News
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01/04/2022Iberdrola moves forward in the synchronisation of distribution networks with British start-up SMPnet Iberdrola's global innovation and smart grid centre in Bilbao continues to advance proposals to maximise the potential of smart grids as a vehicle for job creation and to develop the next generation of smart grids. One of the focal points of this new hub is collaboration with start-ups from all over the world. Thus, among other initiatives, the company has launched several challenges or challenges in search of innovative solutions related to the area of networks. The winners of one of them, the British company SMPnet, has been in Biscay these days with its project on the synchronisation of distribution networks. That is, the coordination of the operation of equipment from different manufacturers, synchronised to work as one. This collaborative environment, fostered by the hub, aims for several collaborators to work together and for the companies in the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub environment, such as the Basque company Ingeteam, to take advantage of the technology developed by an international start-up, while it obtains clients and business relations. Yet another example of Iberdrola's collaboration with leading companies in the technology sector. Ingeteam has been visited at its Zamudio facilities by the promoters of this innovative project in grids in terms of the technological leap it represents in this coordination between various manufacturers of electrical equipment. The GSGIH Challenge Electricity is transmitted with a "three-phase voltage system", where three single-phase alternating voltages travel from generation assets to consumption points, passing through transmission and distribution grids, maintaining their frequency and with limited changes in their angles. However, distributed generation allows the creation of microgrids, areas of the distribution grid that operate disconnected from the rest of the grid at times of availability, improving the quality of supply. In these islands, the voltage is generated internally, so it is not synchronised with the rest of the grid. Iberdrola's team of experts in the Networks area uses various technologies to synchronously measure the magnitudes and angles between the phases along different points of the electricity grid. In order to maintain system stability, these phasor measurement units (PMUs) are mainly used in transmission grids, as they have traditionally been expensive. However, there is an increasing need for phase measurement solutions in distribution networks due to the major changes and expansion these networks are undergoing as a result of the energy transition and the rise of distributed renewable generation. Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub The Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub is a pole of attraction for talent and promotion of new technologies that will enable the energy transition, maximising the use of renewables, fully integrating energy storage systems and optimising access to new uses of electricity, such as mobility and air conditioning. Iberdrola and the Provincial Council of Biscay, which together with the energy company is promoting this public-private collaborative framework, have so far brought together the capacities of 50 industrial companies, universities and technology centres, which contribute their technological capacity, industrial character and research experience. The smart grid innovation hub is also an international project, bringing together the potential of more than 200 professionals in the development of innovation projects to be developed in countries in Europe, America and the Middle East. So far, 120 projects worth €110 million have been identified. The lines of work will provide solutions in new materials and technologies to reduce the environmental impact of electrical installations, equipment to facilitate the integration of renewable energies and boost the deployment of electric vehicles, power electronics and energy storage systems, and the digitalisation of the distribution grid supported by the latest generation of telecommunications systems, such as 5G. It will also promote solutions related to energy savings and efficiency based on demand management and the reduction of grid losses. One of the hub's main areas of innovation is the digitalisation of the low-voltage grid, the basis for building the smart city of the future. In this regard, projects will focus on developing the new generation of smart meters and ensuring that equipment and the grid provide data and intelligence. READ MORE
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28/03/2022Iberdrola's Chairman, Ignacio Sánchez Galán, attends Doha Forum Leaders and political strategists from around the world gathered in Qatar this weekend to address the world's top issues of concern at the traditional Doha Forum, an agenda that originally included the environmental crisis, the continuing challenges posed by covid-19 and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with the focus now shifting to the war in Ukraine. Presidents, foreign ministers, prominent political leaders and heads of major multilateral organisations such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), among others. Ukrainian President Zelensky spoke telematically at the official opening of the Doha forum. Ignacio Galán has travelled to Qatar to attend the Doha Forum, the main political and economic meeting of the year in the region, which has established itself as one of the global benchmarks for strategic dialogue. As usual, the forum has been inaugurated by the Emir of Qatar and throughout the forum, public authorities, businessmen and members of civil society, such as Josep Borrell, Bill Gates, Hillary Clinton, Kristalina Georgieva, José Manuel Durao Barroso, and Carl Bildt will take part. In addition to addressing the current major geopolitical issues, discussions focused on ways to accelerate recovery and achieve a more solid and sustainable economy. As in other forums, such as Davos or the United Nations, Iberdrola's perspectives are particularly valued, not only because the company has been ahead of the energy transition, but also because of its global vision of the current economic situation. READ MORE
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27/03/2022More than 11,000 people take part in the 9th Run Against Cancer in Madrid organised by the AECC with the sponsorship of Iberdrola Iberdrola collaborates once again this year in the IX Madrid Race Against Cancer organised by the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Madrid, maintaining its commitment to this initiative since 2016. Its collaboration is part of the agreement between the two organisations to work both on research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of cancer and to raise social awareness in the fight against the disease. For seven years, the company has been the main partner of the Association and, therefore, one of the companies that contributes most to the fight against cancer in Spain, specifically to research projects. This year, a renewal of this collaboration has been signed for the next two years, until the end of 2023, as a clear commitment to improving people's quality of life. More than 11,000 runners took part in the race, which started on the Paseo de la Castellana after the cutting of a ribbon in the colours of Ukraine, a veritable green tide of solidarity that included patients, researchers, hospital groups and citizens aware of the disease. It is worth highlighting the presence of three triathletes from the Universo Mujer programme, supported by Iberdrola, María Casal, Bronze medallist in the 2021 Junior World Championship; Iratxe Arenal, 2020 Spanish Junior Triathlon champion; and Paula del Pozo, ninth in the Lievin Elite European Cup. The awards ceremony was attended by Iberdrola's Commercial Delegate in Madrid, Antonio Armengot, together with the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; the City Council's Director General for Sport, Alicia Martín; and the President of the Association in Madrid, Laura Ruiz de Galarreta. Armengot thanked the attendance "of so many Madrilenians who, with their participation this morning, have dyed one of the city's most recognisable avenues green, to raise awareness and do their bit in the fight against cancer, a commitment that Iberdrola has maintained for years, aware that stable support is the most important for charitable causes". On this occasion, a car from Zity - a Madrid-based car-sharing company with which Iberdrola also has an alliance for sustainable mobility - was responsible for leading the race, carrying its scoreboard and guiding all the participants along the route. Together against cancer: donation from customers and Iberdrola Since 2015, Iberdrola has also been promoting the initiative Juntos contra el cáncer (Together against cancer) , through which the company offers its customers the possibility of collaborating with the Spanish Association Against Cancer, through their electricity or gas bill, and undertakes to contribute the same amount as the customer chooses to contribute per month. At present, almost 70,000 customers have signed up to this initiative, with a contribution of four million euros, all of which is used to fund cancer research projects. Another of Iberdrola's initiatives is to be the main sponsor of four annual races - the most numerous in Spain - held in three Spanish cities each year: in Madrid on 27 March and in Valladolid, Zamora and Murcia in the last quarter of the year. The electricity company reaffirms its social commitment through initiatives that improve the quality of life of the people who form part, not only of its organisation, but of society in general, as a sign of its contribution to sustainable development. READ MORE
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25/03/2022Iberdrola sends more than eight tonnes of humanitarian material to Ukraine Iberdrola has sent to Ukraine more than eight tonnes of humanitarian material donated by its employees through its corporate volunteer network in Spain. Among the basic necessities provided are first aid, orthopaedic, hygiene and sanitary products, as well as shelter, food, warm clothing, blankets and quilts. The material will be distributed through convoys organised by the Generalitat Valenciana, in collaboration with the governments of Ukraine and Poland and the ONCE Foundation, in coordination with the Spanish Armed Forces. The first convoy will travel to various logistics centres in Poland, from where the Ukrainian authorities will distribute the material through green corridors, while the second convoy will go to the camps and support centres located behind the border points. This initiative has been developed within the Volunteers for Ukraine programme launched by the company since the beginning of this humanitarian crisis to channel the solidarity of Iberdrola's professionals and transfer their aid in the most efficient way to the people affected. Through this programme the company is also raising funds, doubling the amounts donated by its employees. The proceeds will be given to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to provide shelter, immediate food and emergency care to the thousands of people who are leaving Ukraine and massing at the borders. The company will also support Ukrainian refugees arriving in Spain through its Iberdrola with Refugees volunteer initiative, which aims to help them adapt, promote their integration and improve their autonomy. Since 2015, this initiative has already assisted more than a thousand refugees from other armed conflicts, such as Syria, Palestine, Afghanistan and Mali. In addition, the Iberdrola group has sent a first batch of 20 generators to Ukraine to maintain the operation of special services such as hospitals, shelters or water treatment plants. A supportive and committed team With its International Volunteering Programme, the Iberdrola group aims to motivate its professionals to participate in social projects aimed primarily at vulnerable groups, environmental improvement and sustainable development. Along these lines, some 200 employees are going to start planting a holm oak grove this weekend in the Casa de Campo in Madrid, with 3,000 specimens. This reforestation contributes to repairing the heavy damage caused in 2021 by the storm Filomena, which affected more than 440,000 trees. Iberdrola's volunteering programme has been the only Spanish company to be recognised as a pioneering practice by the United Nations in its Transforming Lives and Communities report, published in September 2021. This programme has already been awarded by IMPACT2030 with the 2018 Innovation Award in recognition of its innovative approaches to advancing the SDGs through its human capital. READ MORE
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21/03/2022Iberdrola reforests with more than 2 million trees in the last two years and 80,000 plants in photovoltaic environments In the last two years, the Iberdrola group has planted more than 2 million trees in seven countries. The reforestation activities are part of its ambitious Tree Programme, which involves its corporate volunteer network around the world. The Trees Programme , which began in 2020, is a demonstration of Iberdrola's commitment to the conservation and regeneration of forest ecosystems as a measure to halt deforestation and promote the biodiversity of ecosystems in the areas where the company operates, and therefore aims to promote the planting of 20 million trees by 2030 - with an initial target of 2.5 million by 2022 and 8 million by 2025 - which will capture approximately 6 million tonnes of CO2 over 30 years. Commitment to a greener world In Spain , the planting of more than 456,000 trees has been promoted in the last two years. Of particular note are the reforestations around the Cortes - La Muela and Villarino hydroelectric power stations, covering 600 hectares. In addition, 17,000 trees have been planted at the Chinchilla Training Centre in Albacete and various volunteer initiatives have been promoted that have allowed more than 6,800 trees to be planted. The British subsidiary of the Group, ScottishPower , has contributed to the planting of more than 626,000 trees through reforestation actions in the Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan for the wind farms at Kilgallioch, Hare Hill Extension, Glen App, Black Law, Mark Hill, and Beinn Tharsuinn. In addition, Corporate Volunteering actions have been carried out where 420 trees have been planted in Glasgow and Scottish Highlands. In Brazil, Neoenergia has promoted the planting of around 550,000 trees, of the more than 817,000 that were planted in total. Especially for the creation of Permanent Preservation areas in the surroundings of hydroelectric plants and in the reforestation of its distributors, in which 82 hectares were reforested with more than 100,000 trees of plants native to the region. In the United States, AVANGRID contributed to the creation and establishment of new wetlands, including the planting of 969 trees to mitigate impacts associated with RG&E gas projects. In Mexico , more than 52,000 trees were planted around the perimeters of the Topolobampo III power plant and Baja California, which has meant the recovery of more than 70 hectares in total. In addition, volunteer initiatives have led to the planting of 3,000 trees. Iberdrola has carried out various reforestation actions in Portugal as a measure to compensate the Támega complex with more than 247,000 trees. The measures promoted benefits from the Creation of Priority Habitat, planting of native species and cork oaks, recovery of riparian vegetation, improvement of river courses, and revegetation of slopes, with the aim of increasing trophic availability in the region and promoting the conservation of native forest species. In Greece, it has planted more than 65,000 trees in its project to promote ecosystems near the Pyrgari and Mikronoros wind farms. Plantations in photovoltaic environments The pioneer plant in this initiative has been the Teruel photovoltaic plant with the aim of creating transition zones as diverse as possible between the habitat outside the plant and the internal habitat. 9,000 seedlings of 9 different species have been introduced, including herbaceous perennials, shrubs and trees. In Extremadura, plantations have so far been introduced at the Oriol (Ceclavín), Campo Arañuelo III and Núñez de Balboa photovoltaic plants. At the Oriol photovoltaic plant, with the aim of becoming an island of biodiversity by providing new resources for the species of fauna present in the area, more than 1,550 trees and shrubs have been planted, the same as those present in the area: Iberian pear, mastic trees and broom. In addition, 200 specimens have been planted to generate a stable population of the protected species Sorbus torminalis. At FV Campo Arañuelo III, 650 holm oaks have been planted to reinforce the dehesa ecosystem and at Núñez de Balboa, more than 3,800 plants are being planted in the form of copses of native vegetation and around 1,200 trees and shrubs to reinforce the two types of potential habitats inside the facility: the riverside habitat and the mastic tree grove. In Huelva, also with the aim of increasing the resources available to pollinators, the Andévalo VF will plant 1,000 lavender plants (native to the area) in an area that has been devoid of vegetation until now. This aromatic plant provides resources for numerous species of pollinating insects and boosts plant populations in the area. This photovoltaic plant also has several beehives that further complement the biodiversity. In the province of Cuenca, the Romeral and Olmedilla photovoltaic plants will have more than 19,000 and 13,500 native plants respectively, which will be of the arboreal and shrub type such as holm oaks, mastic trees, hawthorns, rosemary, thyme and esparto... expanding the ecotone zone between the inside and outside of the plant, serving as shelter and food for fauna, generating an island-continent effect for biodiversity and increasing connectivity through the creation of ecological corridors, reinforced with more than 31,600 other plants as ecological corridors that will connect the habitats present in the area. The objective in all the facilities is to favour the populations of pollinating insects and other fauna groups, which are extremely important for natural ecosystems, and therefore the introduction of aromatic species is encouraged (such as the 1,800 rosemary, thyme and lavender plants introduced in the Núñez de Balboa FV) and the installation of "bug-hotel" structures to provide refuge areas for this type of fauna. READ MORE
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18/03/2022Iberdrola, selected as the most transparent company of the Ibex 35 Iberdrola has been selected as the most transparent company in the Ibex 35 by Transparency International. The institution presented today the conclusions of the Corporate Transparency Index on Integrity, Compliance and Human Rights of the Ibex 35 companies, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation and the Compliance Professionals Association (CUMPLEN). The report, which is being published for the first time in Spain, analyses the public information of the 35 leading listed companies according to five parameters: human rights, regulatory compliance, anti-corruption programmes, organisational transparency and country-by-country reporting. In addition, the study includes several cross-cutting areas, such as the relationship with the supply chain, equality and information on internal policies and procedures. The Institute also positively valued the fact that the company has promoted ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria among its more than 22,000 suppliers around the world, from which it purchases €20 billion a year. The group led by Ignacio Galán has set a target that 70% of its more than 1,000 main suppliers worldwide - those with a turnover with the company of more than €1 million - will be governed by ESG criteria this year. Recognised transparency In recent years, Iberdrola has been recognised on several occasions for its information transparency. In fact, it has recently 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 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. See Compliance System Transparency Report [PDF]. READ MORE
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18/03/2022Iberdrola is championing solar self-consumption to achieve savings and accelerate energy transition Iberdrola once again plays a leading role in the development of new generation and consumption models that facilitate savings in energy bills and reduce emissions of polluting gases into the atmosphere. The company now accounts for 40% of the nearly 80,000 solar self-consumption installations in homes in Spain and leads the marketing of this type of solution, 'Smart Solar', which combines photovoltaic energy generation with all the advantages of digitalisation. More and more people, neighbourhood communities and industries are installing solar panels to achieve savings, helped by a technological evolution that has significantly reduced the costs of their installation. The new regulation (RD 244/2019) on this matter also simplifies the process of solar self-consumption installations, accelerating the energy transformation. According to Iberdrola's calculations, a household with a self-consumption solar installation can save up to 70% on its annual bill. This saving is also produced in three ways: the energy produced by the installation that the user does not have to buy, compensation for surplus energy not consumed, which is fed into the grid, and savings due to lower taxes. The company has already developed projects in all types of homes, both single-family homes and in buildings, neighbourhood communities and shared self-consumption communities, an option that allows installation for those who do not have their own roof and find a shared solar community within 500 metres of their home, with zero investment and 100% green electricity. The competitiveness of self-consumption makes this option one of the options chosen by different publics, also in the countryside and in industry. Iberdrola has already installed solar panels in large retail outlets such as Makro, Juver, Abadía Retuerta and the Lactalis group, among other examples. Like other smart solutions from the company, Smart Solar allows users to monitor the savings generated through the Iberdrola app, as well as the operation of their installation in real time, the energy produced and the percentage for self-consumption and that which is fed into the grid. Iberdrola has integrated the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems into its strategy, demonstrating that it is possible to effectively combine the supply of competitive, clean and sustainable energy with the balance of biodiversity and the environment. Video READ MORE
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16/03/2022Urkullu and Galán agree that trust between companies and institutions is key to improving citizens' welfare The Lehendakari, Íñigo Urkullu, and the Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, reaffirmed today in Vitoria the company's vocation to contribute to economic development and employment in the Basque Country, as is already demonstrated by the figures that link Iberdrola to the Basque Country. "New investments in renewables, electricity grids and green hydrogen are the key to achieving energy autonomy, the importance of which has been highlighted by the tragic events in Ukraine," said the head of Iberdrola. Galán added that "electrification will generate new industrial development opportunities for Basque companies, both in electricity grids and renewable energies". The Lehendakari and the chairman of Iberdrola agreed on the need to have frameworks that allow the necessary investments to be made to maintain energy autonomy and guarantee an adequate service, especially in times of uncertainty such as those caused by the war in Ukraine. The company's plans will mean a total contribution of €10 billion to the Basque economy between 2022 and 2025, mainly in investments, purchases, salaries and tax revenues. This contribution represents an increase of 20% compared to the previous four-year period. READ MORE
