The Spanish Air and Space Force awards CENER for its COMBINA project
Cener has been awarded the 46th Air and Space Force Award in the BACSI (Connected, Sustainable, and Smart Air Base) category in the functional area of Energy Efficiency and Environmental Sustainability for its COMBINA project.
This project is a disruptive proposal because it proposes an advanced technique for the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), as well as efficient energy management at an air base. It not only addresses the development of hydrogen as an energy source but also contributes significantly to the decarbonization of our energy activities.
It is an innovative and technically feasible project that aligns with the path toward energy autonomy pursued by the Air and Space Force. We are taking a firm step toward sustainability and energy efficiency with the COMBINA project, which aims to integrate renewable fuels into smart and energy-autonomous air bases (BACSI).
This initiative seeks to transform air bases into more efficient operational centers, taking advantage of the digital revolution, technological advances, and, above all, environmental sustainability. The COMBINA project, part of BACSI’s energy efficiency and environmental sustainability functional area, focuses on reducing and optimizing consumption, promoting autonomy in energy generation and management, and reducing the bases’ environmental footprint.
COMBINA combines various technological developments with the ultimate goal of achieving autonomous and intelligent air bases from an energy perspective, which also allow for the integration of renewable fuels. To achieve this, measures will be implemented such as increasing overall energy efficiency, incorporating renewable energy production for all types of needs, partially electrifying mobility, and developing innovative fuels such as hydrogen or e-fuels.
One of the fundamental pillars of COMBINA is the development of a “Smart Grid” at the base, which will include the production of renewable fuels from high-temperature green hydrogen. This smart grid will allow the generation of electricity, heat, and cooling from renewable sources, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
The project is structured around several key technical objectives, including: • Design and sizing of a microgrid: Integration of renewable generation, electrical and thermal demand, storage systems, and renewable fuel production plant. • Development of a HEMS (Hybrid Energy Management System): A management tool to optimize electrical and thermal consumption, enabling the active participation of infrastructure in the electrical system. • Integration of the GreenLedger blockchain platform: Ensuring the traceability of energy transactions. • Integration of the SOEC hydrogen production system: Using the co-electrolysis of H₂O and CO₂ to produce liquid transport fuels, including the synthesis of SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel).
In line with the European Union’s goals of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, COMBINA aligns with NATO’s “smart energy” strategies, seeking to reduce fossil fuel consumption and promote autonomy, efficiency, and sustainability in the military sector.