We are committed to the Circular Economy
The planet's natural resources are finite and, therefore, it is now more important than ever to preserve them. This is the premise of the Circular Economy, a commitment to the general reduction of consumption, but, at the same time, an opportunity to develop new businesses.
EDP recognizes the need for a circular economy and therefore has tried to implement this vision in its business units and find solutions so that its main waste materials can be used as raw materials in other industries.
Inspired by the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 - Sustainable Production and Consumption, EDP is committed to eliminate single-use plastics by 100% and maintain an average rate of 75% of waste recovery, thus promoting circularity. In addition, EDP, in its construction, operation and maintenance activities, always focuses on reuse and partnerships with licensed operators that route waste to a preferred destination for recycling.
In addition, several initiatives have led EDP to implement the 5 R's of the Circular Economy.
- The constant evolution of wind technology has dictated the replacement of turbines on a regular basis. In 2019, for example, due to the repowering of a wind farm in Spain (Zas), 80 turbines were dismantled, 22 of which were sold and the remaining delivered to an authorized manager for their recovery. In addition, 30 blades, 30 powertrains and many other components were stored for future use in parks with the same technology.
- In the EDP distribution networks we have been promoting the replacement of mineral oils by vegetable oils, with a low level of toxicity and better biodegradability.
- Through the Second Life project, EDP Inovação, together with Labelec, managed to build a battery from used car modules. The goal is that, in the future, these batteries can be used as if they were new.
Gypsum is a residue that, if not reused, ends up in landfills. A good example of this reuse of gypsum is the Sines Power Plant - in 2017, for a coal consumption of 3.6 million tons, 140 thousand tons of gypsum were produced and sold in the national and international market.
- Also in Sines, EDP has implemented an installation technology in the smoke circuit that attracts ashes and reroutes them to storage silos. This technology that has been implemented in the now closed Sines Thermoelectric Power Plant prevents ash from spreading through the atmosphere and provoking phenomena such as acid rains. This allowed the reuse of the ashes, instead of going to a landfill, and it was possible to fill 15 to 20 trucks daily, which were sent to the construction area. These trucks fueled the construction of the football stadiums in Portugal, built for the Euro 2004.
- In Brazil, EDP has also reused ashes and, in June 2019, in partnership with Eneva, those ashes were used to pave a road in Ceará, Brazil. These residues are by-products of the generation of electricity at the Pecém Thermoelectric Complex in Ceará.
Go through our list of articles to learn more about EDP's initiatives and commitments promoting the Circular Economy.