Located in the City of Ensenada, Baja California, the “Baja California III” combined cycle power plant of Iberdrola México has been commercially operating for five years, during which time it has positioned itself as a benchmark in the energy industry thanks to its operation, which generates enough energy for 700,000 people, covering part of the demand for electricity of this northern state of Mexico, while at the same time taking care of the environment by monitoring its CO2 emissions.
It should be noted that natural gas-fired combined cycle power plants, such as Baja California III, are more environmentally friendly since they produce less than half the CO2 emissions than other types of plants produce in relation to the kilowatt-hours they produce. This power plant, for instance, avoids releasing pollutants into the air equivalent to planting 10 million trees in 10 years.
Additionally, this power plant, with a net capacity of 294MW, is located on the shores of the Pacific Ocean, and Baja California III uses this nearby body of water as a cooling resource without harming the environment, since it uses seawater in an open circuit for cooling.
Iberdrola México has a strong commitment to the country and the environment, thus it has developed many strategies to look after the ecosystems surrounding its plants and farms, and this has led to the Baja California III power plant being issued with the Level 2 Clean Industry Certificate, granted by the Government of Mexico, because of its efficient processes and reduced use of water, energy, and waste.
The Baja California III power plant will continue working for the coming years to develop actions that benefit the environment by promoting projects such as the “Programa de Acciones de Compensación Ambiental (PCA)” (Environmental Compensation Action Program) associated with the 36CC Baja California III Project, aimed at compensating for the loss of environmental services, such as soil retention, habitat for flora and fauna species, and their role in carbon sequestration. This program will be conducted in an area of over 35 hectares in the town of La Rumorosa.
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