At Cox, we continue to bet on innovation and collaboration to face the great challenges of the future. Today, we take a decisive step with the creation of the Cox-UA Institutional Chair on Water and Energy, in partnership with the University of Alicante. This strategic initiative aims to promote research, reflection, and knowledge transfer in two essential areas for sustainable development: water and energy management.
During the founding event, held on the UA campus, Enrique Riquelme, Executive President of Cox, highlighted: “This chair will allow us to advance projects that directly impact water and energy security, two critical issues for the future of the province and the country.”
The province of Alicante thus becomes a true innovation laboratory, where factors such as structural water scarcity, the potential for renewable energy development, and the presence of cutting-edge technologies converge. The chair will address key topics such as seawater desalination, reuse of reclaimed water, efficiency in water resource use, and the incorporation of advanced technologies and artificial intelligence to optimize processes.
The chair will be directed by Professor Andrés Molina, Professor of Administrative Law and Director of the Institute of Water and Environmental Sciences (IUACA), an international reference center in water research. Thanks to this collaboration, we will unite Cox’s technological and industrial experience with the multidisciplinary academic knowledge of the UA, creating a space to develop innovative solutions that respond to the challenges of water scarcity and energy transition.
Among its first actions, the chair will prepare annual technical reports on the relationship between water and energy, exploring how to maximize sustainability in processes that today require high energy consumption. Renewable energies—solar, photovoltaic, biogas—will play a fundamental role in achieving integrated water cycle management with zero emissions, both in urban and agricultural or industrial environments. In addition, the vision of water as an energy source will be promoted, transforming treatment plants into biofactories capable of generating products and renewable energy, contributing to energy neutrality.
With this initiative, Cox reaffirms its role as a leader in sector transformation and its commitment to sustainable development. The alliance with the University of Alicante not only strengthens our ties with a prestigious academic institution but also positions us as key players in the search for solutions to the global challenges of water and energy.
