Press releases
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01/02/2023The "Iberdrola Convive Awards" open their first call for entries Iberdrola launches its first edition of the "Iberdrola Convive Awards " in collaboration with the Center for Innovation in Technology for Human Development of the Polytechnic University of Madrid (itdUPM), within the framework of the Chair for Sustainable Development Goals. These awards will recognise and give visibility to initiatives, alliances, companies, actions or local entities that exemplify the integration of renewable energies with socio-economic development and nature in Spain. The call for applications will be open on Iberdrola's website until 21 April 2023(*). Applications will be assessed on the basis of four criteria: socio-economic/environmental impact; alignment with the values of the CONVIVE programme in renewables, nature and people; collaboration and alliances between agents; and replicability of the initiative/project. There will be different award categories: local entities; citizen participation; research, knowledge and innovation; social and business entrepreneurship; and communication and awareness-raising. An independent jury composed of six members, representing academia, the environment and socioeconomic fields, as well as representatives of administration, communication and entrepreneurship, will assess the applications The winners will receive the Iberdrola Convive Awards at a public event and, from then on, their projects will form part of a section of special relevance on the Iberdrola website - a repository of winners - with the possibility of adding other elements that will allow them to gain more visibility. To participate in the call for entries, candidates must download and complete a simple form to describe the initiative and the category or categories for which they are applying. Once completed, the document will be sent to the e-mail address premiosconvive@iberdrola.com . Information is available at: http://www.iberdrola.com/premiosconvive Living in harmony with nature and people Advancing in decarbonization is essential to achieve a more sustainable economy and meet climate goals. As a global benchmark in the fight against climate change, Iberdrola has created the CONVIVE programme, a line of continuous improvement that integrates all initiatives and alliances that build bridges towards an energy transition in harmony with nature and people. This programme integrates specific actions for each project and its location, as well as global actions. Actions such as, for example, research, monitoring and improvement of biodiversity in new photovoltaic plants, the development of new business models in agrovoltaics, the promotion of the local industrial fabric by facilitating the development of capacities in the value chain, the development and testing of new technologies for the early detection and management of risk situations, training programs, or initiatives for compatibility with local economic activity, for direct contribution to the community by hiring local suppliers and experts. Renewable energies, especially wind and solar photovoltaic, are mature, competitive and available on a large scale in almost all countries. They are a key lever in decarbonization and a clear focus for action, especially for the remaining years of this decade. Renewables are also a source of industrial competitiveness, employment, economic growth and energy security. (*) Applications period has been extended until April,21st. READ MORE
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01/02/2023We are launching a new call for Master's Scholarships for Spain and the UK Iberdrola has opened a new call for applications for its master's scholarships for the 2023-2024 academic year , with the aim of fostering excellence in the training of new generations and promoting young talent. In this sixth edition of the Iberdrola International Scholarship Programme, the company plans to award grants to graduates and final-year university students in Spain and the United Kingdom. In total, there will be an investment of close to €1.5 million. Iberdrola is also supporting, by extending, a total of 11 scholarships for Mexican students or students residing in Mexico and 10 scholarships for Brazilian students to pursue postgraduate studies in that country during the 2023-2024 academic year. These scholarships were already awarded in last year's call for applications, but are valid for two academic years. The scholarships cover the annual tuition fees for a maximum period of 12 months (the amount varies according to the centre and studies) and an annual allowance for transport and accommodation expenses adapted to each country. Through this initiative, Iberdrola aims to promote the best professional qualifications for young people in the field of energy, with a special focus on areas of knowledge such as engineering, renewable energy, information technology, cybersecurity, sustainability and big data. Applicants will be able to choose from around 20 leading universities or technological institutes, such as the Universities of Cambridge, Strathclyde or Imperial College of London in the UK, the Pontifical University of Comillas or the Polytechnic Universities of Madrid, Valencia and the Basque Country in Spain; The registration process for this new call for applications begins today, 1 February, and will remain open until 31 March. Those interested can consult all the conditions and fill in the application form in the Talent section of Iberdrola's corporate website. In addition to academic record and language proficiency, other factors such as curriculum vitae, interest in the study project and letters of reference will be taken into account in the selection of candidates. To date, nearly 1,000 young people have had the opportunity to further their professional careers by pursuing master's and postgraduate studies and carrying out research at prestigious international centres with the support of the Iberdrola group. Supporting a new generation with maximum capabilities The Iberdrola Scholarship Programme promotes a generation of professionals with the highest capacities to face the challenges of the future, including the development of a sustainable energy model. This initiative also promotes the employability of young people in a sector that will generate thousands of new jobs in the future linked to the energy transition and digital transformation. Once they have completed their studies, participants in this call for applications will have the opportunity to carry out internships in the company and to apply for vacancies published by the Iberdrola group related to their profile. In this regard, more than 30,000 young people have joined Iberdrola in the last decade, some of whom did so thanks to a scholarship and are already occupying important positions in the company. As part of Iberdrola's commitment to training young people, the company has also taken on more than 1,300 interns in 2021 who have had the opportunity to learn from the knowledge of a global energy leader. Since the first edition led by Iberdrola in the 2018-2019 academic year, more than €8 million have been invested and more than 11,000 applications have been received. In the last edition of the Master's Scholarship Awards, held in January 2023, HM the King, accompanied by the Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, participated in the Company's headquarters on a day of clear commitment to training and employability, as well as to the commitment to young talent and excellence. https://www.iberdrola.com/talent/international-scholarships-master-iberdrola READ MORE
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31/01/2023We obtain the environmental green light for the development of the photovoltaic project in Ciudad Rodrigo Iberdrola has obtained a favourable Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the development of the Ciudad Rodrigo photovoltaic project , which will be located in this Salamanca municipality. This new solar energy production facility, which will have an output of 318 megawatts (MW), will generate enough clean energy to supply 150,000 homes per year and prevent the emission of 75,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere per year. With an investment of €200 million, the construction of this photovoltaic plant, with more than 826,000 modules, will have a significant local component. It is expected that up to 800 professionals will be involved in the project during peak periods. It will also have a regional vision: the substation will be built by the Salamanca company Tecinsa. In addition, various regional and national suppliers will produce different components or carry out their electrical infrastructures. With this new plant, Iberdrola reinforces its commitment to Castilla y León, which is consolidating its position as an important centre for renewable energy developments in the company's investment cycle to 2025, where it already manages more than 5,100 MW, making it the autonomous community with the most 'green' megawatts installed by the company. The installation of the solar field of the Villarino photovoltaic plant is completed. Iberdrola has completed the installation of the solar field of the Villarino photovoltaic plant , with a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW), located in the Salamanca municipality of Villarino de los Aires. This new solar energy production facility will have more than 110,000 photovoltaic modules. It will also generate enough clean energy to supply a population equivalent of more than 26,000 homes, avoid the emission of 12,000 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere per year and represent an investment of more than 33 million euros. Its construction has had an important local component, both in terms of industrial suppliers and the involvement of up to 250 workers at peak periods, which has contributed to the revitalisation of the economy and employment in the area. A new energy landscape that fixes population in rural areas Iberdrola promotes renewable energies as a driver of rural development and in this way the villages emerge as a guarantee for the future. This is the case of the villages of Castile and Leon, where Iberdrola will contribute to sustainable recovery, enabling the creation of local employment. In addition, the company has fully integrated the conservation of ecosystem biodiversity into its strategy, demonstrating that the supply of clean and sustainable competitive energy can effectively coexist with environmental balance. READ MORE
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31/01/2023We are once again included in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index Iberdrola remains a benchmark in equal opportunities , as evidenced by its inclusion, for the sixth consecutive year, in the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index (GEI). The company is once again a member of the Bloomberg Gender Equality Index, a market capitalization-weighted index developed to gauge the performance of public companies dedicated to reporting gender-related data. This benchmark index assesses gender equality across five pillars: leadership and talent development, equal pay and gender pay parity, inclusive culture, anti-sexual harassment policies and brand image. Bloomberg Chairman Peter T. Grauer congratulated the companies included in this year’s index and commented that they continue to see an increase in both interest and membership globally, reflecting the shared goal of transparency in gender-related metrics. To compile the index, which includes 484 companies from around 45 countries with a capitalisation of $16 trillion, Bloomberg analyses data from more than 11,700 companies worldwide with capitalisations of more than $1 billion across 11 sectors and 54 industries. With its methodology, it seeks to provide transparent and comparable information to investors interested in environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. In the case of Iberdrola, the ESG has rated very positively the disclosure of information related to diversity and equal opportunities and the excellence of the data. In the area of gender equality (Sustainable Development Goal 5 of the 2030 Agenda ), Iberdrola has made ambitious commitments. In addition to belonging to the Bloomberg GEI index, Iberdrola is also included in the main international sustainability indexes, including the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, MSCI, CDP, FTSE4Good, Global100, Sustainalytics, Euronext Vigeo Eiris indices, EcoVadis, and others. Gender diversity in senior management In recent years, Iberdrola has consolidated wage equality between men and women and supports gender diversity not only in its Board of Directors, but also in its management positions. Increasing their presence is an objective that forms part of the company's strategic plan. Currently, female representation represents 24% of the total, above the 20% average in the STEM labour ecosystem. Since 2013, Iberdrola has become one of the companies with the highest percentage of female directors among Ibex companies: it has 50% of independent female directors on its Board of Directors and has set the goal of increasing the presence of women in management positions to reach 30% by 2025. READ MORE
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31/01/2023We set new benchmark with approval to build Europe’s largest solar plant in Portugal When it comes on stream in 2025, the Fernando Pessoa plant, named after the Portuguese poet, will be able to supply enough clean, low cost, locally generated green energy to cover the annual needs of some 430,000 households, a population equivalent to nearly twice the size of the city of Porto. The grid connection has already been contracted with Portuguese operator REN and the facility will avoid the consumption of 370 million cubic metres of gas each year. The project will have Prosolia Energy as partner. Land for the project has already been secured and its construction will create up to 2,500 jobs, mostly local. The plant will be an example of the coexistence of new renewable developments with environmental heritage and local communities. The project’s action plan includes measures such as occupational skills training, fostering tourism and providing solar energy to nearby communities. In terms of biodiversity and environmental protection , the land will be used by local shepherds to graze sheep in the area and beehives will be introduced, which will help to improve ecosystem stability and boost crop yields in the surrounding farmland. In addition, planting will be carried out in the area surrounding the facility to restore indigenous tree species. Iberdrola Executive Chairman, Ignacio Galán, said: “This solar farm sets a new benchmark in combining Europe’s clean energy ambitions with the delivery of tangible environmental and social benefits. We need to reduce our exposure to fossil fuels. We are proud to continue and strengthen our commitment to Portugal with new clean infrastructure across the country, as we did with the Tâmega gigabattery. The collaboration of the Portuguese authorities has also been essential in getting this project to this stage in record time.” “Fernando Pessoa will be a groundbreaking solar farm, on a scale that Europe has never seen before. A project of this scale and ambition was unimaginable only a few years ago, but Iberdrola has the technical expertise and the financial strength to make it a reality. We look forward to maintaining our central role in Portugal’s ambitious clean energy future,” said Alejandra Reyna, Country Manager of Iberdrola Renovables Portugal. Stable regulatory framework Portugal has recently announced a new regulatory framework alongside the modernisation of its administrations, aimed at accelerating the deployment of clean energy. The country’s stable and predictable regulations as well as its efforts to advance the implementation of the European Green Pact and the EU's REPower package are helping to attract investor interest. Through the incorporation of renewable permits into the Simplex programme, created to simplify national administrative procedures, the country aims to expedite the response to the double challenge posed by the climate and energy crises in Europe. This step will help to further guarantee energy self-sufficiency and ensure that the country remains firmly on track to meet its climate targets. Long-term investor in Portugal’s energy transition Iberdrola plans to invest an additional €3 billion in wind and solar energy in Portugal over the coming years. At the end of 2022, construction was completed on the Alcochete solar complex (46 MW) in the Setúbal district (Lisbon region), where the company has also completed two other PV facilities: Conde (13.5 MW) and Algeruz II (27 MW). In early 2023, construction will begin on the 37-MW Montechoro I and II projects in Paderne (Albufeira) and the 64-MW Carregado project in Alenquer (Lisbon), while the Estoi solar plant (83 MW) in the Algarve, which also includes battery storage, will come on stream in 2024. All these plants are related to Portugal’s capacity auctions held in 2019 and 2020, when Iberdrola was awarded eight PV projects amounting to 270 MW in total. Last year in the Tâmega river, the utility inaugurated Portugal’s largest pumped hydroelectric storage complex, one of Europe’s largest. With an investment of €1.5 billion, it has three dams and three power plants (Gouvães, Daivões and Alto Tâmega) and a combined installed capacity of 1,158 MW. The group also plans to build a 400-MW wind farm linked to this project, which will eventually turn the complex into a hybrid power plant. Iberdrola already operates 92 MW of wind power in Portugal, spread over three wind farms: Catefica (18 MW) in the municipality of Torres Vedras; Alto do Monção (32 MW) in Mortágua and Tondela; and Serra do Alvão, in Ribeira de Pena, with 42 MW. Together, these plants produce 200 GWh per year, equivalent to the electricity used by 35,000 households. READ MORE
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30/01/2023We exceed 7,500 direct jobs and 70,000 indirect jobs in the US Regulatory stability and the commitment of the different administrations to decarbonisation have helped Iberdrola, Europe's leading electricity company and one of the four largest in the world by market capitalisation, to strengthen its commitment to the United States , the main destination of the group's investments, with more than $21,500 million planned for the three-year period 2023-2025. The number of employees of the Group's US subsidiary, AVANGRID , exceeds 7,500 and the company generates a total of 70,000 jobs in the country through its investments and purchases. The combination of the grid business and renewable energy generation is one of the main differentiators of the company, positioned to fully capitalise on all the benefits derived from the energy transition . In the last three years (2020-2022), the company chaired by Ignacio Galán has invested $9 billion in the United States, and in 2021 alone it exceeded $3 billion. In the transmission and distribution grid business, the company is investing in modernisation and digitalisation to increase service quality and resilience to extreme weather events and to enable the integration of more clean energy into the system. It is also the third largest renewable energy company in the country in terms of installed capacity and leads the development of offshore wind energy , a key vector of the energy transition, with a project portfolio of more than 6,000 MW. Iberdrola's installed renewable capacity in the United States is expected to reach approximately 10,000 MW by 2025, with 70% growth in a decade. It currently has two of the country's most important renewable energy and grid initiatives underway: the construction of the 806 MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm in Massachusetts waters, and the acquisition of PNM Resources in New Mexico and Texas. In early 2022, through its North American subsidiary AVANGRID, Iberdrola was awarded more than 2,000 MW of offshore wind capacity on the East Coast: the Park City Wind (804 MW) and Commonwealth Wind (1,232 MW) offshore wind farms which have ongoing Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) permits. Total investment in these three projects could exceed $10 billion over the current decade, and would generate clean energy for more than 1.5 million households. AVANGRID also has the Kitty Hawk project (3,500 MW) in North Carolina waters, the first phase of which, Kitty Hawk North (800 MW) has already started the BOEM permitting process. In line with the US government's commitment to green hydrogen , in October 2022, Iberdrola and the US company Sempra Infrastructure announced an agreement for the joint development of large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia projects to meet the decarbonisation needs of US industry. US energy leader In less than two decades, Iberdrola has become one of the largest groups in the North American electricity sector, listed on the New York Stock Exchange since 2015. Headquartered in Orange, Connecticut, and with approximately $40 billion in assets, the firm has a presence in 24 states and manages more than 9,450 MW of installed capacity, including more than 8,600 MW of renewables (primarily wind and solar PV), and more than 130,000 kilometres of power lines through eight distributors in New York, Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts. The company serves a population of 10 million people in the United States. On 13 September 2022, Iberdrola and AVANGRID were invited to the event at the White House for the approval of the Inflation Reduction Act, a historic law supporting renewable energy and the fight against climate change in the United States. Iberdrola has a portfolio of more than 25,000 MW of high-quality renewable projects in the United States, representing a stable platform for continued growth over the coming years as the country meets its decarbonisation targets. AVANGRID continues to make significant progress in the environmental, social and governance (ESG) areas . In January this year, AVANGRID was again recognised for the third consecutive year by JUST Capital for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves, being the first utility in the ranking, and the Ethisphere Institute included it among the world's most ethical companies for the fourth consecutive year. Thanks to the company's commitment to renewable energy, AVANGRID's CO₂ emissions intensity is 6.5 times lower than the average for US utilities. READ MORE
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27/01/2023We are awarded four agrovoltaic innovation projects in France Iberdrola has been awarded four agrovoltaic projects with a total capacity of 12 megawatts (MW) in the renewable energy innovation tenders launched by the French Ministry of Energy Transition . As a prerequisite and priority, the projects focus on innovation criteria, care for the environment and improvement of agriculture and livestock farming on the land on which they are implemented, while maximising electricity production takes second place. Innovation that contributes to normalising the coexistence of the energy and agricultural sectors. The tender has been designed through contracts for difference (CfD), in which the price per MWh has been marked for a duration of 20 years above the market value to compensate for the prioritisation of the care of agriculture and livestock , rather than the maximisation of the plant's production. The French tender was launched for a total of 140 MW under two different categories: innovative ground-mounted installations with capacities ranging from 500 kW to 3 MW, and innovative installations installed on the roofs of barns, greenhouses or car parks, with capacities ranging from 10 kW to 3 MW. In total, 172 MW have been awarded in 66 projects: 30 ground-mounted and 36 roof-mounted, with an average capacity of 2.6 MW. The four projects presented by Iberdrola have won the bidding and obtained the maximum capacity of 3 MW. Framed in the land category, they contemplate two different solutions. The first of these, called Kirch, is aimed at improving animal welfare and the pastures used to feed the cattle where the panels will be located, in order to increase the quality of the organic farm's dairy products. The other three projects Maubec, Lapenche and Solomiac aim to improve agricultural plantations. Improving livestock and agriculture Climate change causes heat stress in both cattle and pastures, which affects milk production and quality. To combat this problem, in the Kirch project the solar structures are placed at a minimum height of 1.5 metres to allow the cows to find shelter under the photovoltaic panels. In addition, each panel is equipped with a smart system that allows rainwater to be collected during the winter period, stored in a tank and filtered, and then used in the hot season to irrigate the paddock and humidify the cows to relieve them from the high temperatures. Iberdrola's prototype also predicts the onset of heat stress by cross-referencing data from the farm's weather station and health parameters captured through smart collars placed around the cows' necks. Thus, in the event of extreme temperatures, sensors placed under the panels detect the presence of the cows and automatically activate the foggers. The system is also able to predict the water needs of the grassland and activate the smart irrigation system when necessary, in order to ensure green pastures all year round. The aim is to improve the quality and organic milk production of the farm. The second solution, focused on maximising the agricultural planting of the land, is based on the tracker technology of the PV panels, but instead of following the sun to maximise electricity production, the single-axis trackers aim to optimise crop production. The panels are installed in rows from north to south, which allows a rotation of the PV panels from an angle range between -70° and +70° in an east-west direction. Thus, they are able to protect the crops from frost in winter or intense sunlight in summer, and improve the quality of the plantation. The shading of the panels is driven by an intelligent system that monitors the state of the plantation through sensors installed under each row of panels; these collect and cross-reference plant and weather data to predict when the crops need sunlight and when they need shade. In addition, the panels are strategically positioned to allow tractors to pass between their rows and to support the transition from traditional to agroforestry farming. Thus, by planting complementary plantations between rows of crops, such as cereals and oilseeds, an ecosystem is created to protect them from pests and diseases in order to maintain the level of production, reducing the use of pesticides. Betting on France Iberdrola has been developing, building and operating renewable energy projects in France since 2005, prioritising respect for the environment and the social and economic development of the regions where its facilities are located. The company plans to invest around 4 billion euros by 2025, mainly in renewable projects. With a presence in 8 cities, such as Paris and Marseille, Iberdrola has 118 MW of operational onshore wind generation in France and a growth plan for both onshore wind and photovoltaic projects of between 700 and 900 MW by the end of the decade. The company has also just completed the first phase of construction of its first offshore wind project in France, Saint-Brieuc. With almost 500 MW of capacity, it will generate enough clean energy to meet the electricity consumption of 835,000 people once it comes on stream later this year. Iberdrola puts its experience at the service of its industrial customers and also in France has recently launched Energy Transition as a Service to accompany them in their decarbonisation processes. READ MORE
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23/01/2023We present Aitana Bonmatí with the MVP award of the Iberdrola Spanish Super Cup final David Martín Arevalillo, Iberdrola's delegate in Extremadura, this morning presented Aitana Bonmatí, FC Barcelona player, with the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award for her outstanding participation during the match between Real Sociedad and FC Barcelona, in which the latter won by 3 goals to 0. After the match, played at the Romano José Fouto stadium in Mérida, Martín Arevalillo congratulated the player and expressed Iberdrola's absolute commitment "to promote the role of women in sport, as a vindication of equality, but also of excellence, and thus contribute to creating references so that girls and young women know that they can be whatever they set their minds to". For her part, Aitana said on the pitch that she was "very happy, first title of the season, we are Barça and we fight to win all the titles. Good work by the team and a well-deserved Super Cup". On her individual award she explained that "We always like individual awards, but I always think of the team, it is a collective sport and the work is done by everyone". In 2016, Iberdrola became the first company to make a firm and global commitment to equality and the empowerment of women through sport, with the conviction that through sport it is possible to raise awareness and work on the need to promote a society with equal opportunities. The company continues its commitment to women's football through the promotion of women's football competitions, such as the Queen’s Cup and the Spanish Super Cup, as well as the Primera Federación FUTFEM. In addition, it currently supports 32 national sports federations, a support that benefits 600,000 women athletes or, in other words, two out of every three federated women in Spain. It also gives its name to 32 leagues, all of them of the highest category, and to another 100 competitions with naming right. With this commitment, Iberdrola contributes to boosting the success of women's sport, promotes equal opportunities and encourages healthy habits in society from an early age. Their actions are contributing to an increase in the level of competition and are allowing many Spanish elite sportswomen, who have developed their sporting careers in other countries, to return to competitions in Spain, or Spanish sportswomen to compete in prestigious international leagues. READ MORE
