IGNIS P2X, Holcim and Exolum present ECO2FLY, a pioneering project to decarbonize the construction materials and air transport industries

The project, whose main development will take place at Holcim’s facilities in Villaluenga de la Sagra (Toledo), aims to capture more than 700,000 tons of CO₂ per year to, together with green hydrogen, produce about 100,000 tons of sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF).
During its first 10 years of operation, ECO2FLY would prevent the emission of more than 6.5 million tons of CO₂

Holcim, IGNIS P2X and Exolum have created a strategic alliance to develop ECO2FLY, an innovative circular economy project for CO₂ which will transform industrial emissions – inherent in the cement production process – into sustainable aviation fuel (e-SAF). These sustainable fuels can directly replace conventional, fossil-based kerosene without requiring any modifications to aircraft or refueling infrastructure., thus facilitating the immediate decarbonization of air transport.

The new facility, which would be located at the Holcim factory in Villaluenga de la Sagra (Toledo), is designed to to capture more than 700,000 tons of CO₂ annually generated during cement production. Part of this CO₂ It will be combined with green hydrogen, produced from renewable energy, to create sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF), reaching an estimated production of 100,000 tons per year. CO₂ The remainder will be permanently stored in geological repositories.

The combination of technology and production capacity for the aviation fuel of the future positions ECO2FLY as a benchmark in Europe for the decarbonization of key sectors for development and considered difficult to decarbonize. In this context, during its first 10 years of operation, ECO2FLY would prevent the emission of more than 6.5 million tons of CO₂.

Ricardo de Pablos, CEO of Holcim Spain, He stated, “This strategic alliance with IGNIS P2X and Exolum represents a decisive step in our commitment to the transformation and decarbonization of the industry. We are not only making progress in reducing the carbon footprint of our own processes, but we are also driving a key innovation for construction, namely cement, with a total reduction in its carbon footprint.”.

In this regard, Ignacio Casajús, Global Strategy & Growth Lead of Exolum, emphasized that “Exolum is strongly committed to developing partnerships that enable the development of sustainable fuels, which are currently the only viable solution to reduce carbon emissions in the short term in sectors such as aviation and maritime transport.”.

José Antonio Membiela, CEO of IGNIS P2X, This project is considered “the most important in the production of synthetic aviation fuel currently being developed in our country, both for its size and strategic location, and for the circularity offered by its partners (energy, CO₂ capture).” ECO2FLY combines the sustainability of businesses of vital importance to the environment, such as the cement industry, with the creation of new industry for decarbonization, which will generate employment and wealth for the region.”

For his part, Javier Esteban, Director of the Consortium and partner of P2X Spain, believes that “This project is an opportunity to become European leaders in e-SAF production, This represents enormous strategic value for the Spanish economy. It will be the start of a new industry that will foster employment and wealth, as well as a new energy paradigm for the country, potentially allowing us to become large-scale exporters of renewable fuels for the first time.”.

ECO2FLY brings together companies from different economic sectors, all of them key to society such as construction, energy, mobility, tourism and logistics. This alliance is an example of how cross-sector collaboration enables Europe to successfully address the challenges it faces. This project will be submitted to the next call for proposals for the European Union’s Innovation Funds. Its implementation will not only contribute to the energy transition and the achievement of net-zero emissions, but will also strengthen Spain’s and the European Union’s position as leaders in industrial innovation and sustainability, reinforcing their energy independence.