Barcelona inaugurated the new Bogatell Power Plant in Poblenou on Tuesday 22 September, expanding by 33% the connection capacity of the city’s district heating and cooling network, according to Barcelona City Council.
The €47 million underground facility will supply cooling to major sites including Hospital del Mar, the Westfield Glòries shopping centre, the Design Museum and the Hilton Diagonal Mar Hotel. For organisations using the network in Poblenou and the 22@ technology district, the expansion is intended to provide more capacity without individual conventional air-conditioning installations.
Seawater cooling and 56MW of capacity
The plant produces cooling using seawater, the council said. It has a total cooling capacity of 56MW, comprising 42MW of production capacity and 14MW of stored cooling capacity.
Its opening will increase the area served by the network from 1.8 million square metres to almost 2.5 million square metres. The additional coverage will include buildings around the Fòrum, as well as business, education and technology facilities in 22@.
Lower fossil-fuel use
Barcelona City Council said the district network, known as Districlima, can provide heating, cooling and domestic hot water using renewable or recovered energy resources. It estimates that the system uses about 90% less fossil-fuel energy than conventional air-conditioning systems.
According to the council, Districlima avoided around 36,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions during 2025.
- Investment: €47 million
- Total cooling capacity: 56MW
- Network coverage: nearly 2.5 million square metres after the expansion
- Areas served: Poblenou, 22@ and buildings around the Fòrum
Businesses, schools and other facilities in the expanded service area can check connection options through Districlima, Barcelona’s district heating and cooling network operator.
Reported by metropoliabierta.elespanol.com, Metrópoli Abierta - Urban Life.
