The European Investment Bank (EIB) and ILUNION, a company within the ONCE Social Group, have signed a €60 million green loan agreement to enhance energy efficiency across 50 ILUNION facilities in Spain. The funding will primarily target the company’s network of hotels and industrial laundries, aligning with broader sustainability and energy security goals.
The project, supported by the EIB, is expected to achieve primary energy savings of approximately 45,000 MWh per year, largely through a reduction in natural gas usage. This aligns with the objectives of the REPowerEU plan, which aims to bolster energy security and accelerate the EU’s green transition. Additionally, the initiative emphasises inclusive employment opportunities for people with disabilities, furthering ILUNION’s mission of social impact.
“We are delighted to help a company that is so vital to the creation of jobs for people with disabilities. This EIB loan also meets one of our key priorities – accelerating the green transition – by investing in energy efficiency projects,” said Head of the EIB’s Corporates and Regulated Utilities Operations Division for Spain Antonio Lorenzo.
“ILUNION is Europe’s leading company in social impact investment and promotes the social inclusion of people with disabilities through employment. This EIB loan will be used to strengthen one of ILUNION’s strategic pillars: contributing to the development of a more sustainable economy that reduces its environmental impact. ILUNION is developing a decarbonisation strategy focusing on renewable energies, implementing energy efficiency measures, promoting sustainable mobility and implementing a climate action plan for its entire value chain’, explained Alejandro Oñoro, ILUNION’s CEO.
The project has received partial backing from the InvestEU programme, with around 57% of total investment directed to regions with income per capita below the EU average, underscoring the EIB’s commitment to economic and territorial cohesion.
The EIB Advisory will further support ILUNION in developing energy efficiency audits for its industrial laundry facilities and devising an environmental strategy centered on water efficiency and the circular economy within existing infrastructure.
