How Ecolab & Moeve Cut Freshwater Use by 39% at Spanish Hub

Industries in southern Europe and worldwide are addressing water stress caused by climate change and rising demand.

Water is essential for many heavy industries, which cannot operate without it.

Moeve’s San Roque Energy Park near Gibraltar is a major water consumer, supporting the company’s chemical and biofuel refining and production.

Balancing growth with water efficiency

In 2024, Moeve introduced its Positive Motion strategy to expand green molecule and sustainable mobility initiatives, targeting a 55% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2030.

The strategy also details Moeve’s plans to reduce water usage, a challenge given the water-intensive nature of its core growth areas, especially green hydrogen.

By 2025, Moeve reduced freshwater withdrawal in water-stressed areas by 20% compared to 2019 and enhanced wastewater treatment, resulting in a 25% decrease in total water consumption.

At San Roque, Moeve partnered with Ecolab to enhance water management and implement digital monitoring.

Together, the companies developed a circular recycling framework to transform water from a liability into an asset.

The Ecolab system uses ultrafiltration, membrane technology, and specialised chemistry to purify effluent and wastewater for direct reuse in Moeve’s industrial processes, reducing reliance on external freshwater sources.

Digital monitoring

Ecolab also implemented its 3D TRASAR technology to enhance monitoring and deliver real-time diagnostics, automatically adjusting chemical treatments to prevent corrosion, scaling, and biofouling before system instability occurs.

“By improving productivity, reliability, quality and operational efficiency all while using critical resources more effectively, our customers realise measurable Total Value Delivered that strengthens resilience and long-term performance,” writes Emilio Tenuta, Chief Sustainability Officer at Ecolab, on LinkedIn.

“Ecolab’s partnership with Moeve, one of the leading energy companies in Spain, exemplifies this. By combining Moeve’s vision of a circular water solution with Ecolab’s advanced water treatment technologies, monitoring and digital expertise, Moeve implemented a circular water solution at its San Roque Energy Park in southern Spain. What was previously a waste product is now used in industrial processes.

“As a result, the Moeve site achieved US$580,000 in total value while conserving 190 million gallons (720 million litres) of water. The collaboration demonstrates the impact of smart water management to future-proof operations and advance growth in water-stressed regions.”

A verifiable impact

Data from the site highlight the impact of these sustainable initiatives. Moeve saw a 39% reduction in freshwater extraction at San Roque Energy Park compared to the 2019 baseline.

There was also 317 million gallons (1.2 billion litres) of water recycled and reused each year, helping Moeve to cut freshwater reliance by 21% across its operations in Spain.

By permanently decoupling production capacity from local water stress, these results demonstrate more than efficiency gains.

Strengthening water circularity mitigates drought risks and strengthens industrial resilience.