén and northern Granada, is the most affected area in Andalusia by the lack of electric transport networks», he pointed out. «Andalusia has a historical deficiency, with an electric transport network density 40% below the average values of the Iberian Peninsula, which limits industrial opportunities,» he recalled.
Paradela highlighted that among the main investment demands presented to the central government by Andalusia, amounting to 544 million euros in total, are the connection between Valle del Guadiato and the Los Pedroches region with the southeast of Extremadura (Lancha-Peñarroya-Maguilla), as well as developments in Los Pedroches and Alto Guadiato, and a new interconnection axis with Seville.
The Minister of Industry addressing the media at the presentation of the incentives from the Just Transition Fund for the Cordoba region.
The Minister of Industry has assessed that the infrastructure developments proposed by the Junta to the central government for Córdoba amount to 157 million euros and represent an opportunity for the promotion of a region with endemic scarcity of electrical infrastructures, where one of the three existing just transition nodes in Andalusia is located (the Puente Nuevo power plant). «This would primarily allow for new opportunities for industrial growth in the northern region of Córdoba, but also the consolidation of economic development in the southern province, in the Lucena and Guadajoz areas,» highlighted Paradela.
On the other hand, Vice Minister Cristóbal Sánchez, accompanied by the Secretary General of Industry and Mines, José Javier Alonso, has explained the details for applying for these incentives. Thus, he specified that the regulatory order establishes that the granting of aids will take into account the type of project, the volume of direct employment generated, investment figures, job maintenance commitment, execution deadlines, business collaboration with knowledge agents, associated environmental benefits provided, or the expected impact on the region and the province.
This call for the Just Transition Fund adds to the first package of aids totaling 15.4 million euros approved by the Andalusian Government to enhance the advanced logistics industry in Córdoba. These will be added to other projects related to the industrial refrigeration and air conditioning sector, an area where Lucena is a national leader. With all this, the industrial development of the province will receive support totaling 35.1 million euros.
The Just Transition Fund is a European fund that includes 169 million to promote sustainable industrial opportunities in the provinces of Almería, Cádiz, and Córdoba to address the loss of industrial fabric caused by the closure of coal-fired power plants in these territories.