Cobra Infraestructuras Hidráulicas will lead a public-private group to develop a project of a marine reversible hydroelectric plant in Cantabria

Cobra Infraestructuras Hidráulicas (CIH) will lead a Public-Private Group to develop an innovation project of a marine reversible hydroelectric plant called “Hidrocaleras” in Mioño (Castro Urdiales), Cantabria.

Group:

– COBRA INFRASTRUCTURAS HIDRÁULICAS, leader in the design, construction and operation of hydroelectric projects.

– INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HYDRAULICS, organization for the promotion and support of research and development of studies of aquatic ecosystems.

– The UNIVERSITY OF CANTABRIA, through its R & D & I Group Laboratory of the Division of Science and Engineering of Materials (LADICIM), specialized in material selection, processes of environmental degradation and structural integrity assessments.

– CSM, Italian technological center belonging to the Rina Society, specialized in materials technology, brings its knowledge and experience in activities related to corrosion protection and environmental protection.

– The CTC TECHNOLOGICAL CENTER, with experience in the modeling and analysis of turbines and pipes as well as in the selection of materials and coatings to avoid marine corrosion and biofouling.

– POYRY, a Finnish engineering and consulting company internationally recognized, specialized in hydraulic engineering, climate change impact evaluation and environmental management and implementation of Pumping Storage Plants.

– INDAR, belonging to the Basque group Ingeteam, specialized in the design, engineering, manufacturing and supply of electromechanical machinery, electronics and generators for hydroelectric power and converters.

– The British HIGHVIEW POWER, specialized in long-term energy storage, with experience in controls and integration of this type of plants in the network.

– BANCO SANTANDER will be present as an observer, analyzing the different economic and financial models, assessing their viability.

– HIDROCALERAS S.L., promoter of the project.

Hidrocaleras is a reversible hydroelectric plant with seawater, equipped with 50 MW turbines, scalable, in Mioño (Castro Urdiales). A site accepted by the local and regional administrations that puts in value a degraded place, project that has been declared of Regional Interest by the Government of Cantabria.

The Hidrocaleras project will demonstrate an innovative energy storage and production center, at any time required, based on the availability and use of an inexhaustible and unconditional source such as the sea, developing materials and components suitable for its use and durability.

It is a pilot experience in Europe. This challenge generates an opportunity to position the companies involved as leaders in the knowledge and use of this technology, in the face of technological challenges and the fluctuations offered by the regulatory market.

The consortium, which has been previously informed to the authorities and has institutional support, will bring experience and know-how in the respective fields of knowledge, in order to investigate and develop solutions to the different challenges of the project.

They will participate in different national and community calls for renewable energies, energy storage and energy transition to co-finance the research, development and construction of the Hidrocaleras project.