News
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02/07/2020Galán: “Ibero-America has everything it needs — natural hydroelectric, wind and solar resources — to be a powerhouse for the green economy” “Improving cooperation and dialogue among governments, institutions and private enterprise in Ibero-America is more critical than ever as we move toward a sustainable, competitive energy system while fostering growth, job creation and social welfare,” said Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán this afternoon. He made these remarks during a virtual event organised by Fundación Iberoamérica Empresarial to present a report entitled: ‘An innovative, sustainable energy transition in Latin America’. Mr Galán also pointed out that “parts of the world with stable, predictable, attractive and pragmatic systems that offer adequate legal security will benefit from massive investments and job creation for hundreds of thousands of people as a result of the decarbonisation process.” During a speech entitled ‘The role of the private sector to guarantee a sustainable energy offer’, Mr Galán said that under those conditions, the company is deeply committed to spearheading this process: “As a Spanish, Ibero-American and global company, we want to streamline the road to sustainability and to create jobs and economic growth with our activity.” Iberdrola has already been driving development in Ibero-America for more than 20 years, investing more than €20bn. On the way, we have become a benchmark in the energy generation sector and now produce more electricity in this region than in Spain, supplying power to almost 40 million people in the region through the company’s 700,000-kilometre grid. According to Galán, “Ibero-America has everything it needs – natural hydroelectric, wind and solar resources – to be a powerhouse for the green economy and to meet the expected growth in demand for electricity which United Nations experts say could be up to three times higher by 2050.” He also explained that “unlike other economies, where power has traditionally been generated with fossil fuels – an industry which is now winding down – electrification of the region can focus directly on sustainable energy sources.” However, to be able to grasp these opportunities, “strong investments are required in renewable technologies, electricity grids and storage systems to bring flexibility to their integration”. Mr Galán also mentioned that “clean energy does more than take care of the environment; it also improves air quality and competitiveness as well as presenting myriad opportunities for economic and social growth.” He also underlined reduced dependence on energy from abroad, which improves trade balances and guarantees supplies while strengthening the industrial sector by stimulating high-quality job creation. Galán participated in the public and private debate with the Ibero-American Secretary General, Rebeca Grynspan. Other leading figures such as Teresa Ribera, vice-president and minister for the Ecological Transition and the Democratic Challenge of the Government of Spain, Agustín Aguerre, manager of the Infrastructure and Energy Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank and Josep Piqué, president of Fundación Iberoamericana Empresarial, also took part. READ MORE
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01/07/2020Iberdrola seals the purchase of the French renewables company Aalto Power for €100m Iberdrola has today informed the CNMV official register that it has finalised the acquisition of the French renewable energy company Aalto Power, hitherto owned by Aiolos y Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations[i], for €100m. Founded in 2005 and based in Marseilles, Aalto Power currently has 118 megawatts (MW) of onshore wind generation operational in France and a portfolio of onshore wind projects in the country totalling a further 636 MW, at various stages of development. The transaction which was finalised today and was subject to compliance with the usual conditions precedent for this type of transaction, mainly approval from the French Finance Ministry, is part of Iberdrola's commitment to boosting its presence and growth in renewable energy in France. In fact the purchase of Aalto Power will not only provide Iberdrola with its first operational megawatts on French soil, but will also boost its plans in the area of renewable generation, thanks to the company's projects and its team of professionals with experience in the development of this type of infrastructure. In France, Iberdrola is already progressing the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm , of which it took over 100% of the capital in March, and which will involve an investment of approximately €2.5bn. The 496 MW of power from this complex, which will begin construction in 2021 and come onstream in 2023, will supply enough clean energy to meet the electricity needs of some 835,000 people. Located about 16 kilometres off the coast of Brittany, the Saint-Brieuc farm will use 62 Siemens Gamesa turbines, of 8 MW each, spread over an area of around 75 square kilometres. The turbines will be 207m high in total. Iberdrola, to continue growing in France The acquisition of Aalto Power is also intended to boost Iberdrola's ambitious growth plans in the French commercial electricity market, where it hopes to notch up a million customers by 2023. Detail of operational assets and locations (public information) Farm MW Implementation Florembeau 10.0 Jul-2007 Fond d’Être 8.0 Oct-2007 Energie du Champs des Sœurettes 16.1 Sep-2009 SEEO 12.0 Jul-2010 Pièce du Roi 8.0 May-2011 Croix Didier 8.0 Mar-2011 Neufs-Champs 8.0 May-2011 Chambonchard 12.0 Jan-2012 Pays de Boussac 17.0 Apr-2012 Herbitzheim 10.0 Nov-2017 Plémy 9.3 May-2019 Fifth Iberdrola corporate operation in just six months With this transaction, the company headed up by Ignacio Galán, which is to make record investments of €10bn this year spread over a number of projects, continues to strengthen its leadership in the international energy sector where it has been responsible for five corporate operations in just six months, conditioned moreover by the Covid-19 pandemic, in Australia, Sweden, France itself and the UK. * On one front, on 22 June Iberdrola agreed with the Swedish company Svea Vind Offshore AB (SVO) a majority purchase option for the future development of Sweden's largest portfolio of offshore wind energy projects. It is expected that all these projects, totalling 9 gigawatts (GW) capacity and at various stages of planning, could start coming on stream from 2029. Basically, they are grouped around two geographical areas considered to be of national interest for the development of wind power: Gavle (six farms totalling 5.1 GW of power) and Oxelosund (two offshore farms with a combined power of 3.9 GW). The objective of the framework agreement is to sign specific contracts for each project, thanks to which Iberdrola will have a majority holding in each of the offshore installations that SVO has developed since 2013, whence it has succeeded in building up one of continental Europe's most important offshore portfolios, and the largest one in the Baltic Sea. * On another front, on 17 June it announced the launch of a friendly takeover bid to acquire 100% of the Australian renewable energy firm Infigen Energy, which has the support of the Board and the company's principle shareholder (TCI Fund Management, with 33% of the shares), for around €510m, an offer that has now been improved to €533m. Thanks to the purchase of this company, which has more than 670 operational wind MW - seven farms - and a 1 GW portfolio of wind and solar projects at various stages of development, Iberdrola will become the market leader in the South Australia region with an installed capacity of almost 1 GW. The acquisition of Infigen Energy will allow Iberdrola to consolidate its entry into the new and significant Australian market which it considers to be a priority and where it announced its arrival just this year. The company is already in the throes of developing the Port Augusta hybrid renewable project in the South Australia region which will have 320 MW capacity: a wind farm of 210 MW and a 110 MW photovoltaic plant. * In a similar vein, on 12 May it announced the purchase of two onshore wind projects in Scotland totalling 165 MW of capacity, the development of which will involve an investment of some €190m. Thanks to this transaction, Iberdrola's subsidiary in the UK, ScottishPower, will be in a position to develop its third biggest wind complex in the country with 220 MW of capacity, given that it will add the 55 MW from the neighbouring farm that it was already developing and which it is now reactivating to the newly acquired 165 MW. This complex, the development of which will require an overall investment of some €250m, will be capable of supplying green energy to almost 135,000 homes. * In addition, on 6 May it advised the CNMV of the acquisition of the French firm Aalto Power for somewhere in excess of €100m, an operation that was finalised today. * Finally, on 9 March Iberdrola took over 100% of the capital of the French Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm. [i] Aiolos holds 50.1% of Aalto Power, and Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, 49.9% READ MORE
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01/07/2020Thirteen famous figures from Spanish sport will decide the winners of the Iberdrola SuperA Awards The Technical Committee of the Iberdrola SuperA Awards has already selected its Honorary Panel of Judges, which will be made up of thirteen famous figures from Spanish sport. Eight women and five men will decide the winning projects in each of the six categories at the very first of these awards: Iberdrola SuperA+, Iberdrola SuperA Base, Iberdrola SuperA Competition, Iberdrola SuperA Inclusion, Iberdrola SuperA Social and Iberdrola SuperA Dissemination. The following individuals will form part of this Honorary Panel of Judges: * Amanda Sampedro is one of the most recognised female football players in Spain. Three-time winner of the Iberdrola League, winner of the Queen's Cup and one of the country’s leading players. Captain of the Spanish national team and Atlético de Madrid. She has played in two European Championships and two World Cups with the Spanish national team. She has a plaque on the Atlético de Madrid Walk of Legends. * Carolina Marín, the first Spanish badminton player ranked number 1 in history. Gold medallist at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games. Three times World champion (2014, 2015 and 2018) and four times European champion (2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018). She has won several top-tier international opens. * Conchita Martínez was ranked as high as number two in the world. She was the first Spanish female player to win Wimbledon in 1994 and the only player to win a medal at three different Olympic Games: silver and bronze at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, and silver at the Athens 2004 Games. Finalist in two other Grand Slam events, the 1998 Australian Open and the 2000 French Open. * Javier Fernández, the best skater in Spanish history. Bronze medal at the 2018 Olympics in Pyeonchang, world champion in 2015 and 2016 and seven times champion of Europe (from 2013 to 2019). He took part in the Vancouver 2010 and Sochi 2014 Olympic Games. * Jesús Carballo, President of the Royal Spanish Gymnastics Federation. First Spaniard to win a medal at an Artistic Gymnastics World Cup. Double world champion in 1996 and 1999 and European champion in 1998 in the high bar. Competed at the Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004 Olympic Games. * Manu Carreño, specialist sports journalist. Since 1994 he has worked at Antena 3, Onda Cero and Canal+. He has been presenting the Deportes Cuatro news programme since 2006, he is the main commentator on football matches broadcast by Mediaset and he has been directing the radio programme El Larguero on Cadena SER since 2016. * Marta Arce has dominated Spanish Paralympic judo in her category for 14 years in a row. Silver medals at the Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and bronze at London 2012. * Paloma del Río, a pioneer in Spanish sports journalism, she is the voice of TVE's broadcasts on rhythmic gymnastics, artistic gymnastics, figure skating and equestrianism competitions. She is currently the coordinator of Sponsorships and Federations. She has covered various European and World Championships, as well as eight Summer and six Winter Olympics. In 2015 she was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Order of Sports Merit and in 2019 the Ondas Best Presenter Award. * Sandra Sánchez, number 1 in the WKF world ranking and 2018 world champion. First in the WKF karate 1 premier league ranking and five-time European champion in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. Gold medal at the Baku 2015 and Minsk 2019 European Games. World Beach Games Doha 2019. Bronze medal at the 23rd senior world championship 2016. National Sports Award 2017. Qualified for the 2021 Olympic Games. * Silvia Navarro, leading Spanish handball player. Silver medallist at the 2019 World Championships. Captain of the Spanish team. Bronze medal at the London 2012 Olympic Games, bronze medal at the World Championship in Brazil 2011, runner-up at the European Handball Championship in Hungary and in Croatia 2014. * Talant Dujshebaev, considered one of the best handball players of all time. Gold at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, world champion in 1993, bronze at the 1996 Atlanta and 2000 Sydney Olympics. Silver at the 1996 and 1998 European Championships and bronze in 2000. * Teresa Perales, the world’s second leading female athlete with the most medals at the Paralympic Games, with a total of 26 medals at the Summer Paralympic Games between 2000 and 2016. She won 22 medals in the World Adapted Swimming Championships from 1998 to 2019. Awarded the Olympic Order at the annual gala dinner of the Spanish Olympic Committee in 2019 and the Merit Medal in 2017. In 2012, she received the Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Sports Merit. * Vicente del Bosque, the only coach to have won World and European honours with clubs and national teams. As a Real Madrid footballer he won five Leagues and four King’s Cups; as coach of Real Madrid, an Intercontinental Cup, two Champions Leagues and two Leagues, and as National Coach, a World Cup and a European Championship. Each member of this Honorary Panel of Judges will select one nomination per category, so the nomination that receives the most votes in each section will be the winner. Finally, each of the selected projects will receive a financial grant of €50,000, with the aim of continuing to promote the best initiatives launched in Spain to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women through sport. The winning initiatives will be announced at the Iberdrola SuperA Awards, scheduled for the last quarter of the year. These awards will once again highlight Iberdrola's firm commitment to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 of the United Nations Agenda for 2030, regarding gender equality. Iberdrola, pioneer in promoting women's sport Promoting women's sport has become a key tool for Iberdrola and the promotion of real equality between men and women has become one of its essential values. In line with its commitment to SDG 5, in 2016, Iberdrola became the first company to make a firm and global commitment to women's equality and empowerment through sport. Iberdrola currently supports 16 federations: gymnastics, triathlon, rugby, canoeing, badminton, football, handball, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, athletics, karate, boxing, surfing, ice sports and fencing. Iberdrola also lends its name to 22 national top-tier sports leagues, and over 35 competitions. In parallel, by contributing resources, facilities, medical services and officials, as well as promoting and sponsoring various initiatives in this area the Iberdrola Group has not only helped to increase the number of federated members by 32% in the disciplines mentioned to over 316,000, but it is also allowing elite Spanish athletes who have had to move to other countries to now return to compete in Spain, helping to increase the level and visibility of national competitions. READ MORE
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29/06/2020Iberdrola and Asivalco install two rapid charging points for electric vehicles Iberdrola and Asivalco have installed two rapid charging points (50 kW) for electric vehicles in plaza Gerardo Salvador, alongside the business association’s headquarters in Fuente del Jarro. Available 24 hours a day, the infrastructure can charge up to four vehicles simultaneously. The project is part of an agreement between the company and the association to combat climate change and promote sustainability together. Under this arrangement, Asivalco provided the land to install the charging stations, while Iberdrola contributed the equipment and installation, which it will manage for ten years. Paterna mayor Juan Antonio Sagredo visited the installation this morning accompanied by the chairman of Asivalco, Santiago Salvador, and Iberdrola’s representative in the Valencia region, Joaquín Longares. Juan Antonio Sagredo said that the town council “never stops working to improve services in its business areas to boost competitiveness”. The mayor added that Paterna council is hard at work mitigating the consequences of the climate emergency, adding that the availability of more charging points is essential to encouraging the administration and citizens to opt for sustainable means of transport”. While, Joaquin Longares, Iberdrola's representative in the Valencia region, talked of the “100% renewable energy supplied by these charging points”, pointing out that they are located “in one of Spain's busiest industrial areas within easy reach of some of the main road networks”. Finally, Asivalco’s chairman, Santiago Salvador said that the association "will continue making efforts to offer new and better services to our companies, and that this charging point is excellent news because this is the future of driving". Sagredo, Longares and Salvador praised the teamwork between the local council and the other organisations to make the inauguration of this infrastructure possible. Users of these double charging stations can charge their electric vehicles with 100% green energy from clean sources with certificates guaranteeing its renewable origin (GoO). Drivers can do everything using Iberdrola’s Public Charging app, which allows users to geolocate, book and pay for charging using their mobile phones. Self-consumption slashes bills and prevents CO2 emissions The collaboration between Iberdrola and Asivalco is an improvement in another aspect of sustainability, self-consumption of energy generated by the sun. Iberdrola has installed 36 photovoltaic solar panels on the roof of the association's headquarters, a total of 9.9 kW, for self-consumption purposes. Asivalco is therefore producing and consuming renewable energy, reducing its electricity by almost half and avoiding emissions of around 5,000 kg of CO2 every year. Iberdrola was responsible for the turnkey Smart Solar project, which included customised analysis and design, all administrative formalities, assembly and maintenance of the installations. Like all the company's smart solutions, the app gives permanent real-time information about the energy produced and the installation can be managed independently. Iberdrola puts its foot down for electric mobility Iberdrola continues to push its support for transport electrification as part of its strategy towards a decarbonised economy, as a key lever in the reduction of emissions and city pollution, as well as for a green recovery in the post-Covid world. In March the company decided to step up its sustainable mobility plan , by earmarking further investment - a total of €150m - to intensify the implementation of electric vehicle charging points. Its sustainable mobility plan entails installing around 150,000 electric vehicle charging points in homes, at business premises and on city streets as well as on the main motorways and highways over the next five years. READ MORE
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25/06/2020Iberdrola puts two rapid charging points for electric vehicles into operation in Tarancón Iberdrola today commissioned two rapid charging points for electric vehicles for the public network of Tarancón Council, in Cuenca. The 50 kilowatt (kW) infrastructure allows simultaneous charging of up to four cars in an estimated time of approximately 30 minutes. The councillor for sustainable development for Castilla-La Mancha, José Luis Escudero, and the general manager of energy transition for the Castilla-La Mancha parliament, Manuel Guirao, accompanied by Iberdrola's institutional delegate in Castilla-La Mancha, Venancio Rubio visited the rapid charging stations located in Avenida Adolfo Suárez this morning. This initiative marks a further step forward in Iberdrola's plan to roll out sustainable mobility infrastructure in Spain, and in particular in this autonomous region where the company now has rapid charging points on the public highway in all the provinces. Tarancón, specifically, becomes the third municipality in the province of Cuenca to benefit from the company's electric chargers, making a total of almost thirty installed by Iberdrola in Castilla-La Mancha. The users of these stations will be charging the batteries of their electric cars with 100% green energy from clean generation sources with certificates guaranteeing its renewable origin (GoO). Iberdrola puts its foot down for electric mobility Iberdrola continues to push its stance for transport electrification as part of its strategy towards a decarbonised economy, as a key lever in the reduction of emissions and of city pollution, as well as for green recovery in the post-Covid world. In March the company decided to step up its sustainable mobility plan , by earmarking further investment - a total of €150m - to intensifying the implementation of electric vehicle charging points. Its sustainable mobility plan entails installing around 150,000 electric vehicle charging points in homes, at business premises and on city streets as well as on the main motorways and highways over the next five years. The Tarancón charging points already feature in Iberdrola's Public Charging App, a mobile application that checks all the operational electric charging points on Spanish public roads, both those installed by Iberdrola and by any other electric mobility operator. In the case of Iberdrola's charging points, these can be geolocated, booked and paid for through the app. READ MORE
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25/06/2020Ignacio Galán, was the only Spaniard at the virtual meetings of the ERT in which Frans Timmermans and Paolo Gentiloni took part Ignacio Galán, chairman of Iberdrola, was the only Spaniard at two virtual meetings of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), a forum whose members include CEOs and chairs from around 55 of Europe’s largest companies. . During the morning meetings, which were attended by Executive Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans and European Commissioner for Economy Paolo Gentiloni, respectively, attendees discussed the importance role to be played by European business community when rebuilding the European economy after the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, underlining the need for everyone to work for a green recovery. The European Round Table for Industry (ERT ) was founded in 1983. Today, ERT members include the CEOs and chairs from around 55 of Europe’s largest companies from major European multinationals, covering a wide range of industrial and technological sectors. There are four leading Spanish companies among the major firms with representatives at the ERT. These are Telefónica, Inditex, Ferrovial and Iberdrola, whose chairman, Ignacio Galán, is also an ERT member. There are ERT member companies all over Europe, including the United Kingdom. They provide 6.8 million jobs on the European continent, with over 2 billion euros of combined revenues. Together they invest over 50 billion euros per year in R&D&i, mainly in Europe. READ MORE
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24/06/2020Iberdrola, the Mondragon Group, Álava Regional Council and the EVE join forces to build the largest photovoltaic plant in the Basque Country Iberdrola, the Mondragon Group, the Provincial Council of Alava and the Basque Government's energy agency (EVE) have created a major Basque public-private partnership with the aim of building what will be the largest photovoltaic plant in the Basque Country: EKIENEA. The Basque electricity company has a 75 % stake; the EVE, backed by the Provincial Council, has 20%; and the cooperative group, through Krean, has 5 %. The project, located on the Lacorzana estate in the municipality of Armiñón (Álava), was presented this morning to the president of the Basque Country, Iñigo Urkullu, by the chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, the President of the Mondragon Corporation, Iñigo Ucín, the General Councillor of Álava, Ramiro González, and the Director General of the Basque Energy Agency, Iñigo Ansola. During the meeting, also attended by the Regional Minister for Economic Development and Infrastructures, Arantxa Tapia, the promoters of EKIENEA shared the details and dimensions of this new development. With 100 megawatts (MW) of installed power and an investment of close to €70 million, this large renewable facility will generate clean energy to satisfy the annual consumption of more than 160,000 people — half the population of Alava — and will almost triple the current 60 MW solar generation capacity of the Basque Country. Its production will also avoid 25,000 tonnes of CO2 being released into the atmosphere each year. Adjacent to the Lacorzana property is the Ekian solar plant, which was opened last January and has an installed capacity of 24 MW. The estimated production of the project presented today will be 3.5 times higher than that of this neighbouring facility. EKIENEA will generate hundreds of jobs during its construction and in its operation and maintenance, proving that the transition to a low-carbon economy is also a source of prosperity and sustainable growth. EKIENEA will extend over 200 hectares, half of which will be occupied by the photovoltaic plant and the other half destined for environmental compensation and the preservation of forest areas. It is expected that the project will start in 2022 due to preliminary environmental observation processes and administrative procedures, and that it will be up and running after one year of construction, in 2023. This new renewable energy installation will also become a great opportunity to showcase the technological solutions of the Basque companies that will be the driving force behind the project. READ MORE
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24/06/2020Iberdrola is offering extended work-life balance measures to streamline the reopening on 1 July Iberdrola is working towards a return to normality as of 1 July, with all staff in Spain coming back to work. However, it is not expecting 100 % of the workforce to be in the office until September/October, because many will take holidays in the summer months (30 % in July and September and up to 50 % in August). The return - in line with the characteristics of its operations and the green recovery measures driven by the company (record investments, orders with suppliers, continuity of renewable plans and networks) - includes gradually opening up common spaces and services in offices, as well as closing the 'mirror' centres set up during the crisis as part of a plan consisting of more than 100 measures to keep essential services running smoothly. This decision to resume normality comes after having conducted COVID-19 tests on the company’s entire staff in Spain: a total of 8,779 employees, in record time, just a month and a half. During negotiations with the unions, the company agreed to additional flexibility measures for July, August and September, enabling workers to benefit from flexible work hours, availability of time to make arrangements and care for children and seniors (paid leave of absence and extended unpaid leave), etc. Since 11 May, Iberdrola has been developing a staggered back-to-the-office plan, continuing with rotational working from home for more than 70 % of the workforce, as well as other measures: ensuring physical distancing; providing masks and other protective elements for employees; temporary closure of common areas (dining rooms, cafeterias, etc.), installation of screens at customer service desks and more. READ MORE
