VIRATEC

The Galician Cluster of Environmental Solutions and Circular Economy has been created to increase the technological and innovative capacity, as well as the competitiveness of Galician companies that provide environmental solutions.

VIRATEC provides an ecosystem of public-private and business cooperation that generates synergies between different areas of knowledge, promotes R&D&I, improves training, and creates opportunities for internationalization in order to contribute to the sustainable development of the Galician society and to the preservation of the environment of the region under the principles of Circular Economy.

Our vision is to become a reference in the development and implementation of environmental technologies,processes and solutions at local, national and international level.

VIRATEC has been created with the desire to be an agglutinating organization and a provider of solutions in the sector of environment, climate change and circular economy, helping entities to actively contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

VIRATEC is based on the European Green Deal of the European Union that aims to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy, to restore biodiversity and to cut pollution. It also rests on other two pillars such as España Circular 2030: the new Circular Economy Strategy developed by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic challenge and the Galician Circular Economy Strategy 2020-2030 promoted by the Ministry of Environment, Land and Infrastructure of the Xunta de Galicia. Both strategies are in line with the objectives of the circular economy action plans of the European Union, Closing the loop – An EU action plan for the Circular Economy (2015) and A new Circular Economy Action Plan for a Cleaner and More Competitive Europe (2020).

VIRATEC works to generate public-private partnerships aiming to develop innovative projects focused on the achievement of a competitive, sustainable, decarbonised, resource-efficient economy.

What are environmental technologies?

Environmental technologies are one of the key industrial agents for sustainable development. For a long time, environmental engineering has been helping to comprehensively address environmental problems, taking into account social, economic, ecological and technological variables. The main goal is to provide solutions contributing to sustainable development, help to preserve natural resources, and to improve the welfare of current and future society.

What is the circular economy?

The circular economy is the alternative that aims to redefine growth, focusing on positive society-wide benefits. It points out the finite nature of resources and the need to design more efficient ways for the disposal of waste.
Underpinned by a transition to renewable energy sources, it is based on three principles:

  • Design out waste and pollution
  • Keep products and materials in use
  • Regenerate natural systems

Source: Ellen Macarthur Foundation

Strategiac areas

  1. Fostering cooperation between companies of the sector.
  2. Promotion of excellence in technological capacity (R&D&i).
  3. Involvement in local and global environmental challenges.
  4. Awareness and dissemination of environmental culture.
  5. Contribution to the sustainable development of Galicia.
  6. Clean and efficient technologies.
  7. Strategic alliances.
  8. Contribution to the achievement of the SDG.
  9. Identification of opportunities for the internationalization of companies of the sector.

Goals

  1. To bring together all the actors involved in the sector of environmental technology and management in Galicia: companies, business associations, universities, groups, associations and research and innovation centers, etc.
  2. To improve the competitiveness of companies in the environmental sector in Galicia by increasing their technological capacity and the training of their staff members.
  3. To improve the positioning of companies and research entities at national and international level.
  4. To promote the increase of economic value through value propositions both national and international markets.
  5. To have stable collaborations with Galician, Spanish and international renowned institutions and entities in the fields of academia and environmental research and technological development.
  6. To become an interlocutor to talk to the Government about proposal of regulations and eco-efficient environmental solutions.
  7. To provide society with relevant information about environmental issues.
  8. To promote the implementation of R&D&i projects and activities and their effective transfer to the productive sector.
  9. To promote joint proposals to solve environmental problems, seeking opportunities in national and international markets.
  1. To support cross-sector collaboration through partnerships and intercluster projects.
  2. To publicize the capacity of Galicia to be a platform for environmental innovation, both at national and international level.
  3. To promote the internationalization of the sector through transfer and commercialization of the technology developed in Galicia.
  4. Promote entrepreneurship in the environmental sector.

Data

70
associated
entities

+2000
millions of euros
in turnover

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VIRATEC
Clúster Galego de Solucións Ambientais e Economía Circular

Address: Rúa Lope Gómez de Marzoa, s/n.
Edificio FEUGA – Campus Vida
15705 – Santiago de Compostela (A Coruña)
viratec@viratec.gal

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