News
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25/09/2020Iberdrola involves 4,000 staff in a Volunteers’ Day adapted to Covid-19 conditions Today, Iberdrola rounds off a week of activities related to ‘International Volunteers’ Day’ which, this year and despite the specific conditions required by Covid-19, involved over 4,000 employees from ten countries in which it operates. Over this last week, employees from Spain, the United States, Mexico, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, Italy, Belgium and Portugal, under the slogan 'Together We are Continuing to Build the World We Want to See', have carried out more than 60 charitable initiatives related to caring for the environment, the inclusion of vulnerable groups and the social emergency, in particular by helping vulnerable families in the back to school process, through the donation of food packs and school equipment packs. Iberdrola volunteers and their families also shared these actions with other vulnerable groups, such as people with disabilities and the elderly, who are the ones who are suffering the most from the lockdown. This year, the health restrictions connected to the pandemic have made it necessary to adapt the format of the actions, which have been carried out virtually. In Spain, more than 1,900 volunteers have participated in 20 activities, from charity runs, reforestation, building shelters for the protection of endangered species, bird watching and recording, making toys to promote cognitive development and the psychomotor skills of people with intellectual disabilities and the elderly, to sports workshops, inclusive leisure activities, storytelling employing the easy reading technique and support aimed at reducing the emotional effects of lockdown on the elderly and dependent people. In the other strategic geographical areas, employees have collaborated in global and also local projects focusing on the reforestation of natural areas, raising awareness about caring for the environment, promoting inclusion and aid in response to the social emergency, above all through the provision of vital basic foods and education. To do this, they took part in different charity runs in which with the money raised for all the miles run translated into the donation of food packs for vulnerable families. Iberdrola volunteers made the charitable video "By Your Side", aimed at highlighting their work and explaining what it means to be a volunteer: “putting a lot of energy and enthusiasm into building together the world we want to see” ( https://www.iberdrola.com/about-us/society/corporate-volunteering ). In Mexico, volunteers have manufactured charity masks that will be donated to institutions devoted to the employment, education and support of people with hearing disabilities. They have also carried out activities related to environmental conservation and awareness regarding climate change, through educational content on the Educaclima tool in the country's schools, the creation of gardens for hummingbirds and endangered bird species and the holding of a sustainable film festival. In Brazil, volunteers’ activities have been related to cleaning the local environment, taking part in a charity gymkhana to collect donations of food and personal hygiene materials that they will donate to various NGOs that work with the homeless. In the UK, employees have taken part in a green raffle with the aim of eliminating unnecessary plastics and raising awareness about caring for the planet. In addition, they have held recycling workshops to turn common household plastic waste into fun items for the home, as well as making donations of trees. In the US, activities have focused on improving the homes of vulnerable persons, in addition to those aimed at meeting basic food needs. Over 6,000 volunteership opportunities for all 365 days of the year This initiative forms part of Iberdrola´s Corporate Volunteer programme, launched in 2006, as part of its commitment to support the involvement of its teams in the situation faced by society's most disadvantaged, turning them into agents for change. The project is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which the company has integrated into its strategy. Specifically, this programme focuses on goals number 7 (affordable and clean energy), 13 (climate action), 3 (good health and well-being), 4 (quality education) and 10 (reduced inequalities). Every year, the company offers its employees more than 6,000 volunteer opportunities, with the aim of rallying the talent, time and energy of its professionals with the aim of improving our society. The programme has received a number of accolades, including the Innovation Award 2018 in the Private Sector category, granted by the IMPACT2030 network (a private sector and UN initiative). Furthermore, in 2016 the company received a Special Mention from the King of Spain, on the occasion of the celebration of the first decade of its International Programme in 2016. The year before, International Cooperation awarded it the Most Caring Company award. READ MORE
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22/09/2020Iberdrola creates its Global Smartgrid Innovation Hub to lead the energy transition Iberdrola believes that the transition towards a new energy model , based on electrification and the incorporation of more renewables, requires accelerating investments in electricity distribution networks. In order to respond to the challenges and to lead innovation in networks infrastructure, the company has announced the launch of a Global Smartgrid Innovation Hub. The hub will act as a platform for driving innovation, combining its technological capabilities with that of suppliers, collaborators and startups from all across the world. In the context of a green recovery, the hub is designed to support cutting-edge projects in smart grid technologies that will benefit local industries, promote global innovation, and attract investment to enhance the growth of communities. The innovation hub, located in Spain at the company's Distribution Operation Center in Bilbao, will start operating in the spring of 2021. Iberdrola has already identified more than 120 innovation projects worth €110 million. The lines of work, which are international in scope, will enable the development and deployment of innovative solutions to the company's electricity network activities throughout the world. The initiative will involve the collaboration of more than 200 professionals to develop R+D+i projects related to the new challenges of electricity networks. This will include enhanced digitalization, data analytics and the resilience and flexibility of the network to manage new consumption models, including electric mobility and self-generation. Collaborating in the project is the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, which will facilitate the relationship between the innovation ecosystem and the financial tools to accelerate startup participation. Investment in R&D&I to meet the challenges of the green economy Over the past decade, Iberdrola accumulated investment in R+D+I activities related to renewables, electricity networks, storage and consumer solutions is close to €2 billion. This commitment makes it the world’s third most innovative energy company. Over the last two years, the company has developed 85 innovation projects, becoming world leader in smart grid technology. In recent years, the group's distribution companies have deployed nearly 14 million smart meters – out of a total 20 million planned – in the markets where they operate, and have adapted the electrical infrastructure that supports them by adding remote management, supervision and automation capabilities. The company manages 1.2 million km of power lines and more than 4,400 substations, which distribute electricity to more than 30 million people worldwide READ MORE
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22/09/2020Iberdrola launches the first app for collaborative electric vehicle charging for private users Iberdrola is making progress in its electrification strategy of offering new sustainable mobility solutions with the launch of the first app aimed entirely at collaborative electric vehicle recharging. Through this application, developed in collaboration with startups Cargatucoche and HomyHub, owners of charging points who wish to rent them out are placed in contact with electric vehicle users. The app, which is available for download on Google Play and App Store, has just been launched to coincide with European Mobility Week. The aim of this application is to provide solutions to users who are considering purchasing an electric vehicle but do not have a garage space where they can install a charging point. Today, more than 15 million electric vehicles ‘sleep’ out on the street. The application, developed by the start-up Cargatucoche, enables the owners of the points to rent them out on whichever days and hours to suit them and at the price that they decide. To facilitate remote access to the rental infrastructure, the app has been integrated into HomyHub’s smart devices, from which the doors or barriers can be opened and closed from any mobile device. The app has an identity validation system by scanning the Spanish National ID card and a selfie, and the HomyHub devices have a system for registering the accesses made. Combined efforts in the search for solutions The first 50 participants in this project will receive a HomyHub automatic opening device free of charge. Wallbox is offering free recharging points to the first 50 project participants. Companies such as SEAT, Cabify and Pryconsa have joined this challenge, collaborating in the search for synergies and solutions to continue promoting electric mobility , promoting this project among its network of customers, employees and collaborating partners. Mobility and the positive impact on cities The project is part of ‘Madrid in Motion’, an urban mobility initiative launched by barrabes.biz with the support of the Madrid City Council and the Municipal Transport Company, to generate collaborative and innovative solutions on mobility challenges that promote a positive impact in the future for cities and their citizens. The startups HomyHub and Cargatucoche have financial support from Iberdrola, as well as support from its Smart Mobility team to develop and achieve the solution. They also have the opportunity to work with the energy group’s other business areas and companies. In the global challenge, the company analysed 54 proposals submitted by technological innovators. Step on the gas and reinforce your sustainable mobility plan Iberdrola continues to push its stance for transport electrification as part of its strategy for a decarbonised economy, as a key lever in the reduction of emissions and city pollution, as well as for a green recovery in the post-Covid world. The company has unveiled a sustainable mobility plan , with an investment of €150 million, with which it will increase its roll-out of electric vehicle recharging points in the coming years. The initiative entails around 150,000 charge points in homes, companies and on the public road network in cities as well as on the main motorways and highways over the next five years. The commitment to deploying high efficiency charge points will see the company install ultra-rapid (350 kW) charge points every 200 kilometres, super-rapid ones (150 kW) every 100 kilometres, and rapid (50 kW) charge points every 50 kilometres. Iberdrola is aware of the need to boost electric mobility in Spain through coordinated, effective action with the major players involved. The company has therefore already completed more than 40 infrastructure roll-out agreements with government departments, institutions, companies, service stations, dealers and manufacturers of electric vehicles. The company has recently become the first Spanish business to subscribe to The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, with the aim of accelerating the transition towards electric vehicles with a commitment to electrifying its entire fleet of vehicles and allowing its staff to charge their vehicles at its businesses in Spain and the United Kingdom by 2030. READ MORE
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21/09/2020Ignacio Galán confirms Iberdrola's commitment to green hydrogen at the New York Climate Week with the creation of a new business unit The Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, today confirmed the company's firm commitment to green hydrogen with the creation of a new business unit with the aim of positioning the group as a world leader in this technology. Iberdrola - as it did with renewables 20 years ago – joins the new technological challenge of producing and supplying hydrogen from clean energy sources. In order to do so, the company will use 100% renewable electricity in the electrolysis process, thus responding to the electrification and decarbonization needs of sectors such as industry or heavy transport. Iberdrola has already taken the first steps, with ambitious projects in Spain and the United Kingdom. With an investment of €150 million and nearly 700 jobs to be created, the company is developing in Puertollano (Ciudad Real) the largest green hydrogen plant for industrial use in Europe which will be commissioned in 2021. The green hydrogen thus produced will be used in the Fertiberia ammonia factory in Puertollano. The innovation project – the first of several initiatives being analysed in Spain – will comprise a 100 MW solar photovoltaic plant, a lithium-ion battery system with a storage capacity of 20 MWh and one of the world’s largest systems for producing hydrogen by electrolysis (20 MW). In the United Kingdom, through its subsidiary ScottishPower, Iberdrola is participating in the 'Green Hydrogen for Scotland' project, which will implement a network of green hydrogen production plants to supply fleets and heavy transport. The first of these will be located on the outskirts of Glasgow and will use solar and wind energy to operate a 10-MW electrolysis unit. More investments to accelerate the green economy Iberdrola's new commitment was announced today by Ignacio Galán speaking at several forums during the New York Climate Week. First, he took part at a digital meeting with the Vice-President of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans, where they analyzed the new emissions reduction targets set by the EU and the role of technologies such as hydrogen. Then, after the speech of UN Secretary General Guterres to the General Assembly, Ignacio Galán took part in the Private Sector Forum organized by the United Nations Global Compact. Speaking at the panel 'Business Response. Reflection on 75 years' and in reference to the current situation, Galán said: "I only know one way to overcome the crisis: to invest more in forward-looking industries and become more productive and efficient. The recovery plans announced in Europe and the rest of the world have two clear priorities: the 'green deal' and digitalization. But we have to accelerate them". In this sense, he highlighted the €110 billion investments made by the company since 2001 in renewable energy, networks and storage, and the opportunities that the energy transition creates in terms of jobs and the transformation of traditional sectors of the economy. He also said that the company has this year decided to step up investments to €10 billion, twice the average invested in recent years. Galán discussed how the private sector and civil society can make a difference by working together with the United Nations. "Transformations such as the one being led by Iberdrola for over 20 years now are going to be more necessary than ever in the coming years to rebuild our economies. And the United Nations has a unique capacity to drive these movements by joining forces to address global problems," he added. Within this framework, the Chairman of Iberdrola signed the statement from Business Leaders for Renewed Global Cooperation , promoted by the United Nations Global Compact and supported by more than 1,200 CEOs from over 100 countries. The aim of this initiative is to foster a type of multilateralism that allows progress towards a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable world. Iberdrola has also been recognized as a Global Compact LEAD, a distinction that identifies those companies committed to the United Nations Global Compact, the world's largest business initiative for sustainability. Also in this first day of the Climate Week in New York, Iberdrola has become one of the signatories of the Sustainable Ocean Principles promoted by the Global Compact. READ MORE
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18/09/2020The Iberdrola SuperA Awards receive more than 400 applications to continue to promote women's sport The Iberdrola SuperA Awards are at their halfway point having received 406 applications - from associations, clubs, sports federations and the educational sector - aimed at projects that promote and raise the profile of women's sport. The awards recognise initiatives in six different categories, related to: the promotion of basic sport for young girls (SuperA Basic); the incorporation of women into sporting competitions (SuperA Competition); example and reference projects in the area of the integration of sportswomen with disabilities (SuperA Inclusion); initiatives to promote the social integration of women and girls through the practice of sport (SuperA Social); projects and activities that publicise and raise the profile of sport practised by women and help to convey the importance of the role of women in sport and in society (SuperA Dissemination); and the SuperA+ category, to recognise a charity initiative undertaken during the Covid-19 crisis in the area of women's sport. The over 400 applications have come from associations, clubs, national and regional sports federations, schools, colleges and public and private institutions that have launched or are currently managing a career in sport or a project in line with the objectives of the awards. The Honorary Panel of Judges, made up of thirteen famous figures from Spanish sport* (eight women and five men), will choose the winners in the six categories who will receive a financial award of €50,000 each to continue to promote the best initiatives undertaken in Spain promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women through sport. The Iberdrola SuperA Awards are in line with the UN 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically number 5, which refers to gender equality and the empowerment of women, and SDG 3, regarding health and well-being. Iberdrola, pioneer in promoting women's sport Promoting women's sport has become a key lever for Iberdrola, and the promotion of true equality between men and women one of its essential values. In 2016 Iberdrola became the first company to make a firm and global commitment to women's equality and empowerment through sport. Iberdrola 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. In parallel, 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 32% (reaching over 316,000), but is also allowing Spanish elite sportswomen who have developed their sporting career in other countries to start competing again in Spain, contributing to an improvement in the standard and visibility of national competitions. *Amanda Sampedro, Carolina Marín, Conchita Martinez, Javier Fernández, Jesús Carballo, Manu Carreño, Marta Arce, Paloma del Río, Sandra Sánchez, Silvia Navarro, Talant Dujshebaev, Teresa Perales and Vicente del Bosque READ MORE
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17/09/2020Iberdrola targets Japan as a new growth platform for renewables Iberdrola is targeting the Japanese market as a new platform for growth in renewable energy, specifically in the field of offshore wind. The company has reached an agreement with Macquarie’s Green Investment Group to acquire 100% of the local developer Acacia Renewables. Acacia Renewables currently has two offshore wind farms under development, with a combined capacity of up to 1.2 GW, which could be operational by 2028. It also has four other projects in its pipeline, with a total capacity of 2.1 GW. Iberdrola will hold an equal share in the six projects alongside GIG, and the partners will develop the portfolio. The operation is in line with the company's strategy, allowing Iberdrola to position itself in the early development stage of Japan’s offshore wind market, which has strong growth potential. The deal gives Iberdrola access to a diversified project pipeline, located in different areas of the southwest of the country, in an optimal manner for the auctions announced by the Japanese government. Iberdrola and GIG are committed to continuing efforts to build strong partnerships in Japan, bringing further Japanese companies into the projects. Acacia has a team experienced in the management of renewable projects and in-depth knowledge of the market, as well as offices in the country; critical conditions for leading the future development of new projects in Japan on its own. Market with strong growth potential and favourable investment environment The acquisition of the local renewable developer opens up the opportunity for Iberdrola to enter the Japanese offshore wind market which is in its early stages and has strong growth potential over the coming decades, with a favourable investment environment. Installed offshore wind capacity in Japan is currently around 70 MW, but the country has deployed a strategy to decarbonise its energy mix and promote energy independence. Forecasts indicate that the market will reach 10 GW installed in 2030 and up to 37 GW in 2050*. Diversification strategy adding projects to the portfolio The acquisition of Acacia is in line with Iberdrola's strategy to consolidate its position as the world's largest renewable energy company by adding new projects to its portfolio, and joins other transactions carried out by the company in recent years in the offshore wind sector. Operations that have allowed the development of wind farms in the Baltic Sea (Wikinger, Baltic Eagle), the North Sea (East Anglia ONE), the Irish Sea (West of Duddon Sands), the Massachusetts coast (Vineyard Wind), the French coast (Saint Brieuc) and, more recently, access to 9 GW capacity in Sweden. In the offshore wind sector, Iberdrola already operates wind farms in the UK and Germany, and the company is working on new developments in the UK, US, German and French markets and has a 15 GW pipeline. With the acquisition of Japanese company Acacia, the company led by Ignacio Galán, has made its sixth corporate move of the year, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19. In addition to transactions in offshore wind power in France and Sweden, the company has also acquired the French renewable energy company Aalto Power, made agreements to develop 165 MW of onshore wind power in Scotland and, more recently, has taken ownership of Infigen, establishing a major presence in the Australian renewable energy market. Accelerating investments to help green recovery Iberdrola is confident that electrification will act as a lever for change in the post-COVID world and has therefore accelerated investment to help revitalise economic activity and job creation. This commitment to a green recovery has led it to commit record investments this year of €10 billion in renewable energy, smarter electricity networks and large-scale storage systems, with overall investments of €100 billion since 2001 worldwide. Iberdrola operates 32.7 GW of renewables in the world and has a pipeline of over 58 GW of renewable projects. *Source: Japan Wind Association READ MORE
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16/09/2020“We welcome the European Union's climate ambition to continue to move firmly towards climate neutrality” Iberdrola chairman, Ignacio Galán, has valued the European Commission review regarding the emission reduction targets (from 40 % to 55 %) for 2030. Galán welcomed “the European Union's climate ambition to continue to move firmly towards climate neutrality”, and said “this new ambition still represents a unique opportunity for Spain that we have to take advantage of.” The CEO is convinced “we have the technologies, the innovative companies, an enormous capacity to respond to new projects and the necessary renewable resources”. Even so, he points out, “we must continue to accelerate the transition to stimulate economic recovery. The best way to do this is to support forward-looking sectors that are promoting sustainable and quality employment, as well as seeking to reduce emissions and pollution”. “The EU was already promoting a sustainable growth strategy”, he adds, “based on the energy transition , and now we have a clear signal to speed-up this activity with the European Green Deal as a roadmap”. READ MORE
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16/09/2020up its sustainable mobility strategy and signs green loan with ICO to finance the installation of 2,500 Iberdrola has signed a new green loan with the Official Credit Institute (ICO) for €59.4 million to speed up the roll-out of its sustainable mobility plan, which aims to install 150,000 charging points in homes, companies and public roads over the next five years, in line with its green recovery strategy. In this case, the funding will allow Iberdrola to strengthen its roadside charging network in Spain and Portugal with up to 2,500 new points. The funding signed with ICO, with nine-year maturity, is the fourth green loan that the Institute has granted to the Spanish company to bolster the production and the use of energy from renewable, non-polluting sources. As part of its sustainable mobility plan, electric vehicle users who charge their vehicles at Iberdrola points will do so with 100% clean energy that comes with a Guarantee of Origin (GdO) certificate. They can also count on a green certificate from G-Advisory , which has issued its second party opinion. The Iberdrola electric mobility plan, aligned with its green recovery strategy, also has the support of the European Commission in the form of a €13 million subsidy, granted to the company by the Innovation and Networks Executive Agency (INEA) as part of the CEF Transport Blending Facility call, which will help to finance the installation of 2,339 fast, super-fast and ultra-fast electric vehicle charging points in Spain and Portugal by 2023. These new stations will be located on high-capacity roads in the two countries and close to the trans-European transport network (TEN-T). The ICO has the status of an Implementing Partner in the CEF programme, with the aim of providing easier access by Spanish companies to European Union initiatives of this type. Specifically, this time it has prompted blending operations, i.e., operations that combine the use of the CEF subsidy mechanism with a loan component from one of the approved bodies in this programme, such as the ICO. Proposals sponsored by the approved bodies as part of the CEF programme have the express approval of the central government in the EU member state of the applicant institutions or companies. In Spain, this approval corresponds to the Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda (MITMA). Electric mobility and green recovery Iberdrola continues to push its stance for transport electrification as part of its strategy for a decarbonised economy, as a key lever in the reduction of emissions and city pollution, as well as for a green recovery in the post-Covid world. The company has unveiled a sustainable mobility plan , with an investment of €150 million, with which it will increase its roll-out of electric vehicle charging points in the coming years. The initiative entails around 150,000 charging points in homes, companies and on the public road network in cities as well as on the main motorways and highways over the next five years. The commitment to deploying high efficiency charging points will see the company install ultra-fast (350 kW) charging points every 200 kilometres, super-fast ones (150 kW) every 100 kilometres, and fast (50 kW) charging points every 50 kilometres. Iberdrola is aware of the need to boost electric mobility in Spain through coordinated, effective action with the major players involved. The company has already completed more than 40 infrastructure roll-out agreements with government departments, institutions, companies, service stations, dealers and electric vehicle manufacturers. The company has recently become the first Spanish business to subscribe to The Climate Group’s EV100 initiative, with the aim of accelerating the transition towards electric vehicles with a commitment to electrifying its entire fleet of vehicles and allowing its staff to charge their vehicles at its businesses in Spain and the United Kingdom by 2030. Iberdrola Iberdrola is a global energy leader, the number-one producer of wind power, and one of the world’s biggest electricity utilities by market capitalisation. The Group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries including Spain, the United Kingdom (ScottishPower), the United States (AVANGRID), Brazil (Neoenergia), Mexico, Germany, Portugal, Italy and France. With a workforce of more than 35,000 and assets in excess of €122 billion, it achieved a turnover of over €36.4 billion and a net profit of over €3.4 billion in 2019. Iberdrola is leading the transition towards a sustainable energy model through its investments in renewable energy, smart grids, large-scale energy storage and digital transformation, to offer the most advanced products and services to its customers. Thanks to its commitment to clean energy, Iberdrola is one of the companies with the lowest emissions and an international benchmark for its contribution to sustainability and the fight against climate change. The group is a pioneer in green funding, having been the first Spanish company to close a green bond placement, and so far has eight senior public issues with this format. It has also carried out private green placements and issued green bonds from other subsidiaries of the group, such as AVANGRID and Neoenergia. In line with this strategy, at the end of 2016 Iberdrola signed the world’s first green loan to an energy company and currently has green/sustainable funding of over €22 billion. The ICO's commitment to sustainability The ICO has made sustainability a horizontal action principle for its various facets: environmental, social and governance, both in liability transactions, by capturing funds on international markets and in channelling them into asset transactions to finance companies and projects, and in its social responsibility policy. In this line of work, the ICO collaborates with the European Commission, the EIB and EIF to mobilise resources from the Community budget for Spanish companies. During the current Multiannual Financial Framework 2016-2020, it has furthered the channelling of €2 billion from the funds of the Juncker Plan (European Strategic Investment Fund) and, more recently and as an approved body in the Connecting Europe Facility programme, it has helped six alternative fuel projects by Spanish companies to receive European funds. In 2019 it launched its first issue of green bonds on the market, for a value of €500 million, and operations worth more than €1.08 billion were approved to finance sustainable environmental and social projects. READ MORE
