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17/09/2021Iberdrola chairman Ignacio Galán addressed the young scientists present, telling them: your talent will play a fundamental role in achieving Europe's climate goals This morning in the city of Salamanca the Chairman of the Governing Board of Salamanca University and the Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, reaffirmed their permanent commitment to knowledge, education, entrepreneurship and young people during the opening ceremony of the 32nd European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS), which this year is being held in Salamanca thanks to the backing of Iberdrola. This is a European Commission initiative aimed at promoting interest in science at which almost 200 students of 34 nationalities will present their R&D&i pojects that will run until Sunday at Salamanca University. Accompanied by the President of the Regional Government of Castilla-León, Alfonso Fernández Mañueco; the Rector of Salamanca University, Ricardo Rivero; the city's Mayor, Carlos García Carbayo, and European Commission Policy Officer Karen Slavin, the chairman of Iberdrola highlighted that the talent of the young scientists participating in this event will play a fundamental role in achieving Europe's climatic goals. Furthermore, he went on to stress that as the future leaders of research-, “you will be needed to create and implement the innovative projects that will make this a better world to live in”. During the opening ceremony, Ignacio Galán made a special point of encouraging his young audience to make the most of “this once in a lifetime experience to share knowledge, demonstrate all of your talent, create connections and, of course, make the most of the marvellous city that is Salamanca. It is a city with historical links to thought and knowledge, to meetings of minds and to fellowship, and whose university, in which we find ourselves today, is the model for many other seats of learning the world over, especially in Latin America”. The University of Salamanca has been creating, promoting and spreading knowledge and humanism for 800 years, “a noble calling that it honours today as host of this highly prestigious contest”, he added. It was in this way that the Chairman of Iberdrola also reaffirmed that the institutions responsible for designing the future of our societies are represented in the University. “And it goes without saying that education is the cornerstone of that design. In an ever changing environment such as the current one, we must work together extremely closely to identify, attract and support talent in all of the economic and social sectors. And it is here that the coming together of university and company has a special place, because together, companies and educational centres can better contribute to the transfer of knowledge, to attracting talent, to the incorporation of young people into the job market and to boosting entrepreneurship”. Galán stressed that “now, more than ever, companies and universities must work together to equip our societies with the human, technical and financial resources they need to develop in a way that is both sustainable and inclusive. In this regard, at Iberdrola we have spent many years developing our Universities Programme, which connects tens of thousands of students in different fields related with the energy transition” Furthermore, Ignacio Galán wished to showcase his company's commitment to the promotion of knowledge via the Iberdrola Campus for Innovation and Training, “through which over 13,000 people pass each year, from employees to suppliers, members of the State Law Enforcement Forces and Agencies or students of all ages, to receive professional training in health and safety, technology, engineering and management”. During his speech to the young scientists the chairman of Iberdrola highlighted that sectors such as energy are facing a massive transformation and that “we must move on from a world in which fossil fuels still represent 75% of energy consumption to zero net emissions in less than 30 years. And we know that clean electricity generated using renewable energies is the answer, but we need new technological solutions in order to achieve this goal”. “Many people say we have to do this to save our planet. However, as Frans Timmermans, European Commission Vice-President, said last week here in Salamanca when being awarded the title of doctor honoris causa- what is at risk is the future of the human species." Ignacio Galán went on to highlight the enthusiasm of this generation, which has been the driving force behind convincing the world of the urgency of combating climate change. “It has been incredible to see how, after 20 years of advocating decarbonisation to competitors, governments and regulators, the influence of the younger generations was the driving force behind the historic Paris Agreement. My thanks also go out for the efforts made by the European Union, which continues to head up this transformation with initiatives such as the European Climate Law or the Green Deal”. He ended by asking these young people to continue learning and innovating: “your role is now fundamental as regards the pushing through of sustainable development. In Iberdrola and in many other companies, we are waiting for you to finish your studies so that you can join us and become our future leaders”. This edition of the European Union Contest for Young Scientists, which is being hosted this year by Salamanca University, with the backing of Iberdrola, and is seen as the annual showcase of the highest achievements in science of young Europeans, will conclude on Sunday with the presentation of awards in which Agustín Delgado, Iberdrola's Director of Innovation and Sustainability, will participate. Iberdrola, training and the jobs of the future Iberdrola is driving the promotion of training and informational programmes aimed not only at Dual Professional Training, but also at the schools and universities of Castilla-León in order to improve the job prospects of the young people in this autonomous community. Through a number of different schemes - agreements with local institutions, the ‘Iberdrola U’ youth enterprise programme, and training activities at the Iberdrola Campus in smart solutions concerned with electric mobility, self-generation and climate control - the company is promoting employability for young people and local professionals with the aim of turning them into active contributors to the energy transition. Since 2011, the company has assigned three million euros to its grants programme, which has contributed to the development of 180 young researchers, more than twenty of whom are from Castilla-León. Furthermore, in collaboration with prestigious universities the world over, such as Salamanca and Pontificia de Comilllas in Madrid, MIT and Yale in the USA, Strathclyde University in Glasgow and the University of Monterrey in Mexico, Iberdrola is promoting the creation of professorships, the setting up of R&D projects and a variety of entrepreneurship programmes in fields such as renewable energies, sustainable development, electrical mobility, biodiversity and smart networks. READ MORE
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16/09/2021Iberdrola commissions Arañuelo III, the first photovoltaic plant in Spain with a storage battery Iberdrola has commissioned the Arañuelo III photovoltaic plant (40 MW), which is the Spain's first photovoltaic project to feature a storage system, in this case a 3 MW battery with 9 MWh of storage capacity. In this way Iberdrola is progressing with its programme of innovative projects aimed at maximising energy use and continuing to promote the efficient integration of renewable energies into the electricity grid. Arañuelo III, which in the municipality of Romangordo (Cáceres, Extremadura), is part of the Campo Arañuelo complex located in the Almaraz district, and consists of the Arañuelo I, II and III photovoltaic plants with a total capacity of 143 MW. Iberdrola has invested 80 million euros to develop this photovoltaic complex, which has helped to stimulate industry and job opportunities in the region: a total of 500 workers were involved in the construction phase and almost all the field work and civil engineering was contracted out to local companies. The Campo Arañuelo is now producing clean energy to supply the equivalent of 65,000 homes a year and will prevent the release of 41,000 t CO2 into the atmosphere every year. Arañuelo III is evidence of the company's steadfast commitment to Extremadura and its leading role in innovative renewable energies in the region, where it now operates 3,200 MW, of which almost 1,200 MW are photovoltaic. 1,700 MW of renewables under construction in Spain The commissioning of Arañuelo III comes in the wake of other renewable energy projects commissioned by the company in the last year, with an installed capacity of more than 1,500 MW. These include the Núñez de Balboa, Campo de Arañuelo I and II and Ceclavín projects in Extremadura Iberdrola is currently building 1,700 MW of renewable capacity in Spain and has a portfolio of more than 17,000 MW on the Iberian Peninsula. In Spain, Iberdrola is the leader in the renewable energies sector with an installed capacity of more than 17,000 MW, which will increase to 25,000 MW with its investment plan to 2025. Incubator of new storage technologies Arañuelo III is the first renewable energy project to be commissioned in Spain that features batteries. The company is building or has secured 200 MW of battery power, some of which has already been installed, and has a 900 MW portfolio of battery storage capacity worldwide. In Spain, Iberdrola is implementing the Puertollano project (Ciudad Real), the first and largest green hydrogen plant in Europe, powered by a 100 MW photovoltaic facility that includes a Li-ion battery system with 20 MWh of storage capacity. On the Elgea-Urkilla (32 MW) wind farm in Álava, Basque Country, the battery has an installed power of 5 MW and 5 MWh of storage capacity and will be the first installed at a wind farm in Spain. It has also planned another at the Abadiano TS in Vizcaya, with a capacity of 6 MW. In the Canary Islands, Iberdrola will install batteries at the Ifara and El Vallito wind farms in Granadilla de Abona, Tenerife, which will incorporate a 12 MW storage system. Storage systems are key to addressing the challenges of the energy transition and are set to become an essential element in the electrical system of the future. This is because they allow the quality of the electricity supply to be improved, ensuring the stability and reliability of the network and integrating and harnessing the energy generated by renewable sources. Green investments to promote economic recovery Iberdrola has been leading the energy transition for two decades, acting as a key driving force behind the transformation of the industrial fabric and the green recovery of the economy and employment. To achieve this, the company has launched a historic investment plan worth €150bn over the next decade (€75bn by 2025), to triple its renewable capacity to almost 100,000 MW, doubling its network assets and taking advantage of the opportunities offered by the energy revolution the world's leading economies are facing. In Spain, its investments will total 14.3 billion euros by 2025, 7 billion of which are earmarked for carrying out renewable energy projects. After investing 120 billion euros over the last twenty years, Iberdrola is a leader in renewable energy with 35,000 MW installed worldwide; a volume that makes its generation park one of the cleanest in the energy sector. READ MORE
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16/09/2021Connecting the Iberian Peninsula with the other countries of the European Union is the mission of the CIRVE Project Madrid, 16 September 2021. The headquarters of the EMT in Madrid, a pioneering organisation in innovative mobility, was the setting chosen for the presentation of the CIRVE project, which has been brought to a successful conclusion after installing 40 fast charge points in strategic locations on the Iberian Corridors. Connecting the Iberian Peninsula with the other countries of the European Union and raising awareness that electric mobility is real and an option for travelling around the Peninsula were the missions of the CIRVE project. At the official opening ceremony presided over by Alfonso Sánchez, general manager of Empresa Municipal de Transportes de Madrid, Sánchez stressed that recharging infrastructures are essential to electric mobility. The CIRVE project partners, recharging managers Ibil, the project leader, EDP, Endesa X, GIC and Iberdrola, as well as the Spanish Business Association for the momentum of e-mobility in the Iberian Peninsula (AEDIVE), Renault Group and the Portugal Centre for Excellence and Innovation (CEIIA), succeeded in showing that the rollout of public access recharging infrastructures is operational, interoperable and efficient. This was explained by the representatives of this innovative European project. "Developing electric mobility in Spain entails all market operators driving projects such as CIRVE. If electric vehicles are really going to become a habitual part of the transport ecosystem in our country, the situation must be made easy for vehicle users and this means meeting their needs: providing them with charge points where they need them and with the technology they need". In a context in which recharging technology is advancing at a dizzying pace, the magnitude of CIRVE is manifest not only in the rollout of 40 fast charge points but in demonstrating interoperability in an effective way. In fact, among them the CIRVE project partners have more than 2,000 quick charge points in Spain. Thanks to the CIRVE project, an important barrier to the development of electric mobility has been removed: Interoperability. CIRVE, which kicked off in 2018, was the first interoperability project in our country. The idea is that users need do no more than find the nearest charger, which they are able to use regardless of with whom they have a contract. Interoperability was the main area of work, because it is a key factor for developing electric vehicles. The challenge is even greater when the objective is that this interoperability between recharging infrastructures crosses borders. The result of the work and developments by the CIRVE partners, which have been real pioneers in the development of interoperability and the connection between Spain, France and Portugal is more sustainable and simpler mobility for all. Lisbon, Madrid, Irun The CIRVE project has been a turning point, because it has shown that travelling from Portugal to France charging at CIRVE charge points is now a real option. The CIRVE project started in late 2015 with a budget of 3.5 million euros to be invested by December 2021 (which was postponed because of the pandemic) in a network of 40 quick charge points for electric vehicles along the corridors that connect the Peninsula with other European countries.. Jointly funded by the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF), it is part of the Trans-European Transport Networks or TEN-T). Like CIRVE, EMT, the over ground mobility manager in Madrid, has pioneered the introduction of the first 100 % electric buses, and since 2007, the municipal company has been strongly committed to gradually electrifying its fleet. The TEN-T network The Trans-European Transport Networks or TEN-T is a planned set of priority transport networks designed to facilitate the movement of people and goods throughout the European Union. Through this project, Europe funds projects that it considers strategic to the future of mobility on this content, one of which is an infrastructure of corridors of quick charge points for electric cars. These corridors, like the Iberian version, have the mission of implementing a quick recharging infrastructure on Europe's main roadways, which will make it possible for electric cars to travel around and between European Union member states. READ MORE
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14/09/2021Ignacio Galán announced Iberdrola's support for the Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the run-up to Paris 2024 Iberdrola Chairman, Ignacio Galán, accompanied by the chairman of the Spanish Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco; and the president of the Spanish Paralympic Committee, Miguel Carballeda; announced the company's continued support for Spanish female Olympic and Paralympic athletes in the run-up to the Paris Games in 2024. A meeting was held today at the company's headquarters in Madrid, where the chairman of Iberdrola presented the Iberdrola Medal for Energy in Sport to more than 48 female athletes who represented Spain at the 2021 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo. This award recognises the sporting success of the athletes and the hard work, determination to succeed and professionalism they displayed at an edition of the games affected by the difficult COVID-19 situation. During the event, Ignacio Galán told the athletes that they were "a mirror in which all young people would like to see themselves reflected. Among you are women who have achieved great success, but who do not rest on their laurels and who strive to go further every day. This must be a source of pride to you, but you also know that with this admiration comes responsibility: To keep working to break down barriers and give women's sport the visibility it deserves. "Some people might think there are still years to go before the next games, but I know that as far as you are concerned the work has already started. That's why I want to announce that we will continue to support you, from today until Paris. A journey that is sure to culminate in much success, but which, whatever transpires, has been worth taking", he added. In this regard, the chairman of the utility also confirmed the company's commitment to sporting careers and the future of female athletes. In collaboration with COE, the company will launch a new edition of the training programme for athletes in finance, economics and law. Among the athletes who took part in this celebration of the Olympic spirit and equal opportunities was gold medallist Sandra Sánchez, the best karateka in history with seven consecutive European gold medals; 17-year-old Taekwon-Do champion Adriana Cerezo, who won Spain's first gold medal in Tokyo; silver-medal-winning kayak champions Teresa Portela and Maialent Chorraut, who took second place in the K1-200 and slalom at the games, respectively. Several other paralympic medallists also attended: Triathlete Susana Rodriguez and young swimmer Marta Fernández. Also there was silver medallist Eva Moral, a PTWC1 class triathlete, and Sara Martínez, in the T12 long jump. Also present were members of the hockey team, representatives from the national handball, wheelchair basketball and artistic gymnastics teams, as well as a dozen athletes, several canoeists, and sportsmen and women from ten different sports disciplines. Support for more than 300,000 female athletes Iberdrola has made real equality between men and women one of its core values. In 2016, it was the first company to make a global commitment to equality and the empowerment of women through sport. The company 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 35 other competitions. At the same time, the provision of resources, facilities, medical services and referees, as well as support and sponsorship for different initiatives in this field from Iberdrola has not only helped to increase the number of federated sportswomen in these disciplines by 39 % (reaching over 300,000), but is also allowing Spanish elite sportswomen who have built their sporting careers in other countries to start competing again in Spain, leading to an improvement in the standard and visibility of national competitions. READ MORE
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13/09/2021Iberdrola rated best European utility by the Institutional Investor Research Group Iberdrola has been ranked as the best European utility for analysts and investors by the Institutional Investor Research Group, in its most recent All-Europe Executive Team ranking. The survey conducted by Institutional Investor, a leader in its sector, gathers the opinions of investors and analysts. This time, more than 2,000 professionals voted, and Iberdrola came top of the list as the most outstanding company in its work with financial markets. To select the best companies, survey participants have to assess aspects such as ease of access to financial data, information disseminated about the company and the quality and depth of the answers to their questions. This accolade joins many other awards and acknowledgements received by Iberdrola in this area in recent years as a result of its commitment to transparency and constant dialogue with the financial community. READ MORE
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10/09/2021Ignacio Galán praises Timmermans' leadership of the European Green Deal The chairman of Iberdrola and president of the Social Council of the University of Salamanca (USAL), Ignacio Galán, said how pleased he was to see Frans Timmermans, Executive Vice-President of the European Commission receive an honorary doctorate from the University of Salamanca during an ancient ceremony in Latin held in the Assembly Room of the "Escuelas Mayores" this morning. “It is a well-deserved recognition of a life in public service", said Galán, "particularly his leadership of our continent's most transformational project: the European Green Deal . A programme that puts Europe at the forefront of the world in achieving climate goals and is transforming the economic and social model of our continent". The Iberdrola chairman went on to point out that "with the European Green Deal, Timmermans gives impetus to the work that the Commission has been doing for decades thanks to individuals such as Miguel Arias [Cañete], and that responds to three of European's main concerns: Speeding up the economic recovery , creating quality jobs and caring for the environment. And Spain's future lies in a solid, united Europe based on a stable, safe framework where public institutions and companies work shoulder to shoulder. Iberdrola has always been and always will be up to the task". READ MORE
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10/09/2021Burgos welcomes the 'Prado Museum in the Streets' exhibition Burgos welcomes the "Prado in the Streets" exhibition, sponsored by Fundación Iberdrola España and the Prado Museum, in collaboration with the Regional Government of Castilla-Leon and the City Council. This is the fifth stop for this travelling exhibition that started in Salamanca and made its last stops in Valladolid and León and Aguilar de Campoo and which will visit the nine regional provinces to raise awareness and promote the collections and historical heritage of the Prado Museum through a variety of educational programmes and cultural activities. The exhibition, which recreates a visit to the museum where the paintings can be viewed in their real dimensions, thereby creating an experience similar to that of standing in front of an authentic work of art, can be visited between 10 September to 4 October in the Paseo de Marceliano Santa María, one of the city's most emblematic spaces. This successful cultural initiative was officially opened this morning by the mayor of Burgos, Daniel de la Rosa; the chairman of Fundación Iberdrola España, Fernando García; the Minister of Culture of Castilla-León, Javier Ortega; and the deputy director of the Prado Museum, Andrés Úbeda, and will give the people of Burgos an opportunity to get a close look at 50 of the most significant works in the Permanent Collection of the Prado Museum through life-sized photographic reproductions. A journey through the history of Western art This large, open-air exhibition, curated by Fernando Pérez Suescun, Head of Educational Content at the Prado Museum, enables visitors to tour the different artistic schools covered by the Prado Museum's permanent collections and learn about the history of Spain, Europe, and Western art in general, as painted by the great masters. The Spanish, Italian, Flemish, French, German, and Dutch schools are represented through artists from the 12th century to the early 20th century. The exhibition also has bilingual information panels for each work of art, as well as details on the history of the Museum and its collections. The reproductions are shown at a scale of 1:1, however, due to the dimensions of the exhibition stands, this means that, for some of the larger works, only a magnificent and striking part of the work can be seen, with a smaller representation of the entire painting shown in the explanatory panel. In the wake of the enormous success of the exhibition during the celebration of the Museum’s two-hundredth anniversary, “Prado in the Streets" travelled around Castilla la Mancha until 26 April. In almost two years, thousands of visitors have had the chance to behold some of the wonders of the Museum's collection thanks to these accurate reproductions, spreading culture across the region with daily visits that never failed to observe the applicable anti-COVID-19 rules. “The Prado in the Streets” started its tour of Castilla-León in Salamanca on 30 April, and over the next ten months it will stop off at other cities within the region in addition to Salamanca, León and Aguilar de Campoo, the most recent stop, and Burgos, where it opened today. The other cities it will visit include Soria, Segovia, Ávila and Benavente. Fundación Iberdrola España is a supporting member of the Prado Museum Fundación Iberdrola España focuses a key part of its activity on caring for and maintaining Spain’s cultural and artistic wealth. The Foundation has been working with the Prado Museum since 2010 by supporting the gallery’s conservation and restoration programmes, as well as offering four annual grants to young restorers. It was also keen to join in the Special Programme for the Prado Museum’s bicentenary celebrations, especially with the launch of this travelling exhibition in Spain. Since 2011, Fundación Iberdrola España has allocated a total of €13 million to art and culture, focusing its resources primarily on the Restoration Programme to support the restoration workshops in leading museums for the conservation of their pictorial and artistic heritage. The Foundation also supports the Lighting Programme, which includes the design, implementation, and financing of artistic projects to light iconic buildings and monuments. READ MORE
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08/09/2021Iberdrola expands in Asia-Pacific with development of 6 GW pipeline in Taiwan Iberdrola has continued its expansion in the Asia-Pacific region with the announcement of three new offshore wind development projects in Taiwan, with potential capacity of approximately 6 gigawatts (GW). The projects are named Da-Chung Bu Offshore Wind, Guo-Feng Offshore Wind and Ju-Dao Offshore Wind and will be located in the county waters of Taichung, Changhua and Penghu on the west coast of Taiwan. Water depths are appropriate for both fixed bottom and floating offshore wind technology. With a total of approximately 6 GW, the projects provide a long-term pipeline for Iberdrola to establish itself in Taiwan and commit to a sustained operation in country. David Rowland, Iberdrola’s Global Offshore Wind Development Director, said: “Taiwan’s ambition for significant growth in offshore wind means we have been monitoring the market closely for a number of years, and actively working to develop these new projects for over a year. It is a positive trend to see countries around the world are embracing the huge potential of offshore wind and looking to build quickly and at scale. It is good news for the climate crisis and for the economy. “From the detailed studies we have already completed, and the knowledge we have built about the capabilities of the supply chain in Taiwan, we are enthusiastic about the potential of these new projects.” Taiwan has a target to install an additional 9 GW of offshore wind by 2031, and 15 GW by 2035, and the government is currently in the process of finalising its next set of policy measures. Iberdrola’s three development projects are primed for entry into the forthcoming ‘Zonal Development’ auction rounds. The potential for floating offshore wind offers significant opportunity for continued growth beyond the existing and planned fixed-bottom projects. Iberdrola is planning to evaluate both fixed and floating opportunities within the country. Committing to local communities and economic development Iberdrola will now develop these projects continuing its track-record of community engagement and establishing relationships with local workforces and supply chain to ensure a sustainable and long-term collaboration. The company will establish a project office in Taipei. Iberdrola has worked with local consultants to select the project areas, refining the boundaries through rigorous assessment of data and stakeholder engagement. Work will now continue to expand the stakeholder engagement effort and complete technical and environmental impact evaluations to ensure the projects continue to be developed with appropriate consideration of the local environment and communities. Through the development of the projects in Taiwan, Iberdrola will work with the local supply chain and workforce to foster a long-term, sustainable offshore wind industry. Iberdrola has a strong-track record of delivering benefits and investing in the countries it operates within and will continue to adopt this approach as it develops projects in Taiwan. One of the group's main growth drivers The entry into Taiwan reinforces Iberdrola's diversification strategy aimed at being a global leader in offshore wind while consolidating its position as the world's largest renewable energy company. Offshore wind is driving the group's growth: with 1,300 MW capacity installed – Wikinger, East Anglia ONE and West of Duddon Sands – and 2,600 MW under construction which will increase current capacity three-fold. Projects are being progressed and developed in the UK, United States, Germany, France, Sweden, Japan, Poland, Denmark, Taiwan and Ireland. Green investments to promote economic recovery and jobs For two decades, Iberdrola has been leading the energy transition, acting as a key driving force in the transformation of industries, the green recovery of the economy and job creation. To this end, the company has launched a record investment plan of €150 billion over the next decade - €75 billion by 2025. These plans will allow the company to triple its renewable capacity and double network assets, maximizing the opportunities of the energy revolution being delivered in the world's major economies. Having invested €120 billion over the past twenty years, Iberdrola is a leader in renewable energy with over 35,000 MW installed capacity, a volume that makes its generation fleet one of the cleanest in the energy sector. With emissions of 43 grCO2/kWh in Europe, two-thirds lower than the European average, the strategy of investing in clean energy and networks will allow Iberdrola to be "carbon neutral" in Europe by 2030. READ MORE
