The energy transition has become a strategic factor for industrial competitiveness. Álvaro Lorente, from Sener, analyses the challenges facing Europe to move towards a more sustainable model without losing industrial capacity, and highlights the key role of engineering, technological innovation and collaboration in making increasingly complex projects viable.
How do you define the current moment of the energy sector from the perspective of an engineering company like Sener?
We are in a moment of structural transformation. The energy transition is no longer understood only as a climate ambition; It is a strategic factor for industrial competitiveness, energy autonomy and economic development. From an engineering company like Sener, we see the need to integrate innovation, technological capacity and industrial execution to turn this transition into viable, scalable and sustainable projects. This, without neglecting the global situation. Our role is to accompany customers in their energy needs to find the best configuration for their projects and make them a reality.
In addition, the sector demands increasingly complex and integrated solutions: greater electrification, renewable hydrogen, energy efficiency, digitalisation or storage. And here engineering has an essential role as an integrator.
Do you share the idea that chemistry is a key sector for industrial competitiveness?
Undoubtedly, the chemical industry is one of the fundamental pillars of industry in Europe and globally. It is a highly transversal sector, which supports multiple value chains, from energy and materials to mobility or food.
In addition, it has enormous potential to lead industrial decarbonisation and circular economy processes. The ability to innovate in new materials, more efficient processes or sustainable fuels will be decisive in maintaining European industrial competitiveness in the coming years.
For all of the above, it is essential that Europe maintains a high level of competitiveness in the markets.
How important is it to participate in a meeting point like Expoquimia?
For us, Expoquimia is a very relevant event because it allows us to connect with industrial actors and technologists in the same space. The energy transition requires collaboration between companies, engineering firms, technology centres, administrations and entire industrial chains.
Therefore, participating in this type of forum is an opportunity to share knowledge, listen to the needs of the market and generate synergies that allow us to accelerate competitive projects.
What does Sener contribute to Expoquimia?
Sener brings to Expoquimia a comprehensive vision based on advanced engineering, technological knowledge and extensive experience in the execution of complex projects. We work accompanying our clients from the initial phases of consulting and conceptualization to detailed engineering, project management and EPC/EPCm execution.
We also have differential capabilities in energy transition technologies, advanced simulation and digitalisation applied to industrial assets. We also contribute with specific solutions in areas such as process electrification, the integration of renewable energies, hydrogen and energy efficiency.
All of this is supported by state-of-the-art digital solutions that optimize the performance of facilities and improve decision-making in highly demanding industrial environments.
What does Europe need to move forward without losing competitiveness?
Europe needs to set realistic targets ensuring a balance between sustainability, security of supply and industrial competitiveness. This involves, among other things, having a stable regulatory framework, facilitating access to finance and accelerating the deployment of key energy infrastructure.
At Sener we believe that it is also essential to promote technological innovation and promote public-private collaboration. Only through a coordinated approach will it be possible to transform the energy model without compromising Europe’s industrial capacity and competitiveness, while maintaining its leadership in sustainability and technology.
What factors are decisive for industrial decarbonisation?
There are several key factors: availability of competitive, low-carbon energy, technological maturity, access to finance, and regulatory stability.
But it is also essential to approach decarbonisation from a realistic technical and economic perspective. Each industry sector has different needs and requires tailored solutions.
That is why engineering plays such an important role: analysing processes, optimising consumption, integrating new technologies and ensuring that the transition is technically viable and economically sustainable.
It is also key to have technology partners capable of integrating different solutions and adapting each project to the specific needs of the client. At Sener we work along these lines, offering a comprehensive approach.
What role do digitalization and AI play?
Digitalization and artificial intelligence are key enablers to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. They allow you to optimize the operation of facilities, anticipate failures, reduce energy consumption and improve data-based decision-making. They are a very important complement to human work.
At Sener we are already incorporating these capabilities into our projects to offer more advanced solutions adapted to current challenges. Technologies such as digital twins or advanced analytics help to increase operational efficiency and reduce emissions in a tangible way. And in the future we will see an even greater integration between artificial intelligence, automation and industrial energy management.
Which technologies will have the most potential in the coming years?
We will see a combination of technologies working in a complementary way. Looking ahead to the coming years, we see a strong push for technologies linked to the electrification of industry, renewable hydrogen and sustainable fuels. CO₂ capture and recovery solutions will also be key, especially in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise.
Added to this is the growth of digital technologies applied to industrial energy management. Tools that integrate artificial intelligence, digital twins or advanced analytics are already making it possible to optimize processes, improve operational efficiency and reduce emissions in a tangible way.
In the long term, we will move towards increasingly integrated and intelligent energy systems, where renewable generation, grids, storage, digitalization and advanced energy management will work in a coordinated way to maximize efficiency, flexibility and resilience.
At Sener we are committed to an integrative approach, in which all these technologies are combined to offer solutions adapted to each customer and sector, facilitating a realistic, efficient and competitive energy transition.
