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More than 10 years supporting industry on the path to efficiency: a look back and the keys to the energy future of Valencian companies
- 24/11/2025
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For more than a decade, AGB Ingeniers has been supporting hundreds of companies in the Valencian Community in their growth, helping them transform their projects, modernize processes and make key investments a reality thanks to the proper management of public funding. A shared journey that proves that well-used grants drive real results. And now, IVACE grants once again open up a decisive opportunity.
By Ana González, Agronomist Engineer – Industrial consultant in energy efficiency and grant management.
When I look back and think about these more than ten years accompanying food and horticultural companies in the Valencian Community, I realise that the real story is not only about energy efficiency, but about how well-managed grants have driven the real growth of these companies. I have seen how investments that once seemed out of reach became strategic opportunities, how small improvements turned into major breakthroughs, and how every project backed by public funding became a decisive step towards a more competitive, solid and future-ready industry.
More than ten years have passed since I began this journey with AGB Ingeniers. Ten years in which I have seen how small and medium-sized companies, some with very modest teams, took firm steps to adopt technological improvements, optimise their processes and commit to projects that at the time seemed almost futuristic. And yet, today they are part of their day-to-day operations, reducing energy consumption, improving product quality, lowering operating costs and increasing their competitiveness.
That is why, over all this time, I have learned that taking advantage of grants to invest in energy efficiency is not just a technical matter: it is a business decision that transforms companies.
The evolution of Valencian industry: from necessity to strategy
When we started processing our first grants, many companies saw energy efficiency as something secondary, almost decorative. Yes, it was useful to save money, but it was not part of the strategic core. Today the reality is completely different: energy efficiency has become a pillar for business continuity.
I remember very clearly the first major lighting replacement project we managed. The company – a medium-sized horticultural processor – saw the action almost as an experiment. LED technology was just starting to be implemented in industrial environments and there was a mix of curiosity and scepticism. Three months later, with an energy reduction close to 70%, that investment became the starting point of an ongoing transformation process.
Because that is another thing I have learned: companies that take a first step towards efficiency continue improving year after year. It is no coincidence that many of the companies we helped in 2014 still trust AGB Ingeniers today, not only for new grants, but also for complete redesigns of installations, energy audits, return-on-investment analyses and advanced control and monitoring projects.
The food and horticultural industry: a sector that has known how to move forward
If there is one thing that deserves recognition, it is that food and horticultural companies have shown an admirable capacity to adapt. Not only due to regulatory demands, but also out of technical necessity: processing, cooling, preserving, transforming or handling food requires very specific and highly intensive energy conditions. Over this decade we have seen most companies move forward in three key directions:
- Reducing energy consumption without compromising production.
Many companies started with basic actions: LED lighting, variable-speed drives, renewal of air-conditioning or refrigeration equipment. In almost all cases, these initial improvements led to more advanced projects:
• energy monitoring,
• process automation,
• integration of heat recovery systems,
• improved insulation,
• centralised digital control. - Improving working conditions and product quality.
I have seen countless times how a simple climate improvement in a handling area increased final product quality, reduced waste and improved staff performance. - Committing to more sustainable installations.
Ten years ago, almost no one talked about carbon footprint. Today many companies calculate it, monitor it and even use it as a differentiating factor in their marketing.
Ten years, more than 140 projects… and a reality that repeats itself
Looking back, there is something common to the companies that have grown the most: they made bold decisions before efficiency was fashionable. They decided to replace obsolete equipment, improve installations, redesign processes, invest in insulation, renew cold rooms or commit to energy digitalisation… when many still saw it as an expense, not an investment. And their results speak for themselves:
• Cumulative energy savings of up to 35–40% in less than five years.
• Reductions in energy leaks and thermal losses of more than 50%.
• Improvements in productivity, product quality and process stability.
• Significant emission reductions and improved carbon footprint.
• Access to new certifications and a stronger competitive position.
I will never forget a phrase often repeated by a manager we worked with years ago: “Energy efficiency is the only project that starts saving you money before you finish paying for it.” He was right then and he still is today.
Most of the major projects I have managed over this decade have had something in common: public grants have made it possible to launch them at exactly the right time. Among these, the IVACE Energy Efficiency Grants have undoubtedly been – and will continue to be – fundamental for hundreds of Valencian companies to take key steps in their modernisation. Over these years, I have seen how these grants reduce financial risk, speed up decision-making, drive technological modernisation, allow companies to opt for higher-quality, longer-lasting solutions and, most importantly, democratise access to efficiency, even for small businesses.
As a consultant, I have seen projects that, without IVACE support, would have taken three or four years to be implemented – or simply would never have happened. Thanks to these grants, many companies have not only reduced their consumption but have also improved their competitiveness in increasingly demanding markets.
Looking to the future: the keys to energy efficiency in the coming years
If there is one thing I have learned after more than a decade, it is that trends change, technology moves forward, but the foundations of energy efficiency remain: companies that plan ahead will continue to lead, because efficiency cannot be improvised. It requires analysis, auditing, monitoring and strategy. Companies that work with annual energy planning are the ones that grow the most.
In addition, the building envelope will take centre stage. In the coming years we will see a clear trend towards structural improvements: insulated roofs, thermal façades, high-performance sandwich panels, airtight industrial doors, efficient skylights, and the sealing of air infiltration. The thermal envelope not only reduces consumption, it also extends the service life of air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment, which is critical in the food sector.
Industrial air-conditioning and refrigeration are evolving towards inverter systems, ecological refrigerants, heat recovery, integration with control systems and smart automation, and energy monitoring will be indispensable, because without data there is no efficiency. Over the next few years, metering and monitoring systems will be consolidated to identify abnormal consumption in real time.
Finally, the combination of efficiency + renewables will become the norm: demand reduction must come first, but integrating photovoltaic generation will be practically mandatory for any Valencian company with stable consumption.
The immediate future: IVACE Grants 2025
The next major milestone for companies in the Valencian Community is approaching, and many are already looking forward to it as a true opportunity for transformation: the new call for IVACE 2025 Energy Efficiency Grants for Companies.
From 30 September to 30 December 2025, a strategic window will open which, as every year, will allow industries to take a qualitative leap in their modernisation. And, as always, there will be the possibility of entering a reserve list if funds are exhausted early… something that, in our experience, is happening more and more quickly.
For many companies this will be the perfect moment to undertake those investments they have been postponing for some time:
- Efficient industrial lighting.
- Optimised air-conditioning and thermal comfort solutions.
- Improved thermal envelope of buildings and warehouses.
- Advanced, high-efficiency refrigeration equipment.
- Energy control and monitoring systems.
- Waste heat recovery.
- Structural measures aimed at savings.
Each of these improvements represents a firm step towards a more competitive, more resilient industry with lower operating costs. But most importantly, these grants do not just finance projects: they enable companies to grow, modernise and gain long-term stability.
The IVACE 2025 call will once again be a turning point for companies that decide to look to the future with determination and seize this opportunity to strengthen their efficiency, sustainability and competitiveness.
AGB Ingeniers: more than 10 years, 100% success… and a firm commitment to the future
At AGB Ingeniers we have been managing energy projects for more than a decade, with a 100% success rate in the processing and awarding of grants. And if there is one thing I am sure of, it is that this journey does not end here. On the contrary, we are entering a stage in which energy efficiency and process optimisation will be more important than ever.
Our commitment remains the same as it was ten years ago: to accompany Valencian companies so that they can grow, save, improve and transform.
And we will continue to do so with technical rigour, honesty and a clear vision of the future.