News
05/07/2018
Biogas injected into the natural gas grid
Biogas injected into the natural gas grid
Parc de l’Alba, which business area is known as Barcelona Synchrotron Park – also includes a future residential neighborhood and different green areas (half of the total surface of the park) with an iconic 1km-wide biologic corridor.
Between 2007 and 2011, an excavation made in one of these green plots as the result of an antic clay extraction activity was used to store waste bales from the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. Since the landfill has been closed, the biogas produced by the decomposition of bales organic material is extracted and burned in order to prevent the emission into the atmosphere.
To take advantage of the methane present in this biogas at a significant 60% concentration, Gas Natural Fenosa Spanish energy company (recently renamed Naturgy), is carrying out a project pioneer in Spain: setting up both an upgrading plant to filter methane and an injection plant to introduce this biomethane into the natural gas grid.
In order to make this project a reality, Cerdanyola del Vallès municipal authorities, on which Parc de l’Alba depends, has recently conceded a plot to Naturgy to build and operate the two plants scheduled to start operating early next year.
Between 2007 and 2011, an excavation made in one of these green plots as the result of an antic clay extraction activity was used to store waste bales from the Barcelona Metropolitan Area. Since the landfill has been closed, the biogas produced by the decomposition of bales organic material is extracted and burned in order to prevent the emission into the atmosphere.
To take advantage of the methane present in this biogas at a significant 60% concentration, Gas Natural Fenosa Spanish energy company (recently renamed Naturgy), is carrying out a project pioneer in Spain: setting up both an upgrading plant to filter methane and an injection plant to introduce this biomethane into the natural gas grid.
In order to make this project a reality, Cerdanyola del Vallès municipal authorities, on which Parc de l’Alba depends, has recently conceded a plot to Naturgy to build and operate the two plants scheduled to start operating early next year.
29/06/2018
SENER celebrates 25 years in Catalonia
SENER celebrates 25 years in Catalonia
SENER has been fully operational in Catalonia since it first opened its headquarters 25 years ago in 1993. Since then, SENER's presence in Catalonia has grown in terms of personnel (currently, more than 300 people), expertise and projects.
In 2014, due to this growth, SENER moved to a new building the company decided to build in the Barcelona Synchrotron Park.
These new headquarters (see image) were designed by SENER’s own architects. The building is an eco-technological construction featuring high-spec rooms (laboratories, cleanrooms and Integration rooms). The building itself has been designed to save energy and has been granted a Category A Certificate by the Regional Government of Catalonia's Catalan Energy Institute (based on the Energy Certification Scale for Buildings). It also has a Green Certificate issued by Spain's Green Building Council.
Some of SENER's projects in Catalonia are: components and manufacturing systems for Airbus A350XWB, Airbus A400M and Boeing 787 aircrafts; regasification plants at Gate terminal (The Netherlands) and in Dunkirk (France); the Figueras-Perpignan (Spain-France) high-speed cross-border railway line; the Toluca – Mexico City passenger train; metro systems in Guadalajara (Mexico), Bogotá (Colombia), Panama City (Panama), Algiers and Oran (Algeria), and light metro rail systems in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Lusail (Qatar) and Kaohsiung (Taiwan); and San Antonio Port in Santiago, Chile; the system used to research how ingravity affects muscles, MARES (Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System), which is located on the International Space Station, and components for VLT GRAAL and ELT telescopes; participation in the Solar Orbiter satellite project; and ship design using the FORAN System.
Congratulations, SENER!
In 2014, due to this growth, SENER moved to a new building the company decided to build in the Barcelona Synchrotron Park.
These new headquarters (see image) were designed by SENER’s own architects. The building is an eco-technological construction featuring high-spec rooms (laboratories, cleanrooms and Integration rooms). The building itself has been designed to save energy and has been granted a Category A Certificate by the Regional Government of Catalonia's Catalan Energy Institute (based on the Energy Certification Scale for Buildings). It also has a Green Certificate issued by Spain's Green Building Council.
Some of SENER's projects in Catalonia are: components and manufacturing systems for Airbus A350XWB, Airbus A400M and Boeing 787 aircrafts; regasification plants at Gate terminal (The Netherlands) and in Dunkirk (France); the Figueras-Perpignan (Spain-France) high-speed cross-border railway line; the Toluca – Mexico City passenger train; metro systems in Guadalajara (Mexico), Bogotá (Colombia), Panama City (Panama), Algiers and Oran (Algeria), and light metro rail systems in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Lusail (Qatar) and Kaohsiung (Taiwan); and San Antonio Port in Santiago, Chile; the system used to research how ingravity affects muscles, MARES (Muscle Atrophy Research and Exercise System), which is located on the International Space Station, and components for VLT GRAAL and ELT telescopes; participation in the Solar Orbiter satellite project; and ship design using the FORAN System.
Congratulations, SENER!
21/06/2018
Barcelona Synchrotron Park’s Commitment to Natural Capital
Barcelona Synchrotron Park’s Commitment to Natural Capital
According to a French-German study, the economic contribution of pollinating insects to main global crops was estimated to € 153 billion in 2005, an amount corresponding to 9.5% of the global food production value.
This example illustrates the concept of natural capital: the economic value of the services offered for free by nature has to be taken into consideration in order to properly evaluate any economic activity. Natural capital would have to be considered in the same way as human capital and production capital.
Last week, Barcelona Synchrotron Park attended the II Natural Capital Summit that pretends to be the most important Spanish-speaking event organized on Natural Capital and its preservation that includes protecting biodiversity.
In this field, Barcelona Synchrotron Park, awarded by the EU Business & Biodiversity label, has already carried out different actions: permeability of road infrastructures, creation of shelters to promote birds and other fauna to control pests, naturalised drainage systems (green ditches) or agreements with farmers to promote biodiversity-suited dry croplands in the green corridor and on undeveloped plots.
The BSP’s global action program designed to enhance its green infrastructure and support biodiversity can be downloaded here.
This example illustrates the concept of natural capital: the economic value of the services offered for free by nature has to be taken into consideration in order to properly evaluate any economic activity. Natural capital would have to be considered in the same way as human capital and production capital.
Last week, Barcelona Synchrotron Park attended the II Natural Capital Summit that pretends to be the most important Spanish-speaking event organized on Natural Capital and its preservation that includes protecting biodiversity.
In this field, Barcelona Synchrotron Park, awarded by the EU Business & Biodiversity label, has already carried out different actions: permeability of road infrastructures, creation of shelters to promote birds and other fauna to control pests, naturalised drainage systems (green ditches) or agreements with farmers to promote biodiversity-suited dry croplands in the green corridor and on undeveloped plots.
The BSP’s global action program designed to enhance its green infrastructure and support biodiversity can be downloaded here.
12/06/2018
50th anniversary: congratulations UAB!
50th anniversary: congratulations UAB!
Just 50 years ago, in the spring of 1968, students from the universities of Paris were cutting the streets of the French capital, making this social movement an historical reference. At the same time in Spain, on June 6 exactly, in a very different political context, the official state gazette (BOE) published the decree by which the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), current partner of the Barcelona Synchrotron Park, was created.
After all these years, UAB is about to leave the category of young universities according to the Times Higher Education (THE) criterion. In the last THE ranking, UAB occupies the 13th position among the world’s top 250 universities founded less than 50 years ago according to teaching quality, research, citations, internationalisation and knowledge transfer.
No matter if UAB is young or mature: according to the 2019 QS World University Rankings recently published, the university is among the 200 best universities worldwide.
Let’s take advantage of this anniversary to point out some figures from the UAB’s 2016-2017 report: 46,749 students, 3,757 professors and researchers, 87 bachelor degrees, 133 master degrees, a € 313 million budget, 264 research groups, 1,072 PhD produced, among the world’s top 100 universities in 12 areas (QS ranking).
UAB offers teaching and research quality and the commitment to the society and the territory with technology transfer, among others: UAB is definitely a key Barcelona Synchrotron Park’s asset for attracting companies in the park.
Congratulations!
After all these years, UAB is about to leave the category of young universities according to the Times Higher Education (THE) criterion. In the last THE ranking, UAB occupies the 13th position among the world’s top 250 universities founded less than 50 years ago according to teaching quality, research, citations, internationalisation and knowledge transfer.
No matter if UAB is young or mature: according to the 2019 QS World University Rankings recently published, the university is among the 200 best universities worldwide.
Let’s take advantage of this anniversary to point out some figures from the UAB’s 2016-2017 report: 46,749 students, 3,757 professors and researchers, 87 bachelor degrees, 133 master degrees, a € 313 million budget, 264 research groups, 1,072 PhD produced, among the world’s top 100 universities in 12 areas (QS ranking).
UAB offers teaching and research quality and the commitment to the society and the territory with technology transfer, among others: UAB is definitely a key Barcelona Synchrotron Park’s asset for attracting companies in the park.
Congratulations!
06/06/2018
Natura Bissé: the construction of the new world headquarters is well on its way
Natura Bissé: the construction of the new world headquarters is well on its way
The construction of the Natura Bissé’s new headquarters in the Barcelona Synchrotron Park (BSP) is progressing as planned and the shape of the future building can be clearly seen, now: Natura Bissé, a family business leader in innovation and development of high-end cosmetic products, will be able to move to the new building early next year.
The building is a green construction that will be energetically efficient with natural light on every floor including the basement. The future 13,500 sqm headquarter will host the research center, the business and logistics departments, the production plant and an area specially devoted to training and innovation. The corresponding investment is € 15 million.
The company employs 300 people, sales in more than 35 countries and generated a € 57 million turnover in 2016 (15% more than in 2015), over three quarters of which (77%) were made abroad (39% in the US and 15% in China, for instance).
With a business based on R&D added value (7% of the 2016 turnover were invested in R&D), the future establishment of Natura Bissé’s world headquarters in BSP is great news for the park.
The building is a green construction that will be energetically efficient with natural light on every floor including the basement. The future 13,500 sqm headquarter will host the research center, the business and logistics departments, the production plant and an area specially devoted to training and innovation. The corresponding investment is € 15 million.
The company employs 300 people, sales in more than 35 countries and generated a € 57 million turnover in 2016 (15% more than in 2015), over three quarters of which (77%) were made abroad (39% in the US and 15% in China, for instance).
With a business based on R&D added value (7% of the 2016 turnover were invested in R&D), the future establishment of Natura Bissé’s world headquarters in BSP is great news for the park.
30/05/2018
Les Dames de Cerdanyola make sense
Les Dames de Cerdanyola make sense
With ears, noise o fingers: The Museum of Art of the city of Cerdanyola (MAC) just installed a sensorial kit in order to help people with visual disability discover the iconic MAC’s work of art, Les Dames de Cerdanyola.
By the way, everybody can take advantage of this unique immersive experience to (re)discover these emblematic stained glass windows purchased by Barcelona Synchrotron Park and deposited in MAC jointly with Tití’s head, a Manolo Hugué’s scupture and Paller, a Joan de Vila’s painting.
Les Dames de Cerdanyola is a 3-large-panels (235x195 cm) stained glass window made in the 1910s. According to Joan Vila, it was created by the Alsacian glass master Ludwig von Bearn installed in Barcelona in the late 19th century but the authorship is still a mystery.
This work of art is representative of the Catalan Modernisme artistic movement and the cultural importance of the city of Cerdanyola at that time and during the Noucentisme, a Catalan cultural movement of the early 20th century that originated largely as a reaction against Modernisme.
Every year in Barcelona, Modernisme attracts millions of tourists that come to visit La Pedrera, La Casa Batlló or El Palau de la Música. In Cerdanyola, a few kilometers away from there, Les Dames de Cerdanyola offers a beautiful example of an unknown but valuable modernism work of art that awaits you and all your senses!
By the way, everybody can take advantage of this unique immersive experience to (re)discover these emblematic stained glass windows purchased by Barcelona Synchrotron Park and deposited in MAC jointly with Tití’s head, a Manolo Hugué’s scupture and Paller, a Joan de Vila’s painting.
Les Dames de Cerdanyola is a 3-large-panels (235x195 cm) stained glass window made in the 1910s. According to Joan Vila, it was created by the Alsacian glass master Ludwig von Bearn installed in Barcelona in the late 19th century but the authorship is still a mystery.
This work of art is representative of the Catalan Modernisme artistic movement and the cultural importance of the city of Cerdanyola at that time and during the Noucentisme, a Catalan cultural movement of the early 20th century that originated largely as a reaction against Modernisme.
Every year in Barcelona, Modernisme attracts millions of tourists that come to visit La Pedrera, La Casa Batlló or El Palau de la Música. In Cerdanyola, a few kilometers away from there, Les Dames de Cerdanyola offers a beautiful example of an unknown but valuable modernism work of art that awaits you and all your senses!
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