AMPO Participates in the opening ceremony of the EIC Foundation, Strengthening its Commitment to the Energy Transition

Last week, AMPO, as a member of the Energy Intelligence Center (EIC) Foundation, participated in the inauguration of this organization, which will manage the EIC Center. This collaborative R&D&I platform aims to lead innovation in key technologies for the energy transition.

The event took place at the Ezkerraldea-Meatzaldea Technology Park in Abanto-Zierbena (Bizkaia) and was attended by prominent authorities, including the Basque Country’s President Imanol Pradales and the General Deputy of Bizkaia, Elixabete Etxanobe.

AMPO currently chairs the Energy Advanced Engineering Foundation, a body formed by Tubacex, Tubos Reunidos, Vicinay, and AMPO. Alongside the EVE (Basque Energy Agency), BH2C (Basque Hydrogen Corridor), Nortegas, Petronor, and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, these entities comprise the board of trustees of the EIC Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to position Euskadi as an international leader in combating climate change and driving industrial decarbonization.

The Foundation’s board of trustees includes Mikel Amundarain, General Director of the Basque Energy Agency (EVE); José Ignacio Zudaire, President of the Basque Hydrogen Corridor (BH2C); Leire Colomo, President of the Energy Advanced Engineering Foundation and Director of Innovation and Product Development at AMPO; Juan Villar, CEO of Nortegas; José Luque, CEO of Petronor; and Elixabete Etxanobe, General Deputy of Bizkaia, who presides over the Foundation.

The EIC Foundation will spearhead initiatives to develop and advance technologies that enable efficient decarbonization. Its focus will include the advanced design and manufacturing of subsystems and components for the energy sector, particularly in hard-to-decarbonize areas such as heavy or long-distance transport, high-temperature industrial processes, and the production of low-carbon energy. The aim is to generate new activities and maintain the international leadership of Basque companies.

To achieve this, the EIC Foundation will carry out technological monitoring, launch initiatives to develop, attract, and retain talent, and actively engage in international positioning to attract investments and innovative projects. It will also promote collaborative R&D&I among companies within the EIC ecosystem. These activities will be conducted at the EIC facilities, located in the Ezkerraldea/Meatzaldea Technology Park in Bizkaia, which offers spaces for collaborative research and development projects. These include offices and R&D&I laboratories for energy sector companies, a specialized laboratory, and a large-scale area equipped for full-scale testing of energy transition technologies.

As an active member of this ecosystem, AMPO will play a key role in developing and strengthening a tech-industrial ecosystem geared towards new developments essential for achieving the energy transition. This effort will be grounded in technological development and knowledge creation. Within the EIC, AMPO will also have the opportunity to execute R&D&I projects, utilizing cutting-edge infrastructure, equipment, specialized laboratories, and workshops with state-of-the-art technology and machinery.

Through this collaboration, AMPO reaffirms its commitment to sustainability, industrial development, and the energy transition, further consolidating its leadership in a sector crucial to the future.