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02/06/2020Energía Positiva+ (Positive Energy+) will invest 4 million euros in innovative projects as a contribution to post-coronavirus economic and social recovery The Energía Positiva+ platform foresees an initial investment of 4.19 million euros for the 12 startups finally selected following the announcement of the initiative on the 7th of April. The initiative received 396 proposals in only 13 days, making it an unprecedented success by the time it closed on the 19th of April, with some of the finalists being announced during the Energía Positiva+ Demo Day virtual event. This platform, the first of its kind in Spain, is financed and promoted by Enagás, Red Eléctrica, CLH, Iberdrola, bp, EIT InnoEnergy, Acciona, Capital Energy and DISA. Institutions such as Startup Olé, ASCRI, El Referente, Socios Inversores, Byld, Everis, Dentons, PKF Attest innCome and Pons IP are also collaborating with the initiative. The projects, entered by Spanish startups and scale-ups with varying degrees of maturity, offer innovative solutions for the new decarbonised energy model, as well as proposals for mitigating the economic and social impact of COVID-19. In addition to funding, the startups will receive backing for the development of their pilot projects as well as technological co-development or venture client support. Apart from investing in the pilot projects, in some cases a number of promoters will be working on these jointly within the start-up itself. The startups/scaleups that will be concentrating their efforts on mitigating the social impact of COVID-19, decarbonisation, renewable energies, energy efficiency, storage, sustainable mobility and circular economy are: Solatom CSP S.L., Hybrid Energy Storage Solutions S.L. (HESStec), Pastoria Project, S.L., Nautilus Floating Solutions, S.L, PFT Engineering Development, Light App SL, Cedrion Consultoría Técnica e Ingeniería S.L., Ariema Energía, Cedanjobs (with their Purefy product), Voltaware Services Limited, BeePlanet Factory S.L. and Batterycare SL. The companies offering to back the projects have completed their analyses in double quick time and will be signing a collaboration agreement, subject to the corresponding administrative processes, with each of the startups/scale-ups over the next few weeks so that they can develop and implement their solutions within the one-year deadline. Furthermore, and given the quality of the proposals received, the promoters will continue to analyse several of the projects not selected with a view to possible support in the future. For full information about Energia Positiva+, click here . READ MORE
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02/06/2020Galán announces that Iberdrola will invest between 3 and 4 billion euros in France in the next four years to continue its growth in the renewables sector “France is a strategic country for us", said Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán, during his virtual participation in the Choose France meeting, organised by the French government to discuss with a dozen leading world business representatives the need to promote the green recovery. As part of this commitment to its neighbouring country, Galán announced that "Iberdrola plans to invest between 3 and 4 billion euros in the next four years to continue to grow in the renewable energy sector" both in onshore and offshore wind, as well as in solar. “We are already investing 2.4 billion euros in developing the Saint-Brieuci offshore wind farm" and "we have onshore wind projects already operational and others under development”. In its commitment to France and renewable energies, the Iberdrola chairman also stated that “the company is very interested in participating in any new tenders held in the future to develop offshore wind farms in the country”. The group's growth plan in France will have a significant knock-on effect for local industry. Iberdrola makes annual purchases from Gallic companies valued at around 1 billion euros and the Saint-Brieuc project alone will lead to the creation of more than 1,000 new jobs in its area of influence. As Iberdrola's chairman argued at this afternoon's meeting, which was headed by the French prime minister, Edouard Philippe, and at which other Gallic ministersii also spoke, “the energy transition must be an engine of growth and employment for France and for the world”. Positive French energy planning Galán welcomed French energy planning: the multi-year energy programme (PPE) will "lead to a very significant reduction in emissions and pollution; create jobs; allow progress in energy independence; generate a new industry for the future capable of innovating and exporting; and achieve much more competitive energy prices”. However, in order to boost this process of decarbonising the economy through electrification, “clear and attractive regulation is needed, as well as speeding up administrative authorisations granting permits”, concluded the Iberdrola chairman. Ignacio Galán was the only representative from the Spanish business sector and the global energy sector at Choose France, an event at which the following also participated, Eriksson CEO, Börje Ekholm; Carlos Brito, CEO of Ab Inbev; Daimler Group president Ola Källenius; the CEO of Solvay, Ilham Kadri, and others. The meeting was also attended by JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon; Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan; and Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon. i On 9 March this year, Iberdrola acquired 100% of Ailes Marines, the company behind the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, in which it previously already had a 70% interest. ii Bruno Le Maire, Minister for Economic Affairs and Finance; Jean Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs; and Agnès Pannier-Runacher, Secretary of State for Economic Affairs and Finance. READ MORE
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01/06/2020Iberdrola commissions Ibermática to provide technical support for its information technology infrastructure Iberdrola continues to focus on local suppliers and, this week, has awarded Ibermática a new contract for IT infrastructure technical support services. The Basque company will provide these services on architectural environments, infrastructure and application technologies, related to managing the active directory, the administration and management of servers and the mainframe, the management and optimisation of storage and databases, etc. This new contract, valued at over 12 million euros, adds to the one already held by Iberdrola with the company, which is now expanding its operations since, in addition to incorporating more services in Spain and the United States, it is expanding its geographical scope to a new market, the United Kingdom. The services will be extended until December 2021 and the total amount of the contracts, following this new award, amounts to 60.5 million euros. Iberdrola is retaining Ibermática as its main supplier in other contracts for Big Data development services and digital development with Agile methodologies for projects related to customers and distribution networks. Digital transformation to respond to a new energy model Iberdrola is working to respond to the transformation process in the energy sector, based on the electrification of the economy; technological advances and digitalisation and greater consumer connectivity. By digitising its activities the company will be able to maximise the management of its renewable assets and make its operations more efficient, while increasing the deployment of smart networks and developing innovative customer-oriented solutions and customising services (smart solutions in the home, self-consumption, sustainable mobility, etc.). READ MORE
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29/05/2020Ignacio Galán: “The countries with the most attractive regulatory frameworks will receive the highest volumes of investment, which will generate hundreds of thousands of jobs” Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán has made it clear this afternoon that, in the new global scenario that opens up after the pandemic, the competition to raise resources will be very intense and that we must be prepared to face it. “Every country is realizing that the decarbonisation of the economy is not only an opportunity to improve people's health but also to increase competitiveness and reduce energy dependence”, he stated during his virtual participation in the ministerial round table on resource mobilisation to ensure electricity systems are safe and sustainable, organised by the International Energy Agency (IEA). For this reason, Galan continued, "there will be growing competition to attract the necessary technological and financial resources" in order to complete this decarbonisation. Therefore, "those countries that have the most stable, predictable and attractive regulatory frameworks will be those that receive large volumes of investment, which will generate hundreds of thousands of jobs”. As the chairman of Iberdrola explained at the IEA round table, in which government representatives and energy ministers participated from countries including the USA, the UK, Brazil, China and Japan[1], as well as senior officials from leading companies in the global energy industry, “if we want our societies to benefit from the decarbonisation of the economy, we must invest heavily in electrification”. While highlighting the key role played by the electricity sector during the pandemic, the Iberdrola chairman said the time has come to focus on recovery and to transform a crisis situation into an opportunity: ”An opportunity to promote a new, more sustainable and competitive energy model and to create quality jobs throughout its value chain", Galan said. Iberdrola believes that the electricity sector is in the best position to lead this process, without imposing a burden on public finances, given that it has the relevant technology and knowledge. The group has already announced that it is ready to accelerate its investments, which will mean more growth, more jobs and greater value creation for all its stakeholders: shareholders, suppliers, employees and society at large. The company plans to invest a record 10 billion euros this year –double the average for the last five years-, in renewable energy, smart grids and efficient storage, as well as to hire 5,000 professionals and to support through its projects the 400,000 jobs that depend on its roughly 20,000 suppliers worldwide. [1] Kwasi Kwarteng, British Energy Minister; Bento Costa Lima Leite de Alburquerque junior, Brazilian Minister Of Mines And Energy; Hiroshi Kajiyama, Japanese Minister Of Economy, Trade And Industry; Lu Baohua, Deputy Minister at the Chinese National Energy Administration Mark Menezes, U.S. Undersecretary of Energy READ MORE
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27/05/2020Iberdrola and Mazda have signed a collaboration agreement to encourage electric mobility with the launch of the Mazda MX-30 Mazda Automóviles España has entered into an agreement with Iberdrola to supply charging points for electric vehicles and associated services. The agreement has been signed prior to the launch of the Mazda MX-30 and benefits owners of the new vehicle and official dealerships. It is also a step forward in Iberdrola’s strategy to find partners to help encourage sustainable mobility . The agreement between the two companies will allow Mazda, as part of the launch of its MX-30, to offer a recharge point completely free of charge to customers who purchase the new 100% electric model from the Hiroshima-based manufacturer. The 7.4kW Wallbox Pulsar Plus will be supplied by Iberdrola, which will also offer its energy and digital solutions. Iberdrola’s Electric Vehicle Plan charges vehicles at a cost of €0.5/100km with 100 % renewable energy, both at home and away, using the infrastructure available on public roads, which the company is installing on the main national motorways and corridors. Electric vehicle drivers using Iberdrola charging points can charge their electric vehicles with 100 % green energy from clean generation sources with renewable Guarantee of Origin (GoO) certificates. Official Mazda dealerships will also benefit from the agreement, enjoying preferential conditions for charging point installation by Iberdrola on their sites and offering their electric vehicle customers a stand-out service. Last week, Mazda announced that it has started production of new Mazda MX-30 in Japan. which will be on the European market in the autumn of next year. This is the first 100% electric model from the Hiroshima-based manufacturer, created to cover growing demand for electric vehicles from Europeans who care about the environment. Iberdrola speeds up electric mobility: greater investment Electrifying transport is part of the company’s strategy to decarbonise the economy with renewable energies and smart networks. In March, it decided to boost its sustainable mobility plan by allocating further investment — a total of 150 million euros — to streamline the deployment of electric vehicle recharging points over the next five years. The new sustainable mobility plan entails installing around 150,000 electric vehicle charging points in homes, companies and urban areas, in cities as well as on the main motorways and trunk roads over the next five years. Mazda works with a range of clean technologies that suit the needs of customers and their mobility, renewing the fleet and taking heavily polluting vehicles off the road. Under the original "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom" vision announced in 2007, Mazda expects to reduce carbon dioxide emissions for which the company is directly responsible throughout the process by an average of 50% from 2010 levels by 2030, and 90% by 2050. READ MORE
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27/05/2020Iberdrola's reaction to the 'EU Recovery Package' presented today in the European Parliament On the occasion of the presentation of the European Commission Economic Recovery Package to the European Parliament, the chairman of Iberdrola group, Ignacio Galán, has stated: "Iberdrola supports the strategy for a rapid and sustainable recovery based on the European Green Deal. This important green pact will deliver growth, employment and prosperity. We will see real economic benefits, and the creation of value for society as a whole. The resources, technology and knowledge to move towards a green recovery are already in place. A clear and predictable framework is key to starting quickly." Recent times have shown us that the strategy of digitalisation and decarbonisation that were in place before the health crisis were correct, and now they are even more urgent and necessary. For Iberdrola, having faith in the European Green Deal improves the competitiveness of countries. Placing digitisation and decarbonisation at the centre of the strategy, areas in which a technological revolution is taking place, will undoubtedly make it possible to improve the overall competitiveness of the economy and to generate lasting, quality jobs. The future of the European economy and society will depend on how we implement this recovery. The group urges to speed up the deadlines for investment to flow as quickly as possible, adapting it to the competitive advantages of each country in order to maximise the potential of all, thus benefitting the economy and employment. The Commission has shown its determination to allocate the available resources to forward looking sectors: more clean energy, more efficiency, more electric mobility. In short, a more electrified and digital economy, which will allow us to grow without compromising future generations. Iberdrola is prepared to participate in this process and invest in delivering the plan. READ MORE
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26/05/2020Green recovery for the new prosperity In an article in the La Vanguardia daily newspaper for Tuesday 26 May, the chairman of Iberdrola group, Ignacio Galán, declares his conviction that “the return to activity is an essential prescription for mitigating the consequences of the coronavirus on the economy and on jobs”. To achieve this, he adds, it is necessary to “overcome dichotomies that come between businesses and people”. In a post-coronavirus context in which all our neighbouring countries will adopt similar measures, Galán advocates creating “an attractive legislative and regulatory framework” to draw investment into our country. Galán acknowledges the draft Climate Change bill approved by the Spanish government, which paves the way towards climate neutrality by 2050, as well as the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) sent to Brussels, which — thanks to investments of €240bn — forecasts the creation of 350,000 net jobs in the run up to 2030. But he wants it brought forward. Let's be courageous and speed up its implementation to create mass, forward-looking employment from today The chairman extols the “balanced combination of the interests of shareholders, employees and the general public” that operates in Iberdrola. He also recalls the group investments, which this year will reach €10bn for the first time, as well as the hiring by 2020 of 5,000 new professionals, and the advance orders placed with suppliers to support the 400,000 jobs that the group's activity sustains. For Galán, “the new normal also has to be the time for a new economic model that is more sustainable, fairer and more inclusive, so that no-one is left behind”. “The green recovery”, he adds, “is a great opportunity not just to lead a time of changes, but to bring about a real change of era”. READ MORE
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26/05/2020Iberdrola assigns a new contract to Ingeteam and moves forward with its plan to invest in renewables across Spain Iberdrola is making progress in its plan to invest in renewables in Spain, working hand in hand with local suppliers. This morning, Iberdrola announced that it has allocated another contract worth €18.6 million to Ingeteam. The Basque company will provide the investors for the Francisco Pizarro plant that Iberdrola is set to develop in Extremadura. With the Núnez de Balboa plant already up and running, this new facility will become the largest photovoltaic project in Europe, producing 590 MW of power thanks to an investment of over €300 million. This new contract adds to a string of others signed with Ingeteam over the past few months. Its task is to provide the investor solution needed to construct a total of 800 MW in Spain and Mexico, including six projects that Iberdrola will be building in Andalusia and Aragón and developing in Extremadura. This means providing the components required to turn the direct current obtained from solar panels into alternate current and subsequently raise it from low to medium voltage for consumption. Iberdrola has been operating wind farms in the Basque Country for years now, as well as taking part in the Ekian photovoltaic project and engaging in a joint venture with the EVE (Basque Energy Organisation) to foster the region’s renewables with investments and projects. The company is confident that electrification will drive change in the post-COVID scenario, and is willing to speed up its investments backed by a stable legal framework to help boost economic activity, local industry and employment. Iberdrola plans to make investments worth €10 billion worldwide this year. This volume of resources will harness projects, industrial activity throughout the value chain and innovation in areas such as renewable energy, smart grids and large-scale storage systems. READ MORE
