Satellite technology for the monitoring and protection of Green Engine forests
The Green Engine project, promoted by the Repsol Foundation and its investee company the Sylvestris Group, is the largest reforestation program for CO₂ emissions offsetting in Spain, which in addition to its environmental benefits, is also characterized by its social impact and the promotion of rural economies through its aim to generate local and inclusive employment and to contribute to the economic development of the areas where it is carried out.
Hispasat is the technological partner of this innovative reforestation project, which now strengthens its collaboration by taking a stake in the Sylvestris Group (10.85%).
Hispasat's contribution in the Green Engine project is deployed in three lines of action, which make it a benchmark in the application of innovation and technology to forest engineering for the absorption of CO₂.
One of the keys is the development of the latest satellite technologies to monitor forest growth and report the amount of carbon absorbed by trees over the course of various years (MRV technology – Measurement, Reporting, and Verification), adding increased rigor to the certification of emissions offsets. In this project, the latest satellite information technologies are used to produce high-resolution images. Other technologies to be applied include the internet of things (IoT) with the installation of high-precision sensors on the ground, as well as big data and artificial intelligence for the processing and analytics of the data obtained.
On the other hand, satellite technology is used for integral forest protection, which acts in the prevention, detection, and extinction of fires, through the installation of cameras and sensors that monitor various gases, as well as temperature and humidity conditions and report alterations through a platform designed for this project.
Finally, all this satellite infrastructure deployed allows to bring broadband connectivity to rural areas, where the planting takes place, generating an important benefit for the inhabitants of these municipalities.
Digitalization is a decisive factor in the Green Engine project as it is indispensable for carrying out sustainable large-scale reforestation projects. Moreover, this technology will be fundamental to promote and make the growing voluntary carbon market more rigorous, which will allow the large-scale development of reforestation projects with important benefits for the environment and society.
The Green Engine project is an investment in the future that vitalizes not just business and job creation, but also innovation and investigation applied to the forest industry — all thanks to this important alliance with Hispasat. Beginning at project conception, technology always plays a central role. It is present in the design and development of a forest, the selection of terrain, the materials used, planting techniques, and finally in monitoring and maintenance. This differential, proprietary methodology, developed by the experts at the Sylvestris Group, seeks to provide new forests with long-term resilience and ensure the protection of biodiversity.