International flights Asturias Spain to London Frankfurt Munich Rome

Asturias starts a record year with direct flights to twelve international destinations

The current routes to Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Rome, Dublin, London and Paris will be joined by connections to Milan-Bergamo and Lisbon at the end of March.

Lufthansa will reach Asturias for the first time with five flights a week to Frankfurt and Munich from 23 April

Venice could join the list of direct destinations from Asturias airport

In 2023 Asturias airport is set to have the largest direct flight offer to international destinations in its history. By the end of April, the region will have non-stop connections to eleven destinations in eight countries, to which we should add another more than likely connection to Venice.

In addition to the routes already in operation to Paris, London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Rome and Dublin, Volotea will start operating connections to Milan-Bergamo and Lisbon at the end of March.

These will be joined by the arrival in Asturias of the German airline Lufthansa, which will connect the Asturian airport with Frankfurt and Munich from 23 April.

And the regional Government wants to launch an administrative process that will allow direct flights this summer between Asturias and Venice.

Investment by the Government of Asturias to improve the region’s air links

This growth in direct routes from Asturias to international destinations comes after the Government of Asturias invested almost nine million euros in a public tender for air promotion. This investment was designed, among other things, to promote the economic development of the region and the arrival of investment.

The tender was won by Ryanair, Vueling and Volotea. Ryanair earmarked the aid to offer, from November 2022, flights to Düsseldorf, Brussels and Rome, to which it added Dublin and London Stansted Airport. Vueling connects the region with Paris, Amsterdam and London Gatwick, while Volotea will start in March with routes to Lisbon and Milan.

And thanks to this regional Government plan, Asturias airport closed 2022 with a total of 1,454,763 passengers, 2.6% more than in 2019. 106,405 passengers were foreigners, a figure that was 67.7% higher than in 2019. This consolidation is due to the dynamism shown by the recovery of international traffic, according to AENA.

In 2019, the last year before the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asturian airport was used by 1,417,912 passengers. Of these, only 4% had an international origin or destination. That year, the region only had one fixed international destination, London, to which Volotea’s summer flights to Venice and Munich were added.

The 1.5 millionth traveller arrived for the first time in 2007 and only repeated the visit a year later. It is foreseeable that by the end of 2023, this figure will have been far exceeded.

In the domestic offer of Asturias airport, in addition to the existing routes that will continue throughout the year to Madrid, Barcelona, Majorca, Alicante, Valencia, Malaga, Seville, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Tenerife and Lanzarote, those to Murcia, Minorca and Ibiza will be added, and also, in all probability, Granada.

Asturias thus reaches 27 direct destinations to nine countries and improves its strategic connections.

Lufthansa-direct-flights-to-Asturias-Spain-april-2023 — Photo: Lufthansa

Lufthansa arrives for the first time in Asturias

From the end of April, Asturias will have five direct flights a week to the German cities of Frankfurt and Munich, operated by Lufthansa. Both are the company’s main hubs and two of the largest in Europe.

The leading German airline is coming to our region for the first time, and it is doing so without financial support, either public or private.

These two new routes from Asturias to international destinations represent a giant leap forward in improving connectivity in our region. The arrival of Lufthansa will offer Asturias a global connection to more than 200 destinations worldwide, through the business group itself, its partners and Star Alliance.

“Asturias will finally have global connectivity; with a single hop, through the flight hubs in Frankfurt and Munich, we will be able to reach a higher number of destinations”, says Jorge García, Vice-Minister of Infrastructure, Mobility, and Territory of the Government of Asturias.

These connections operated by Lufthansa will contribute to economic development and also to promoting the Asturias Natural Paradise brand in all the destinations of the airline’s network.

An airport at the centre of life in Asturias

The airport is “a key player in the life of Asturias, a fundamental actor in contributing to its development”, says Carlos San Martín, who has been its director for the last thirteen years.

“The region has great potential, not only in terms of tourism, but also as a business opportunity. These are the singularities: that it is a major player in the development of the destination and the great involvement of all the institutions that see that the airport is strategic,” says San Martín.

1 Februar, 2023 /

China Three Gorges opens a technical office in Gijón Asturias

China Three Gorges to open in Asturias an office to oversee all its energy constructions in Europe

With the support of IDEPA, the office will be located in the Scientific & Technological Park of Gijón

China Three Gorges (CTG), the largest renewable energy group in China, chooses Asturias to establish an engineering division to oversee all of its energy constructions in Europe.

CTG is boosting the production of green energy and will open a technical office in Gijón for construction supervision, commissioning, and technical support activities.

To establish itself in Asturias, China Three Gorges has received the support of the Economic Development Agency of Asturias (IDEPA). The office will be located in the Impulsa Building, a business incubator belonging to the Gijón City Council and placed next to the former Universidad Laboral.

Why Asturias: low turnover rate and technical qualifications of workers

These headquarters will have approximately 20 jobs in different phases. The company valued the low turnover rate of workers and the technical qualifications of the human resources available in Asturias as some reasons to set up in our region.

China Three Gorges Spain (CTGS) is part of China Three Gorges (Europe), a subsidiary of CTG Group, China’s largest clean energy group and the world’s largest hydropower company. It has around 115 GW of consolidated installed capacity worldwide (more than all the electrical power of any kind installed in Spain).

CTG Europe is a strategic partner of EDP Energía, with a strong presence in Asturias (EDP’s Spanish headquarters are in Oviedo). CTG is the largest shareholder (19.03%) of the Portuguese company, and has made significant investments in other clean energy generation platforms in Spain, Portugal, Germany, the United Kingdom and Greece.

19 Dezember, 2022 /

Asturias offshore wind energy powerful ecosystem

Powerful industry, an ideal ecosystem and the public support, the reasons behind the preferred position of the offshore wind sector in Asturias

— Its geostrategic location and the strength and capabilities of the industry and advanced services, among the advantages of Asturias to attract investment in this sector

— The Wind Energy fair in Hamburg showcased the strengths of a sector that will be key to the region’s energy transition

— The Government of Asturias is committed to the development of sustainable offshore wind projects that coexist with current uses, such as fishing activities

A few days ago, we attended the Wind Energy fair in Hamburg to show the great potential of Asturias in the value chain associated with the development of wind energy. A sector that will be key to the transformation of the productive model of our region.

Its geostrategic location for the settlement of companies linked to this sector or the power and capabilities of industry and advanced services associated with wind energy production activities are among the strengths and competitive advantages of Asturias.

Eleven Asturian companies attended Wind Energy as expert suppliers of equipment and components in this area, nine at the stand of the Trade Promotion Agency of the Principality of Asturias (ASTUREX):

Asturfeito, Duro Felguera, IDONIAL Centro Tecnológico, IDESA, Isastur, KLK Electromateriales, Mecainsa, Mecanizados CAS and Oxiplant.

As part of Asturian delegation, Gondán Shipbuilders and Windar Renewables had their own exhibition spaces.

Enrique Fernández consejero Industria Asturias stand Wind Energy Hamburg 2022

Asturias explores offshore wind collaborations with Brandenburg and Scotland

During the Wind Energy fair we met Hendrik Fischer, State Secretary for Energy of the Brandenburg Ministry of Economy, Labour and Energy.

We talked mainly about the needs of this German federal state that could be met by companies from Asturias. Brandenburg has had the fastest development of wind energy in Germany, with 4,000 wind turbines currently installed, totalling 7,700 MW.

Enrique Fernández, Regional Minister of Industry, Employment, and Economic Promotion, undertook to deepen the contact established between the two territories to promote the supply of products and services of Asturian companies, as well as to attract new projects to Asturias.

We also held a meeting with Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism, and Enterprise of the Scottish Government. With Minister McKee, we shared our views on green hydrogen and onshore and offshore wind energy, which are key for both territories.

Hendrik Fischer Brendnburg Wind Energy Hamburg meeting with Asturias

Ivan McKee Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise of the Scottish Government wit Asturias delegation Wind Energy Hamburg

Our agenda also included meetings with relevant companies in the sector, such as the Canadian company Northland Power, the Danish company Vestas, the German companies Liebherr and Enercon and the Spanish-German company Siemens Gamesa.

We also met with Mario Buisán García and Pilar Muñoz, from the Spanish Economic and Commercial Office in Berlin, and with the Association of Metal Industries and Associated Technologies of Galicia (Asime).

Enrique Fernández Asturia regional minister Industry meeting with Canadian Northland Power Wind Energy Hamburg 2022

Asturias Government meets Vestas at Wind Energy Hamburg 2022

Asturias’ attractiveness for wind energy investment

At the Wind Energy fair in Hamburg we showed why Asturias is an attractive place for investment in activities related to the wind energy sector. Among the strengths of our territory are:

Geostrategic location.
Power and capabilities of the industry and advanced services associated with wind energy production activities: manufacture of support vessels for offshore wind farms, manufacture of structures and components for wind farms, engineering companies with the capacity to design and develop on and offshore wind farms and offer technological solutions in structural integrity. The Asturian companies participating in the Fair are a good example of these strengths.
Attractive industrial environment for potential investors.
Technology centres supporting R&D activities.
Port infrastructures for the transport of wind turbine structures (very bulky and heavy).
Extensive network of industrial areas in which to set up.
Industrial culture that distinguishes Asturian workers.

All these factors represent a great competitive advantage for Asturias compared to other European regions in terms of attracting investment in activities linked to wind energy production.

Six reasons to promote offshore wind energy in Asturias

The Regional Minister lists six reasons for the installation of offshore wind farms in Asturias:

To contribute to achieving the objectives set in the energy transition process.
To maintain the security and quality of supply and compensate for the closures of thermal power stations.
Without coal, the only abundant energy resource in Asturias is wind.
For the expected increase in economic activity, considering not only the energy sector.
Because of the net generation of employment, in order to compensate for the workforce lost due to the dismantling of the regional coal chain.
Because it offers Asturian companies an opportunity to access or consolidate their position in a market with enormous potential for development in the coming years.

A commitment to sustainable offshore wind projects that coexist with fishing in Asturias

The Government of Asturias bets on the development of sustainable offshore wind projects that coexist with current uses, such as fishing activity.

The Regional Government has already submitted a limited zoning proposal for offshore wind energy to the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition.

The objective of the regional authorities is to have 0.7 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power installed in Asturias in the coming years, with offshore wind turbines and in two limited areas: off Gijón and on the West coast.

Regional minister Enrique Fernández considers that offshore wind farms represent an “opportunity for the future” for companies and will help to create more sustainable value chains.

A thousand jobs in Asturias depend on offshore wind energy

One thousand jobs in Asturias depend on offshore wind and 50% more are expected. Another 2,000 are also linked to the sector, in addition to ArcelorMittal, that supplies sheet metal for the manufacture of wind power plants.

The land for the expansion of the Port of Gijón El Musel and the Logistics and Industrial Activities Zone (ZALIA), with a direct train connection to the port, are two of Asturias’ great assets in the energy wind sector.

10 Oktober, 2022 /

Green Hydrogen, a triple opportunity for Asturias: clean energy, economy, and employment

Its use as an energy vector will be key to the green, digital and sustainable transformation of our region’s production model

Last week we assisted in Gijón to the meeting with the Asturian industrial technical engineers, collegiate at the COGITIPA, sharing a common thread: green hydrogen as a vector for energy transition and a lever for change in the Asturias production model.

The conference, held within the framework of the Asturias International Trade Fair (FIDMA, organized by the Gijón Chamber of Commerce), highlighted the great opportunity that green hydrogen represents for Asturias as a clean and sustainable energy generator and as a driver of economic activity and employment.

“Green hydrogen can mean for Asturias what coal meant for it”, said Enrique Fernández, Regional Minister of Industry, Employment, and Economic Promotion of the Government of Asturias, in his speech. For the minister, Asturias must diversify its energy sources and accelerate their implementation in order to move towards the transformation of its economy, in line with the guidelines of the European Union.

Our region, said Fernández, has everything it needs to be at the forefront of the “hydrogen race”. Asturias has leading companies (some with foreign capital) involved in the hydrogen value chain, producers of this green energy, water to supply the processes, infrastructures, large consumers of the energy produced, and the talent and the capabilities to continue advancing in this field.

As examples of the progress made to date, the minister cited the HyDeal project, in which Asturias plays a key role, and the initiative Development of a regional H2 ecosystem (ReCoDe H2), promoted by the Asturias Regional Hydrogen Board, driven by the General Directorate for Energy.

The hydrogen plans and capabilities of large companies in Asturias

At the conference, we learned about the plans and capabilities in the field of hydrogen and decarbonization of five large Asturian companies or with a strong presence in our region: EDP Renewables, Enagás, ArcelorMittal, IDESA and TSK.

The Portuguese-owned energy company EDP Renewables presented its plans related to hydrogen for Asturias. The aim is to replace the thermal power plants of Soto de Ribera and Aboño. EDP wants Aboño to be the epicentre of the “Asturias Hydrogen Valley”, including electrolysis and photovoltaic plants, hydrogen storage plants and a hydrogen plant for heavy transport. In Soto de Ribera, and to complement the Aboño project, an electrolysis plant, combined gas cycles or hydroscrews would also be installed. The company’s expectations are to reach 1,000 MW of renewable energy installed in Asturias by 2030.

As for Enagás, the most relevant aspect today in Asturias is its participation in the HyDeal Spain consortium, which will be the first industrial implementation of the HyDeal Ambition platform in Europe. It will supply Asturian industry with renewable hydrogen for the production of green steel, green ammonia, green fertilizers and other low-carbon industrial products. Enagás’ presence in HyDeal, the world’s largest integrated renewable and competitive hydrogen hub, is crucial for the development of hydrogen transport and storage infrastructures. The company is also finalizing preparations for the start-up of its regasification plant at the Port of El Musel in Gijón.

Steel giant ArcelorMittal has also made a huge bet on the HyDeal project, which it hopes will give it access to the volume of green hydrogen needed to progress on its decarbonization roadmap for steel production in Spain. ArcelorMittal has a macro project in the pipeline to reduce CO₂ emissions generated in Spain by 50% by 2025. At the heart of the plan is the construction in Gijón of a direct reduction iron ore (DRI) plant with green hydrogen, which will have a production capacity of 2.3 million tonnes per year. It will be complemented by a hybrid electric furnace with a capacity of 1.1 million tonnes. The planned investment is €1 billion.

The Asturian company IDESA, one of the most important companies in the design and manufacture of capital goods worldwide, is finding its opportunity as part of the value chain in green hydrogen through knowledge. IDESA manufactures storage solutions and develops the installation works. It is currently collaborating with Iberdrola on Europe’s largest green hydrogen complex for industrial use, located in Puertollano. IDESA actively participated in the design of the H₂ storage generated by the electrolysers and signed a first contract for the supply of five storage tanks.

Finally, the Asturian engineering company TSK is also involved in the development of the HyDeal España project. HyDeal España has selected TSK to provide technical support to the project as engineering representative of the platform, in the role of Owner’s Engineer. TSK will be the technological partner of the promoter consortium and will participate in various phases of the project, including the development and construction of the hydrogen production plants planned by HyDeal.

The ultimate goal of all these strategies and projects is to join the collective effort towards a green, digital and sustainable transformation of the productive model of Asturias, always putting industry, innovation and sustainability on the table.

19 August, 2022 /

Presentación de la nueva oficina de TSOFT en Gijón Asturias

TSOFT opens a Centre of Excellence in Asturias and will create thirty highly skilled jobs

The Argentinian technology multinational chooses the Gijón Science Technology Park to serve customers in Europe and Latin America

TSOFT announced this morning the set-up of an international Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Asturias. The Argentinean technology multinational has chosen the Gijón Science Technology Park to set up a centre that will create thirty highly qualified jobs.

The CoE in Gijón will offer NearShore services for all customers in Spain and OffShore services for customers outside Spain, making it one of the first DevOps expert centres in our country with 24×7 coverage. It will be the first TSOFT´s IT solutions development centre outside Latin America.

28 April, 2022 /

The Colombian multinational Indaer sets up its operational base for Europe and the Middle East in Asturias.

Colombian aeronautical multinational Indaer sets up in Asturias its operational base for Europe and the Middle East

The office will be located in the Technology Park of Asturias, in Llanera, where Indaer expects to create up to ten highly qualified jobs

The Colombian aeronautical multinational Indaer has just opened a new brand, permanent office in Asturias. A project advised within the framework of the Invest in Asturias programme by the Economic Development Agency of the Principality of Asturias (IDEPA), aimed at attracting investment to our region.

The opening reinforces the presence in Europe and the Middle East of Indaer, a leading company in aircraft lifecycle support solutions.

22 Februar, 2022 /

Sontara invests 7.63 million euros in the factory of Tamón with the support of the Government of Asturias

US company Glatfelter, owner of the Asturian factory, receives a 1.89 million euro grant to improve energy efficiency

Sontara Asturias is undertaking an investment of 7.63 million euros in its Tamón factory in order to increase the speed of its line of nonwoven fabrics for sanitary use and improve the energy efficiency of the facilities. The Government of Asturias is backing this investment with a grant of 1.89 million euros.

The first plan of the company, owned by the US company Glatfelter, consists of improving the energy efficiency of the main production line of the factory through specific actions in the winding and hydro braiding processes.

10 Februar, 2022 /

Salto y central hidráulica de Salime Asturias EDP

Salime, from a pioneering hydroelectric power station to a paradigm of the energy transition in Asturias

Several energy companies are proposing hydraulic generation and storage initiatives, taking advantage of existing reservoirs and power plants.

Power companies are showing commitment to Asturias in the path taken by Spain towards the decarbonization of the economy and the energy transition. Dozens of reservoirs and hydroelectric power plants in operation in our region for decades, such as the one in Grandas de Salime, could gain a second life through projects to generate and store the energy they produce.

The Law on Climate Change and Energy Transition, approved by the Spanish Parliament in May 2021, states that one of the measures to achieve the decarbonization objectives is to promote reversible hydroelectric plants, capable of generating energy and storing it.

18 Januar, 2022 /

The Campus of Mieres, a business incubator with the University of Oviedo as an ally

The Research Building of this University environment offers space for the installation of businesses

The Campus of Mieres favours relations between the university, industry, entrepreneurs, and investors

Choosing the right location is a fundamental step when setting up a business or moving to a new site. And Asturias has suitable spaces for different company profiles.

For example, the Research Building on the Campus of Mieres, located in a knowledge environment as important as the University of Oviedo.

The first floor of this building houses a business incubator that currently consists of three spaces of between 39 and 49 useful square metres.

3 November, 2021 /

A full view of Asturias capabilities at the Global Investment Convention GIC III

Invest in Asturias was part of this digital event, aimed at potential investors from all over the world

Invest in Asturias took part this week in the Global Investment Convention GIC III, a prestigious digital event for potential investors and investment agencies all over the world managed by Crescendo Worldwide.

During this convention, we showed the strong capabilities of Asturias for attracting investment in sectors like metal, innovative manufacturing, health, or Information and Communication Technologies (ICT).

22 Oktober, 2021 /

Author: Invest in Asturias / IDEPA