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17/12/2021Iberdrola acquires Autonomous Energy, one of Australia’s leading smart solutions providers Iberdrola has expanded its presence in Australia, a major new growth market for the company, with the acquisition of Autonomous Energy, one of the country's leading providers of smart solutions and behind-the-meter green energy technology. The acquisition builds on the integration of Infigen Energy (now Iberdrola Australia) in 2020, a vertically integrated renewable energy company with 940 MW of installed capacity. Since then Iberdrola has also incorporated Avonlie, a 245 MW (dc) solar PV project in New South Wales and taken the final investment decision on the project. Construction work is also now well advanced on Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park (PAREP), a 320 MW hybrid wind/solar plant in South Australia. In total, Iberdrola Australia has a pipeline of more than 2 GW of renewable energy projects in various stages of development in New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia. A strategic player in Australia: Iberdrola's assets in the country The acquisition of Autonomous Energy contributes to Iberdrola's long-term growth ambitions in Australia while positioning Iberdrola Australia as a one-stop-shop for customers seeking comprehensive “behind the meter” and “in front of the meter” green energy solutions. Customers will have access to integrated and optimized green energy solutions that will lower their energy costs, reduce their emissions, and improve their sustainability performance. Leading provider of energy solutions Established in 2003, Autonomous Energy is an award-winning engineering, procurement and construction company providing a broad range of green energy solutions. These solutions include rooftop solar, solar car park shading, ground-mounted solar PV, battery storage, microgrids, energy efficiency and energy management. In November 2021, Autonomous Energy was awarded the Clean Energy Council’s prestigious solar design and installation award for the 78kw roof mounted PV system on a 139m tall skyscraper in the City of Sydney. This project helped the customer maintain a 6 Green Star Rating with the Building Council of Australia and demonstrated that behind the meter technologies can be commercially deployed at highly complex sites. Autonomous Energy has delivered more than 100 projects for leading commercial and industrial customers in Australia. These enterprises include globally recognised brands in sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, universities, schools, local government, banking, property management and mobility and transportation. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Iberdrola has now completed 28 corporate transactions, 15 of which have been acquisitions. Many of these acquisitions have allowed the company to enter new markets such as Sweden, Ireland, Poland, Japan and Australia. READ MORE
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14/12/2021Iberdrola already has alliances with 150 companies to carry out transformative projects in renewables, storage and hydrogen to help achieve the objectives of the new PERTE Iberdrola, together with more than 150 small and medium-sized companies, has a portfolio of 90 innovative renewable, storage and green hydrogen projects along the lines set out in the Strategic Project for Economic Recovery and Transformation (PERTE) for Renewable Energies, Renewable Hydrogen and Storage (ERHA) presented today by the Government. The projects could involve an investment of nearly 15 billion euros in floating offshore wind, floating photovoltaics, storage and green hydrogen for fertiliser production, industrial processes, heavy transport and large-scale manufacturing of electrolysers. The initiatives represent an opportunity to develop the country's value chain and position Spanish industry as an international benchmark. This activity would involve almost all the autonomous communities, thus contributing to the structuring of the territory and the creation of industrial and innovation opportunities in a growing market with a high export component. The project would also contribute to the fight against climate change, preventing the emission of thousands of tonnes of CO2/year into the atmosphere. They will also have a positive impact on the competitiveness of the Spanish industrial fabric and will enable short-term green recovery in addition to the transformation of the country, in the medium and long term, orienting it towards sectors of the future. The developments will contribute to the green and digital transition binomial established by the European Union and are aligned with the Spanish Government's Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. These projects would enhance the capabilities of the industrial fabric in our country. For years, the company has collaborated with Spanish suppliers such as Navantia, Windar, Ingeteam and Haizea Wind for the construction of critical components for its Wikinger (Germany) and East Anglia ONE (UK) offshore wind farms and those under development, such as Saint Brieuc (France). For example, this activity has fostered a business base, which has made Spain the fifth country in the world in terms of the number of factories in the offshore wind supply chain. Towards global wind leadership, offshore too A large part of the projects would be focused on offshore wind, where Iberdrola is an international benchmark, as it has one of the largest offshore wind portfolios in the market, close to 30,000 0GW. In Europe, Iberdrola is at the forefront of the offshore wind market with 1,300 MW of operational capacity in Germany (Wikinger) and the UK (East Anglia ONE and West of Duddon Sands) and almost 1,000 MW under construction in Germany (Baltic Eagle) and France (St. Brieuc). In addition, it manages a large portfolio of projects in the UK, France and Germany, as well as in new growth platforms such as Ireland, Sweden and Poland. The company is also a leader and pioneer in the development of the US offshore wind market. In addition to Vineyard Wind 1 (800 MW), the company has 2,000 MW of capacity corresponding to the Park City Wind project, which has a power sales contract in Connecticut, and Commonwealth Wind, submitted to the auction organised by the state of Massachusetts. Avangrid also owns the Kitty Hawk development area (2,500 MW) in North Carolina, has already started the BOEM permitting process for the Kitty Hawk North project (800 MW), the first project to be developed in this area, and manages other farms at an earlier stage of development. By 2025, Iberdrola expects to reach 60,000 MW of installed renewable capacity worldwide, of which 4 GW will be offshore wind. Alliances and projects in the main markets where it operates Iberdrola is already a benchmark in green hydrogen as an electrification alternative for certain industrial processes and heavy transport. The company is currently building the largest green hydrogen plant in Europe in Puertollano (Ciudad Real), which will enable the decarbonisation of Fertiberia's fertiliser manufacturing process to begin; and it has partnered with the US company Cummins, which will locate one of the largest electrolyser factories in the world in Castilla-La Mancha. In Spain, the company has signed alliances for the development of green hydrogen projects, in addition to other initiatives promoted in the main markets where it operates, such as the United Kingdom, Brazil and the United States. READ MORE
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12/12/2021The first 5 Green Hydrogen storage tanks arrive in Puertollano The transport and supply of 5 of the 11 renewable hydrogen storage tanks to the largest plant in Europe for the production of this gas by water electrolysis that Iberdrola is building in Puertollano has begun. The storage of green hydrogen is essential to guarantee the stability of supply required by industry and to make efficient use of renewable energy production. These tanks manufactured in Asturias allow the storage of 2,700 kg of green H2 at 60 bars. Each tank has a volume of 133 m3 and dimensions of 23 metres high and 2.8 metres in diameter. Each tank weighs 77 tonnes empty and two cranes will be used to assemble it, a main crane with a capacity of 600 tonnes and a smaller auxiliary crane. The tanks are made of a special steel to contain hydrogen given the small size of this particle and the thickness of the sheet metal is 47mm. The tanks will begin arriving today, Monday 13 December, at Puertollano, their final destination. The manoeuvre for the tanks to enter the site will be carried out in reverse in order to comply with the turning radii required by the presence of the existing Fertiberia plant and the green hydrogen plant built by Iberdrola. Development of innovative and high value-added industrial chains Green hydrogen has a very high potential as an energy vector, mainly for the electrification of industrial processes and heavy transport. It has also been identified as a key solution for the decarbonisation of the economy and for developing innovative industrial chains with high added value in Spain and the European Union. Iberdrola has developed a project for the construction of more than 800 MW of electrolysers to produce green hydrogen and later green ammonia and fertilisers in four phases, in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) and Palos de la Frontera (Huelva), until 2027. The initiative represents an investment of 1.8 billion euros and could make Spain an industrial leader in the green hydrogen sector and the first country with 100% production of ammonia for fertilisers that is completely green. 53 green hydrogen proposals in Spain Iberdrola has submitted 53 projects related to green hydrogen to the Next Generation EU programme, which would trigger investments of 2.5 billion euros to achieve an annual production of 60,000 TN. The green hydrogen production capacity would be equivalent to 20% of the national target (installed capacity of 4GW in 2030) and would ensure that around 25% of the hydrogen currently consumed in Spain would not generate CO2 emissions. This and other Iberdrola hydrogen projects are expected to boost economic growth and employment, contributing to the creation of approximately 4,000 skilled jobs at 500 local suppliers. READ MORE
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08/12/2021Demolition of the chimney of the largest coal-fired power plant in Europe Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, pressed the button that activated the 700 kg of explosives that brought down what was until today the tallest free-standing structure in the country. It is the chimney of the Longannet power station, once the largest coal-fired power station in Europe. Scotland has been coal-free since ScottishPower - Iberdrola's UK subsidiary - closed the plant in 2016. ScottishPower is also the first integrated energy company in the UK to have 100% green electricity generation. Ignacio Galán, Chairman of Iberdrola, said: "Longannet played an important role in Scotland's history as its largest coal-fired power station, but the future can only be clean energy. Everyone in the Iberdrola group should be proud to contribute to this impressive transition from fossil fuels to renewables". "This transition is essential to minimise the worst impacts of global warming and address the climate emergency. In Glasgow we have made significant progress, but it is time for all countries to commit to making coal history. Fine words or promises about 2040 or 2050 are no longer enough, we need delivery. Iberdrola will continue to invest billions of euros in renewables, smarter grids and storage to become net zero in Europe by 2030, providing abundant and competitive electricity and creating opportunities for industrial development and employment across the value chain." At COP26 in Glasgow Iberdrola already made clear how proud it was as a company to show the world what Scotland has already done with coal. Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, described today's event as a symbolic moment: "We have ended coal-fired power generation in Scotland". Longannet power station, located in Kincardine-on-Forth (Fife), began generating electricity in 1970. It was the largest coal-fired power station in Europe when it was built and remained so in Scotland until ScottishPower closed it on 31 March 2016. Thus, guaranteeing Scotland's coal-free future, it ended 47 years of fossil fuel production that supplied two million Scottish households. Prior to the demolition event and in the wake of COP26 in Glasgow and its 'Climate Pact' to move the world away from fossil fuels, the stripes of global warming were projected onto the chimney along with the slogan Make Coal History. This is a call to action for other countries to follow Scotland's example. Created by Professor Ed Hawkins of the University of Reading, the stripes show the change in global temperature from 1850 to 2020. They range from shades of blue, representing cooler than average years, to red, representing warmer than average years. The Iberdrola subsidiary is the only integrated energy company in the United Kingdom that generates 100% green electricity from offshore and onshore wind power. As a major partner of the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26, ScottishPower is committed to supporting the UK's efforts to reduce coal consumption across the country. Pioneers in energy transition At the end of 2017, Iberdrola requested authorisation to close its last thermal power plants in the world - Velilla (Palencia) and Lada (Asturias) - in response to its decision to replace CO2-emitting facilities with the latest generation of clean energy and thus lead the energy transition towards a new sustainable energy model. Iberdrola continues to advance in its sustainability strategy, based on the electrification of the economy and oriented towards the fight against climate change and the creation of wealth and employment in the communities where it operates. Its own CO2 emissions as of September have been reduced to 53 g/kWh and it maintains its goal of becoming an emission-neutral company by 2030 in Europe. In the last two decades, the company has invested 120 billion euros in renewable energies, smart grids and energy storage. Its 2030 investment plan of €150 billion will enable it to triple its renewable capacity to almost 100,000 MW. READ MORE
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08/12/2021The Museo Nacional del Prado switches to LEDs The "Lighting the Prado" project, sponsored by the Iberdrola Spain Foundation, enables annual energy savings of 77.29% and prevents the emission of more than 372 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year. The plan has been developed in two phases: from 2013 to 2018 and from 2019 to 2021. In order to show the difference in the quality of light, the new LED lighting will coexist today with the previous halogen lighting in Murillo's Foundation of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and The Dream of the Patrician John on display in room 16 of the Villanueva building. This lighting system not only improves the conservation of works of art by reducing the damage factor by more than 44%. It eliminates ultraviolet and infrared radiation and, in addition, improves their appreciation by increasing the perceived visual sharpness. Basically, it generates a depth effect without distorting the composition, intensifying the colour and giving a correct sensation of volume. "Lighting the Prado" aims to provide the exhibition rooms, both those housing the permanent collection and those containing temporary exhibitions, with a new lighting system using LED technology to replace the previous system based on halogen lamps. About Fundación Iberdrola España Fundación Iberdrola España, with Ignacio Galán as founding trustee and Fernando García as chairman, focuses its activities on four main areas of action: training and research, biodiversity and climate change, social action and international cooperation. Since 2011, Fundación Iberdrola España has allocated a total of 13 million euros to the area of Art and Culture. Its action focuses its resources mainly on the Restorations Programme, which supports the workshops of leading museums for the conservation of their pictorial and artistic heritage. It also focuses on the Lighting Programme, which includes the design, execution and financing of artistic lighting projects in unique buildings and monuments. In addition, since 2010, the Foundation has been a patron member of the Museo Nacional del Prado's Restoration programme, supporting its Workshop with three annual training and research grants for specialists in heritage conservation and restoration. Fundación Iberdrola España also collaborates with the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum to award grants to contribute to training and research in the field of conservation and restoration of works of art. These grants are part of its Scholarship Programme, which also includes scholarships for master's degrees in energy and the environment at universities in Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States, and grants for research in Spain. It also has agreements with other institutions, such as the Carolina Foundation and the Fulbright Commission. READ MORE
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06/12/2021Iberdrola enters with the highest score in the most prestigious climate change indicator, the CDP Iberdrola has received a new global accolade for its commitment to decarbonisation. The company has been included in the world's most prestigious climate change indicator, the CDP, with the highest score. The group chaired by Ignacio Galán has been included in CDP's A List 2021, completing the journey through disclosure, awareness, management and, finally, environmental leadership. The ranking measures the completeness of disclosure, awareness and management of environmental risks and best practices associated with the environment, such as setting ambitious and meaningful targets. CDP manages the global disclosure system for investors, companies, cities, states and regions to manage their environmental impacts. CDP is regarded by the world economy as the gold standard for environmental reporting and has the richest and most comprehensive data on corporate and city actions. In 2021 CDP launched its new five-year strategy: Accelerating Change. CDP is constantly evolving its disclosure and rating system in response to market needs and the growing urgency of environmental challenges. Iberdrola now has more than 37,300 megawatts (MW) of installed renewable capacity worldwide and has a clean energy project portfolio of 81,800 megawatts (MW) at the end of the first nine months of 2021. In addition, the group is listed in the main international sustainability indices, including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, MSCI, Sustainalytics, Bloomberg GEI, Euronext Vigeo Eiris indices, Global100, EcoVadis, etc. Contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Iberdrola has incorporated the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), defined by the United Nations for the 2030 horizon, into its business strategy and sustainability policy, and is a benchmark for its direct contribution to the global goals, highlighting its contributions in the field of energy and climate change. The company focuses its efforts on the provision of affordable and clean energy (goal 7) and climate action (goal 13), while contributing directly to ensuring clean water and sanitation (goal 6), has increased its investment in R&D&I activities (goal 9), promotes respect for the life of terrestrial ecosystems (goal 15) and works to build partnerships to achieve the goals (goal 17). After anticipating the current energy transition by 20 years, the Iberdrola group plans to invest 150 billion euros by 2030, and thus remain at the forefront of the energy revolution facing the world's leading economies. The company is moving forward with its historic 75-billion-euro investment plan until 2025 and consolidating its business model, based on more renewable energies, more grids, more storage and more intelligent solutions for customers. On the other hand, Iberdrola has always shown its commitment to reducing emissions to combat climate change and move towards the decarbonisation of the economy. The company aims to reduce CO2 emissions intensity to 50 gCO2 /kWh by 2030, a 73% reduction since 2015, and to be carbon neutral by 2050. READ MORE
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06/12/2021Iberdrola will reach 900 MW in battery storage, with the UK and Australia its mains markets Iberdrola is moving forward with innovative renewable energy projects, with the aim of maximising energy use and continuing to promote the efficient integration of renewable energies into the electricity grid. The energy company continues with the installation of what will be the first wind storage battery in Biscay, which will be commissioned during the month of January 2022. Specifically, at the Abadiño TS, where it evacuates the 6MW Oiz wind farm. It will have a guaranteed storage capacity of 3.5 MWh and Ingeteam will be responsible for its installation. This project joins the first battery storage system in the country, located in Elgea-Urkilla (32 MW), in Araba -Euskadi-, which has an installed power of 5 MW and 5 MWh of storage capacity. In Spain, the company has installed the first battery in a photovoltaic plant in Spain, Arañuelo III (40 MW), which it is building in the municipality of Romangordo (Cáceres, Extremadura). The project has a battery with 3 MW of power and 9 MWh of storage capacity and the company in charge of its development has also been Ingeteam. It is also developing the Puertollano (Ciudad Real) project - the first and largest green hydrogen plant in Europe at present, powered by a 100 MW photovoltaic plant - which will include a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh. 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 storage capacity of 12 MW. The company has 200 MW of battery power currently under construction or secured, some of which is already installed, rising to 300 MW by 2025, mainly in the UK and Australian markets. The company's current portfolio of battery storage systems amounts to 900 MW. Key to addressing the energy transition Storage systems are key to addressing the challenge of the energy transition and are set to become an essential element in the electricity system of the future, because they make it possible to improve the quality of electricity supply, ensure the stability and reliability of the grid and integrate and take advantage of energy generated by renewable sources. The company maintains its commitment to storage through pumped storage technology, where it is the leader with more than 4,000 MW of installed capacity, in projects such as Cortes-La Muela (Valencia) - the largest installation of these characteristics in Europe - and Tâmega, under construction in Portugal. In November 2019, Iberdrola inaugurated the first electrical energy storage system with lithium-ion batteries for distribution networks in Spain. The project, a pioneer in the country and located in the Murcian municipality of Caravaca de la Cruz (Murcia), improves the quality of energy supply in the surrounding area, as well as making the most of the solar energy generated in the area. Iberdrola is convinced that the energy transition can act as a key driving force in the transformation of the industrial fabric and in the green recovery of the economy and employment. To this end, the company has launched a historic investment plan of 75 billion euros for the period 2020-2025 -there will be 150 billion by 2030-, with the aim of doubling its renewable capacity and taking advantage of the opportunities of the energy revolution facing the world's major economies. Investments in Spain for the period amount to around 14.3 billion euros, half of which will go to the development of new renewable projects, while more than 4.5 billion euros will go to strengthening and further digitalising electricity grids. READ MORE
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02/12/2021Iberdrola sells its gas storage business in Canada to ATCO Group Iberdrola has taken another positive step foward in its decarbonization strategy. The company, through its subsidiary Scottish Power Overseas Limited, has closed the sale of Alberta Hub Gas Storage - owned 57% by Iberdrola Canada Energy Services - to the Canadian group ATCO. Iberdrola Canada Energy Services operates the Alberta Hub Gas Storage natural gas storage facility in the province of Alberta, Canada. The asset has a total storage capacity of approximately 43 Bcf (24 Bcf net according to Iberdrola's shareholding). With this operation, Iberdrola continues its plan to divest non-strategic assets, in line with its climate action, energy transition and exit from the gas business initiated in 2001. The divestment is a further step in Iberdrola Group's commitment to emissions reduction, which anticipated the industry’s move through a strategy kicked off in 2001: * At the end of 2001, the company put its stake in Repsol up for sale. * In 2009, the company closed its regasification business and sold its stakes in the Sagunto and BBG regasification plants. * In January 2010, Iberdrola sold its 15.68% stake in the Irish company Petroceltic, dedicated to the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. * In 2011, the company sold the Seneca Lake gas storage facility in the state of New York and 2 associated gas pipelines. * In 2013, the company sold its 20% stake in Medgaz, the company which owns and operates the gas pipeline linking Algeria to Spain. * In 2014, a 25% stake in the Bahia Bizkaia Electricidad (BBE) combined cycle plant was sold. * In 2016 the company sold its 4.9% stake in Iroquois Gas Transmission System in the United States. * Early 2018 saw the sale of the gas storage and gas trading businesses in the US. * At the end of 2018, the exit of the thermal generation business in the UK was completed, making Scottish Power the country’s first 100% green utility, focusing on renewable generation, networks and customers. * In 2019, the company sold its portfolio of long-term LNG supply contracts in a first-of-its-kind transaction. Thus, the company practically closes its gas storage business, as it would only have one residual asset left in the United Kingdom, 4.1-Bcf Hatfield Gas Storage. With the divestment of the gas storage business in Canada, Iberdrola takes another step forward in its commitment to clean energy and decarbonisation of the economy. Investments to meet the challenges of the green economy Iberdrola has been leading the energy transition for two decades, acting as a key driving force in the transformation of industries and the green recovery of the economy and employment. To this end, the company has launched a major investment plan of €150 billion over the next decade – €75 billion euros by 2025 –, with which to triple renewable capacity and double network assets and take advantage of the opportunities of the energy revolution facing the world's leading economies. With 80% emission-free production at the end of nine months 2021, the Iberdrola group has committed to be carbon neutral by 2030 in Europe, where its emissions were just around 50g/kWh at the end of nine months 2021, and to reduce its global CO2 emissions intensity to 50g/kWh (70g/kWh by the end of 2025) and become carbon neutral globally by 2050. READ MORE
