The Basque family chemical company inaugurates a pioneering decarbonisation project at its Lantarón plant, combining the ThermalBox® thermal storage system from Build to Zero with a self-consumption solar plant from NetOn Power.
The solution completely replaces diesel in steam generation and avoids the emission of up to 1,310 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
Lantarón (Álava), 1 July 2026. — Acideka, a 100% family-owned Basque chemical company with more than six decades of history, has today inaugurated a pioneering industrial decarbonisation project at its Lantarón (Álava) plant, making it the first chemical plant to fully electrify its industrial heat production using renewable energies. The event was attended by the Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, Sara Aagesen, the General Deputy of Álava, Ramiro González, the Mayor of Lantarón, José Luis Salvidea, and the Basque Government’s Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi.
The project replaces two diesel boilers with a solution that combines renewable generation and thermal storage, allowing the plant to produce the steam required for its industrial processes without resorting to fossil fuels. As a result, Acideka eliminates 100% of direct emissions (Scope 1) associated with heat generation and avoids the emission of up to 1,310 tonnes of CO₂ per year.
A solution combining thermal storage and solar self-consumption
The heart of the project is the ThermalBox®, developed by the technology company Build to Zero — a thermal storage system that converts renewable electricity into process heat. With 2.25 MW of electrical power, 2.5 MW of thermal power and 14 MWh of storage capacity in molten salts, the unit reaches temperatures close to 400°C and covers the plant’s thermal demand with an efficiency of around 97%.
The energy feeding the system comes largely from a 2.13 MWp self-consumption photovoltaic solar plant, built by NetOn Power and one of the first of its kind in the Basque Country. 85% of the ThermalBox®’s electricity consumption (3,972 MWh per year) comes from solar generation and only 15% (701 MWh) from the grid. In fact, on favourable days such as today, 1 July, the system’s entire consumption was covered by photovoltaic energy.
A project with public backing
The initiative has received support from the main public instruments driving the energy transition. The thermal storage system was funded through the PERTE for Thermal Storage, with a grant of €1,007,023, while the photovoltaic plant received funding from IDAE amounting to €192,289.20.
Statements
Leire Azanza, Executive President of Acideka, highlighted during the event that “this project demonstrates that the chemical industry can lead decarbonisation without sacrificing competitiveness. As a family business, we take a long-term view: investing today in electrification and renewables means investing in the viability of our activity and the future of our environment.”
The project’s technology partners underlined the replicable nature of the solution. Build to Zero noted that “the ThermalBox® turns a historically difficult challenge — the decarbonisation of industrial heat — into an operational and profitable reality,” while NetOn Power emphasised that “a solar self-consumption PPA allows industry to access clean energy at a stable price with no upfront investment, overcoming distribution network restrictions for new demand and accelerating the transition.”
About Acideka
Acideka is a 100% family-owned Basque chemical company with more than six decades of history, specialised in the manufacture, storage, distribution and marketing of chemical products for essential sectors such as water treatment, the paper industry, food and beverage, detergency and agrochemicals. Part of the Jeszabe group, it has plants in Lantarón, Sagunto and Segovia, its own port terminal in Zierbena, and international presence in France and Portugal. Sustainability is a structural pillar of its business model, set out in its Sustainability Strategy 2025–2030.
About Build to Zero
Build to Zero is a Spanish technology company based in Seville, founded in 2022, dedicated to the design and manufacture of electrothermal energy storage (ETES) products. Its first commercial product is the ThermalBox®, based on sensible heat thermal storage using molten salts, which has been recognised as a deeptech company by the European Innovation Council.
About NetOn Power
NetOn Power is a company specialising in industrial self-consumption, founded in 2021 by private equity fund Quantum Capital Group. With presence in Spain and Italy, it has 27 MW of operational photovoltaic installations, more than 200 MW confirmed in PPA contracts with large industrial consumers and a portfolio of more than 3.4 GW of opportunities under development. Its model allows industrial clients to access solar energy at a fixed price through an on-site PPA without assuming any investment.
Press contact ACIDEKA: Katherine Anchorena – kanchorena@acideka.com
