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12/05/2021Iberdrola ramps up investment by 45% to €2.5 billion and posts €1.08 billion (+12%) adjusted net profit Iberdrola has begun 2021 reaffirming its role as a driving force for the reactivation of the economy and employment in the countries where it operates. The group has made record investments in the first quarter amounting to €2.5 billion, an increase of 45%. This effort focused on the networks business (50% of the total) and renewables (42%). By country, the United States (€725 million), Brazil (€698 million) and Spain (€546.5 million) concentrate about 80% of the investment. Other European markets, the UK and Australia complete the remainder. The record investments were accompanied by a good operating performance, with reported EBITDA growing 2% to €2.81 billion, including the negative impact of COVID-19 (-€65 million) and the exchange rate (-€231 million). Excluding these effects, Iberdrola's EBITDA for the quarter was €3.11 billion, up 12.2%. As of March, 81% of the group's EBITDA came from A-rated countries. Adjusted net profit - excluding the extraordinary impact of the divestment of Siemens Gamesa in the first quarter of 2020 - rose 12% to €1.08 billion. Reported net profit, stood at €1.02 billion. Ignacio Galán, Chairman and CEO of Iberdrola, said: “The acceleration of investments allows us to grow at a faster pace than initially planned while sustaining more than 30,000 quality jobs through our supply chain in Spain. Iberdrola is putting all its financial strength and leadership at the service of economic recovery in all the countries where we operate.” The company has added 6,000 new recruits in the last 12 months -2,500 hires have been in the first quarter of the year- and is contributing to the creation of 100,000 jobs across the global supply chain. Basis for growth: more investment in renewables, grids and storage Renewables investment grew by 29% to €1.05 billion, representing 42% of total. In the first quarter, the company had 8,700 MW of new green capacity under construction: 4,600 MW wind (2,600 MW offshore and the rest onshore), 2,800 MW photovoltaic, 1,160 MW hydro and 150 MW in battery storage. By market, one third is in the United States, one third in Spain and Brazil, and one third in European countries such as Portugal, France and Germany, as well as Australia. At the end of the quarter, Iberdrola's pipeline totals 78,000 MW, of which 18,700 MW are under construction and cover 100% of installed renewable capacity planned up to 2022 and 75% of estimated capacity to 2025, set to reach 60,000 MW installed renewables. In Spain alone, the company has connection rights for 15,000 MW and land rights for an equivalent capacity. The significant expansion of the offshore wind pipeline over the past twelve months -20,000 MW at the end of the quarter- bolstered by new growth markets with high potential, such as Japan, Poland, Sweden and Ireland, will enable the group to have 12,000 MW offshore wind in operation by 2030. Half of the group's investments were earmarked for networks during the period and amounted to €1.26 billion euros, after growing by 65%, in line with the group's strategy to increase and strengthen key infrastructure for the energy transition and the electrification of the economy. Half of the investment, €609 million, went to Brazil, which expanded its presence in the country with the acquisition of the Brasilia distribution company Neoenergia Distribuiçao Brasil (previously CEB-D) for €403 million. Approximately 30% went to the United States, where construction has started on the NECEC transmission line, which will enable renewable energy to be transported from Canada, with the process of acquiring PNM Resources progressing faster than expected. The remaining 20% was distributed between the United Kingdom and Spain, where an investment plan for 2025 of more than €4.3 billion has been presented to help achieve the objectives of the National Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC). This plan represents increasing current investments by 80%. Renewables and grids boost operating results EBITDA was boosted by the networks and renewables activities, which contributed 80% of the €2.81 billion posted, while the generation and supply business is negatively affected by high energy prices and adverse weather impacts from Filomena (Spain) and Mexico. By markets, operating results are flat in Spain but are offset by growth in the US, the UK and Brazil. Despite this, investments in Spain increased by 50% to €530 million. The regulated networks business saw its EBITDA grow by 4.3% to €1.31 billion, with a positive performance in all markets where it operates, except in the United Kingdom, affected by lower demand due to COVID, although this effect will be recovered from 2023 onwards. The renewables business generated €932.1 million EBITDA, after growing 27.8% by recording higher production, driven by new installed capacity and greater productivity of the facilities. As a result of this generation mix, Iberdrola's emissions in Europe were at an all-time low in the first quarter: 28 g CO2/kWh and one tenth of the emissions of its European and American competitors. The company no longer generates electricity with coal or fuel oil, having relocated its workforce while creating new jobs through investments. Thus, the Group avoids future risks of dismantling or associated labor while is well positioned to maintain the leadership of its investment cycle in renewables and grids: 90% of its long-term plan is aligned with the green taxonomy defined by the European Union. Iberdrola intensified its alliance creation strategy during the period, to accelerate the electrification of the economy. The company reached an agreement for co-investment in renewables with Mapfre and, together with Total, agreed to bid for a new offshore wind project in Denmark. With another oil company, BP, it will analyse the development of the largest green hydrogen project in the refining sector in Spain. Iberdrola has also formed strategic alliances with Volkswagen, Mercedes and Renault (to electrify vehicle production and promote sustainable mobility and (Wallbox) and is planning sustainable solutions based on green hydrogen technology with companies such as Fertiberia, Diageo (in the United Kingdom) and Porcelanosa. Financial soundness and sustainability, increased shareholder remuneration and guidance confirmation In the first three months of the year, Iberdrola continued to improve its financial strength and sustainability. The group reduced its debt by 1.3 bn to €36.3 billion, as well as its cost, to 3.3%, after lowering it by 12 basis points. Cash flow grew 7% at €2.27 billon while liquidity reached €17 billion, enough to cover 21 months' needs. In the period, the company strengthened its leadership position in green and sustainable financing, exceeding €32 billion. It also remains the largest private issuer of green bonds in the world. As a reference, in April, the group signed a new multi-currency and sustainable credit line for €2.5 billion, with pre-Covid conditions, and launched the largest sustainable promissory note programme for a Spanish company, for €5 billion, linked to ESG (environmental, social and governance) indicators. The results and financial strength of the group underpin Iberdrola's strategy of increasing shareholder remuneration. The Board of Directors has proposed to the General Shareholders' Meeting the distribution of a final dividend charged to 2020 of €0.252 gross per share. This completes a total remuneration of €0.42 gross per share, an increase of 5%. The evolution of its activities, and a regulatory environment increasingly aligned with climate action, allow Iberdrola to reaffirm its guidance for the end of 2021, with net profit between €3.7 billion and €3.8 billion and a dividend charged to the year of around €0.44 euros gross per share, to be paid in 2022. READ MORE
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11/05/2021AVANGRID Offshore Wind Joint Venture Makes History With Federal Approval AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company, confirmed today that the U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) has issued its Record of Decision (ROD) for Vineyard Wind 1, an 800-megawatt project of AVANGRID joint venture Vineyard Wind. This final major federal approval will enable the beginning of construction activities on the first commercial-scale offshore wind project in the U.S. this year. The project represents the beginning of an energy transition in New England where clean power will be created by harnessing the region’s strong coastal winds. “We are very excited and proud to be part of the birth of an incredibly important new industry for the U.S. Offshore wind is a key part of America’s clean energy future, and Vineyard Wind 1 is a major step forward to the clean and connected future we envision and work toward every day,” said Dennis V. Arriola, CEO of AVANGRID. “We appreciate the thorough review by BOEM as well as the considerable input from stakeholders, including 33,000 public comments and hundreds of hours of public hearings. The broad engagement from many parties throughout this process has improved the project and positioned both Vineyard Wind 1 and the broader offshore wind industry for long-term success.” Located 15 miles off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Wind 1 will provide enough electricity to power more than 400,000 homes and businesses in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, create 3,600 Full Time Equivalent (FTE) job years, reduce electricity rates by $1.4 billion over the first 20 years of operation and is expected to reduce carbon emissions by more than 1.6 million metric tons per year. AVANGRID, through its subsidiary Avangrid Renewables, is a leading developer of onshore wind and solar and is pioneering the development of offshore wind in the U.S. In addition to Vineyard Wind 1, Avangrid Renewables is a partner on Park City Wind, an 804 MW project that will serve the state of Connecticut, as well as additional lease areas off the coast of Massachusetts and Rhode Island to deliver up to 3,500 MW. In the mid-Atlantic, Avangrid Renewables is also developing Kitty Hawk Offshore Wind that has the potential to deliver 2,500 MW of clean energy into Virginia and North Carolina. READ MORE
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10/05/2021Iberdrola has joined forces with Cooltra and Inetum to increase its support for sustainable mobility by powering infrastructures for charging electric motorbikes Iberdrola has joined forces with Cooltra and Inetum to increase its support for sustainable mobility by charging electric motorbikes. The companies will roll out the service in cities where they operate. The smart charging stations each have capacity to house 20 chargers and multibrand motorbike batteries. This morning, the three companies officially opened their first pilot charging project at the Inetum headquarters in Madrid. The event was attended by: Francisco de Borja Carabante, the representative from the Environmental and Mobility Department at Madrid City Council; Raquel Blanco, Global Director of Smart Mobility at Iberdrola; Timo Buetefisch, the CEO of COOLTRA; and Francisco Javier Martínez, the director of Energy, Utilities and Industry at Inetum. The charging stations have been made available to Cooltra, which has a fleet of more than 7,500 shared electric motorbikes throughout Europe, 3,500 of which are in Spain. The project will optimise and automate the fleet charging process because the charging stations will be installed in public spaces such as shopping centres, car parks and mobility hubs – which is the case of the first three stations – close to the areas where the motorbikes will be used. The first charging stations will be operated entirely by Cooltra, but their design allows them to be used by several operators and electric motorbike users. These smart charging stations will be automated for around-the-clock service seven days a week, ensuring continuous improvement of the service by harnessing the possibilities of big data and artificial intelligence. "The launch of this initiative is another step forward in our sustainable mobility strategy with electric motorbike-sharing operators and we can see the need to continue innovating with the agents involved to promote zero-emission mobility that contributes to improving air quality in our cities", explained Raquel Blanco, Global Director of Smart Mobility at Iberdrola. Timo Buetefisch, CEO of Cooltra, said: "This project will allow us to improve the battery exchange process and significantly optimise the operating costs of our motorbike sharing service while improving the customer experience. We can also have the maximum number of bikes available in city centres where demand tends to be highest and the battery exchange process must be streamlined. It will also consolidate our leadership in the sustainable fleet rental business, where we already have a customer portfolio with top firms like Domino's Pizza and Prosegur". "This project is tailored to the needs proposed by Iberdrola, with suitable hardware design and software development needed to achieve this innovative and intelligent multi-brand battery charging station. We have relied on our more than 20 years of experience developing autonomous equipment and IT solutions to fulfil our commitment to assist our customers in their digitalisation processes", said Francisco Javier Martinez Ovejero, director of Energy, Utilities and Industry at Inetum. Sustainable mobility and the green recovery Iberdrola continues its commitment to transport electrification in its transition strategy towards a decarbonised economy, as a key way of reducing emissions and pollution and ensuring a green recovery. The company has unveiled a sustainable mobility plan , with an investment of €150 million, which will see it increase its roll-out of electric vehicle charging points over the coming years. The initiative entails installing around 150,000 charging points in homes, companies and on the public road network in cities, as well as on the main motorways over the coming years. The commitment to deploying high-efficiency charging points will include the company installing ultra-rapid (350 kW) charging points every 200 kilometres, super-rapid points (150 kW) every 100 kilometres, and rapid (50 kW) points every 50 kilometres. The company has a unique public charging app, which verifies the public charging infrastructure operating in Spain. The information is available in the Public Charging App and so far includes more than 5,000 chargers on public roads for its own and third-party electric vehicles. To drive electromobility , Iberdrola has already entered into more than 50 agreements to roll out infrastructures with administrations, institutions, companies, service stations, dealerships and almost all electric vehicle manufacturers. Iberdrola is the market leader in charging solutions for fleets of vehicles, companies and private individuals, as well as detached homes and residents' associations car parks, where Iberdrola customers can charge their vehicles with 100% green energy guaranteed to come from clean generation sources. READ MORE
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10/05/2021Iberdrola ramps up its investments in electric mobility: It has awarded contracts worth 50 million euros to charging infrastructure installers in Spain Iberdrola is stepping up investments in electric mobility by awarding contracts worth 50 million euros to 20 small and medium-sized companies in eleven Autonomous Regions for the installation of charge points and charge infrastructures in Spain. These contracts will allow the installation of 3,600 charge points for companies and on public roads, with rapid (50 kW), super-rapid (150 kW) and ultra-rapid (350 kW) chargers, which are currently the most powerful on the market. These contracts will create jobs for 200 workers almost all over Spain. The selected companies are from regions like Madrid (Elecnor, Hemag, Trenasa, MB and CAD&LAN), Castile-La Mancha (Eiffage), Castile and León (Zener Comunicaciones), the Basque Country (EDS Ingeniería y Montajes, UTE Ozasan-Kayros and Electrotecnia del Urumea), Navarre (Electricidad Bat Vol), the Valencia region (Tecnisat and Vicent Ribera Plana), Murcia (Integralia Energía Instalaciones) and Extremadura (Incalexa Engineering), Catalonia (Plasfoc and Electricidad Boquet), Galicia (Celso Núñez and Aceuve) and Andalusia (Sistem Melesur Energía). Iberdrola is helping to raise the profile of the infrastructure installation industry and charge solutions for electric vehicles, acting as a driving force in the value chain in future sectors and contributing to the recovery of the economy and job market. In line with this strategy, the company also promotes sustainability criteria among its suppliers, because they have all been required to comply with environmental, social and governance standards (ESG). Iberdrola's Sustainable Mobility Plan Iberdrola continues its commitment to transport electrification in its transition strategy towards a decarbonised economy, as a key way of reducing emissions and pollution and ensuring the green recovery. The company is implementing a sustainable mobility plan with an investment of 150 million euros, resulting in a faster roll-out of charge points for electric vehicles over the coming years. The initiative entails installing around 150,000 charge points in homes, companies and on the public road network in cities, as well as on the main motorways over the coming years. The commitment to deploying high-efficiency charge points will include the company installing ultra-rapid (350 kW) charge points every 200 kilometres, super-rapid points (150 kW) every 100 kilometres, and rapid (50 kW) points every 50 kilometres. The company has a single public charge app, which verifies the entire public electric charge infrastructure operational in Spain. The information is available in its Public Charge App and so far includes more than 5,000 of its own and third-party electric vehicle chargers on public roads. To encourage electric mobility, Iberdrola has entered into more than 50 agreements to roll out infrastructure with administrations, institutions, companies, service stations, dealerships and almost all the electric vehicle manufacturers. The company is the market leader in charge solutions for fleet vehicles in companies and for private individuals, as well as single-family homes and community and resident car parks, where Iberdrola customers charge their electric vehicles with 100% green energy from clean generation sources. Iberdrola is the first Spanish company to sign the EV100 initiative by The Climate Group, with the objective of speeding up the transition to electric vehicles, committed to electrifying the entire fleet of vehicles and streamlining the charge process for staff at its businesses in Spain and the United Kingdom by 2030. READ MORE
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07/05/2021Launch of the Re-skilling 4 Employment programme, co-led by Iberdrola, to provide vocational training for 5 million people in the EU The digital revolution, automation and skills obsolescence have led to a skills gap that puts the employment of many people in Europe at risk. In this context, Iberdrola, together with other companies such as AstraZeneca, Iberdrola, Nestlé, SAP, Sonae, Telefónica and Volvo Group, is co-leading the European Re-skilling 4 Employment programme with the aim of promoting training and the search for structural solutions to solve the problem of unemployment on the continent. Promoted by the European Roundtable of Industry (ERT), the R4E initiative aims to have one million adults of all ages in Europe retraining and acquiring new professional skills by 2025. The programme will coordinate the efforts of public institutions and private organisations to develop professional qualifications and ensure a new job for 5 million Europeans by 2030. One million of these would be generated in Spain. This joint commitment will enable the implementation of a set of measures with the potential to expand and improve national ecosystems for the retraining of professional skills and/or develop solutions that can be transferred between countries. The project is aligned with the priorities of the European Recovery Plan and the España Puede Recovery Plan. The ERT has presented this project in the framework of the Porto Social Summit*, which starts today under the Portuguese Presidency of the European Council. These figures represent 25% of the European workforce** which, over the coming years and as current jobs disappear through automation, will need to be trained in new skills. The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated these trends, making a joint approach to retraining more urgent and necessary. Four vectors: technology enablement, network of skilled providers, city-based employment ecosystems and financing models R4E will enhance human capital development as part of the European economic recovery, promote social inclusion and facilitate the transition to a greener and more digital economy. The project was created to make the initiatives of companies, public bodies, trade unions, business associations and training providers work collaboratively, and its implementation will be tailored to specific country needs and contexts. The initiative offers support through four critical vectors such as technological enablement for retraining, including a common platform and recommendations driven by artificial intelligence; a network of highly skilled training providers and job-creating companies; the creation of employment ecosystems in cities to facilitate placement; and support in the design of funding models in a way that aligns incentives to training providers, companies and candidates. Paulo Azevedo, Chair of the ERT’s Employment, Skills and Impact Committee said: “We are pleased to announce the R4E initiative with pilot projects in three countries involving several companies led by ERT members, as well as several partner organisations. The aim is simple: to help people retrain for more sought-after jobs, improving people’s lives, increasing social cohesion and boosting Europe’s competitiveness. Through this new programme, businesses will be able to partner with European and national institutions, public and private bodies to take real action to ensure that Europe has the human capital and skills it needs to make the green and digital transitions”. Note: Full list of ERT members *More information on the Porto Social Summit **Source: McKinsey Report: The Future of Work in Europe READ MORE
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06/05/2021Iberdrola puts its first photovoltaic plant in Teruel into operation Iberdrola is progressing in its plans to lead the energy transition and the recovery of the economy and employment in Spain. Now that the construction phase has been completed, the company has started up its first photovoltaic plant in the province of Teruel. Located in the municipality of Azaila, it consists of 142,740 photovoltaic modules and has an installed capacity of 50 MW. The photovoltaic installation, which created 250 jobs during the construction phase, produces clean energy equivalent to the consumption needs of 24,300 households per year, as well as preventing the emission of some 19,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. With this new project, the company reinforces its commitment to Aragon, where it already operates around 500 MW, most of which is renewable, and plans to double this figure in the coming years with a further 500 MW of green energy in the pipeline with projects including the Peñaflor, Fuendetodos and Escatrón photovoltaic plants, which have connection access and environmental analysis. In addition, the company plans to promote the development of wind and photovoltaic projects totalling more than 700 MW in different areas of the community. Clean energy and environmental balance Iberdrola’s strategy fully integrates the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, demonstrating that it is possible to effectively combine the supply of competitive, clean and sustainable energy with environmental balance. In this sense, the Azaila project promotes the use of the photovoltaic site as pasture for grazing sheep, guaranteeing the coexistence between renewable installations and agricultural and livestock farming activities. The company, which plans to achieve ‘zero net loss’ of biodiversity by 2030 by focusing on the net positive impact of new infrastructure developments, has carried out more than 1,450 actions to protect biodiversity in the last three years, combining the installation of renewable projects with the conservation of the biological diversity of ecosystems, caring for flora, fauna and natural heritage. The company is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) directly related to nature (SDGs 6, 13, 14 and 15) and works to promote economic and social development and respect the environment . Green investments to promote economic recovery and employment Iberdrola is convinced that the energy transition can serve as a driving force in the transformation of industry and recovery with a greener economy and employment. To do this, the company has launched a 75 billion euro investment plan for the period 2020-2025, with the aim of doubling its renewable capacity and taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the energy revolution facing the world's leading economies. Investments in Spain for the period amount to around €14.3 billion, half of which (more than €7 billion), will be spent on developing renewable energy projects, while more than 4.5 billion will go towards strengthening and digitalising its electricity grids. After twenty years promoting the energy transition in Spain, Iberdrola leads in renewable energy in the country, with installed renewable capacity exceeding 16,700 MW as of September 2020, an amount that totals more than 35,000 MW worldwide, making its generation facilities among the cleanest in the energy sector. With CO2/kWh emissions already two-thirds lower than the European average, Iberdrola’s strategy of investing in clean energy and grids will lead Iberdrola to be a “carbon neutral” company in Europe by 2030. READ MORE
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06/05/2021The 2nd Iberdrola SuperA Awards include Ona Carbonell on its panel The 2nd Iberdrola SuperA Awards , which will reward the best initiatives supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women through sport , have added Olympic medallist Ona Carbonell to the panel that will select the winning initiatives. A panel comprising nine women and five men, all of them well-known personalities from the world of sport, will choose the six winners. Those taking part include Ona Carbonell, 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 former national football coach Vicente del Bosque. Ona Carbonell highlighted “the honour of participating in these SuperA Awards that promote the empowerment of women through sport. I am an athlete, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am competing and I know how important it is to have initiatives that help to promote the role of women in sport. We are improving in society and in sport, but there is still some way to go and these initiatives are key to getting there faster.” The awards, which include a new category for sustainability this year, are worth 50,000 euros each. The initiatives are related to the promotion of entry-level sport among girls up to the age of 16 (SuperA Base); support for helping women to enter into competitions (SuperA Competition); the inclusion of women with special abilities into sport (SuperA Inclusion); the integration of women into society through sport (SuperA Social); increased visibility for women’s sport (SuperA Diffusion); and sustainable development and care for the environment within the field of sport (SuperA Sustainability). With 690 applications submitted, almost a third more than in 2020, the 2nd edition consolidates the interest of federated athletes, sports associations and clubs, national and regional federations, schools, institutes and different public and private entities to get involved in the initiative. “At Iberdrola, in addition to promoting the successes of Spanish sport, we are committed to promoting women’s sport with the belief that we are fighting for equal opportunities through our actions in this area. The response to the second SuperA Awards reaffirms our commitment to the challenge of contributing to the personal and professional development of girls and young women”, outlines Juan Luís Aguirrezabal, Iberdrola’s Brand, Advertising and Global Sponsorships Director. Winning initiatives in 2020 The 2020 awards received entries from associations, sports clubs and federations, primary and secondary schools and public or private entities that manage projects aligned with the objectives of the awards. Among them, the winners were the projects MAAVI Foundation Football Club (Andalusia); Fomento Igualdad de Género (Castilla y León); Mujer, vida y deporte (Zaragoza); Mucho por hacer (Castilla-La Mancha); FUTFEM.COM and Juntas Venceremos. The Iberdrola SuperA Awards are aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically number 5 (Gender equality and the empowerment of women). Iberdrola, a pioneer in promoting women's sport Promoting women's sport has become a key ambition 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. Currently, the company supports 16 leagues: gymnastics, triathlon, rugby, canoeing, badminton, football, handball, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, athletics, karate, boxing, surfing, ice sports and fencing. Iberdrola also lends its name to 22 national top-tier sports leagues, and 35 other competitions. At the same time, the provision of resources, facilities, medical services and referees, as well as support and sponsorship for different initiatives in this field from Iberdrola has not only helped to increase the number of federated sportswomen in these disciplines by 39% (reaching over 300,000), but is also allowing Spanish elite sportswomen who have built their sporting career in other countries to start competing again in Spain, leading to an improvement in the standard and visibility of national competitions. READ MORE
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30/04/2021The 'Prado in the Streets' exhibition that is touring around Castile-Leon has arrived in Salamanca The "Prado in the Streets" exhibition, sponsored by Fundación Iberdrola España and the Prado Museum, opened in Salamanca this morning, in collaboration with the Government of Castile and Leon and Salamanca City Council. The collection will travel around the region's nine provinces to give visitors the opportunity to see the collections and historical heritage to be found in the Prado Museum through a selection of education and cultural programmes. It will simulate a visit to the museum to see life-sized paintings, giving a similar experience to standing in front of the real works of art. The installation will be open to the public from 30 April to 31 May in Plaza de la Concordia. This morning, the Minister of Culture of the Regional Government of Castile-León, Javier Ortega; the Chairman of the Iberdrola España Foundation, Fernando García; the Deputy Mayor of Salamanca City Council, Ana Suárez, and the Deputy Director of Conservation and Research at the Prado Museum, Andrés Úbeda, officially opened the exhibition that will bring 50 of the most important works from the Museum's Permanent Collection to the people of Salamanca through life-size photographic reproductions. A journey through the history of Western art This large, open-air exhibition, curated by Fernando Pérez Suescun, Head of Educational Content at the Prado Museum, enables visitors to tour the different artistic schools covered by the Prado Museum's permanent collections and learn about the history of Spain, Europe and Western art in general, as painted by the great masters. The Spanish, Italian, Flemish, French, German and Dutch schools are represented through artists from the 12th century to the early 20th century. The show also has bilingual information panels for each work of art, as well as details on the history of the Museum and its collections. The reproductions are shown at a scale of 1:1, however, due to the dimensions of the exhibition stands, this means that for some of the larger works only a magnificent and fine detail of the work can be seen, with a smaller representation of the entire painting shown in the explanatory panel. In the wake of the enormous success of the exhibition during the celebration of the Museum’s two-hundredth anniversary, “Prado in the Streets" travelled around Castile-La Mancha until 26 April. In just under a year, thousands of visitors have had the chance to behold some of the wonders the Museum holds thanks to these accurate reproductions, spreading culture across the region with daily visits that never failed to observe the applicable anti-COVID-19 rules. “The Prado in the Streets” exhibition has started its journey around Castile-Leon today. For ten months, it will visit nine cities in this autonomous region. In addition to Salamanca, the exhibition will be staged in Valladolid, León, Aguilar de Campoand, Burgos, Soria, Segovia, Ávila and Benavente. The Fundación Iberdrola España is a Protector member of the Prado Museum The Fundación Iberdrola España focuses a key part of its activity on caring for and maintaining Spain’s cultural and artistic wealth. The Foundation has been working with the Prado Museum since 2010 by supporting the gallery’s preservation and restoration programmes, as well as offering four annual grants for young restorers. It was also keen to join in the Special Programme for the Prado Museum’s bicentenary celebrations, especially with the launch of this travelling exhibition in Spain. Since 2011, Fundación Iberdrola España has allocated a total of €13 million to art and culture, focusing its resources primarily on the Restoration Programme to support the restoration workshops in leading museums for the conservation of their pictorial and artistic heritage. The Foundation also supports the Lighting Programme, which includes the design, implementation and financing of artistic projects to light iconic buildings and monuments. READ MORE
