News
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16/03/2022Iberdrola starts construction of photovoltaic plant in Palmela, Portugal Iberdrola has today started work on the Conde photovoltaic plant (13.51 MW), located in Palmela, with a total surface area of almost 20 hectares. This is one of the four photovoltaic plants that Iberdrola is developing in the Setúbal district, awarded in the 2019 photovoltaic auction, and included in the investment acceleration plan undertaken by the company, with the aim of completing the works this year. Once operational, the plant will produce 20 GWh/year, equivalent to the average supply of 5,000 homes, and will avoid the emission of some 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. In total, the four plants will have a capacity of 86 MW: Algeruz II (27.35 MW), Conde (13.51 MW), Alcochete I (32.89 MW) and Alcochete II (12.72 MW). Once they are all in operation, they will avoid the emission of 56,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. For Iberdrola, the start of the works "certifies Iberdrola's commitment to the development of renewable energies in Portugal. Iberdrola is at the global forefront of the energy transition , which is essential for the sustainability of the planet, but also to reduce energy dependence on unstable markets. The commitment to renewables guarantees the environmental future and the economic security of families and companies". The foundation stone of the Conde photovoltaic plant was laid by Renata Rodrigues, on behalf of Iberdrola Renewables Portugal, and Álvaro Manuel Balseiro Amaro, Mayor of Palmela, as a sign of their joint commitment to the development of renewable energies. In Portugal, Iberdrola serves a commercial portfolio of more than 870,000 supply points, has 92 MW of wind power in operation, and is commissioning the Támega gigabattery, one of Europe's largest pumped-storage projects, with 1,158 MW. This complex comprises three reservoirs (Gouvães, Daivões and Alto Támega) and three hydroelectric power plants, which will gradually come on stream by 2024. In fact, the company has just connected to the grid the first group of the Támega hydroelectric development, a pumping turbine with a capacity of 220 MW. The complex will be capable of producing 1,766 GWh per year, enough to meet the energy needs of neighbouring municipalities and the cities of Braga and Guimarães (440,000 households). In addition, this large renewable infrastructure will have sufficient storage capacity to serve two million Portuguese households for an entire day and will contribute to the decarbonisation and energy independence objectives set by the Portuguese government. More commitment to renewables, grids and storage In 2021, the company has committed more than €4.3 billion to investments in renewable energy . This increased investment has enabled the group to install 3,500 new renewable megawatts (MW) in the last 12 months and to reach 38,000 MW of renewable capacity worldwide. Construction capacity exceeds 7,800 MW, of which 2,600 MW is offshore wind. The Iberian Peninsula is positioned as the area in which most renewable capacity has been implemented, reaching 1,800 MW of new installation, a figure that represents 56% of all installed capacity in 2021. Thus, 19,210 green MW have been reached. This strong growth was largely driven by the Tâmega complex project , where the company commissioned the first group of the Gouvães hydroelectric plant. Similarly, it is worth highlighting the commissioning of 986 MW of photovoltaic power, with projects such as the Francisco Pizarro photovoltaic plant (516 MW) and Arenales (150 MW). 20 years ago, the company took on an important social role linked to the objectives of combating climate change through renewable energies. So far, it has invested €120 billion to, among other objectives, generate elements of renewable energy production, promote the development of smart grids and generate opportunities, transforming sectors such as shipyards. READ MORE
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15/03/2022Iberdrola, the only Spanish company among the world's most ethical companies for the ninth year running Iberdrola has been included for the ninth consecutive year in the list of the world's most ethical companies (World's Most Ethical Companies list) compiled by the Ethisphere Institute, a leader in defining international standards in corporate ethics. Iberdrola continues to be the only Spanish company in this ranking and is one of the ten companies included in the Energy and Utilities category, which also includes its subsidiary in the United States, AVANGRID. The Ethisphere Institute began compiling this index in 2007 to recognise companies that excel in ethical practices, promote the highest international standards of compliance, and demonstrate high levels of stakeholder engagement and commitment to transparency, diversity and inclusion. To compile the 2022 World's Most Ethical Companies ranking, the Ethisphere Institute considered five criteria: corporate governance, leadership and reputation, compliance system, ethical culture, and social and environmental impact. In this new 2022 edition, a total of 136 companies from 22 countries and 45 productive sectors have been recognised and included in the list. This ranking is also a key tool for investors, who take ESG (environmental, social and governance) criteria into account in their decisions. READ MORE
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15/03/2022Iberdrola incorporates in its third edition of the Supera Awards an award on Mental Health in Sport Iberdrola has just opened the call for the 3rd Edition of the Iberdrola Supera Awards, which will recognise the best projects in favour of gender equality and women's excellence through sport, to which it has added a new category focused on mental health. In total, the awards will recognise projects in six categories endowed with 50,000 euros each. The initiatives are related to the promotion of grassroots sport among girls up to the age of 16 (Supera Base); helping the incorporation of women into competition (Supera Competition); the inclusion of women with special abilities in sport (Supera Inclusion); the integration of women into society through sport (Supera Social); increasing the visibility of women's sport (Supera Dissemination); and mental health care in sport (Supera Mental Health). For the Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, "the Iberdrola Supera awards have established themselves as an excellent platform for raising awareness and supporting equality and the promotion of women through sport. We received many nominations in the first two editions, which shows us that initiatives like this are still very necessary and encourages us to continue supporting them". Nominations may be submitted until 31 May and the awards are open to federated sportspeople, sports associations and clubs, national or regional federations, schools, institutes and other public or private entities with tax domicile in Spain. In October, a Jury of Honour, made up of renowned personalities from the world of sport, will select the winning projects. More than 700 applications in 2021 The 2021 edition received more than 700 applications from associations, sports clubs and federations, schools, institutes and public or private entities that manage projects aligned with the objectives of the awards. Among them, the winners were the projects of the Donosti CUP in the World Foundation (Basque Country); Club de Gimnasia Acrobática Baruca (Andalusia); Club Deportivo Bolaños (Castilla La Mancha); Las Libélulas (Navarre), Escuela de Ciclismo Adaptado (Valencia) and Días de las Aguas Limpias, of the Real Federación Española de Piragüismo (Royal Spanish Canoeing Federation). The Iberdrola Supera Awards are aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for 2030, specifically with Goal 5 (Gender equality and empowerment of women). Iberdrola, a pioneer in promoting sport for women The promotion of sport by women has become a key lever for Iberdrola and the promotion of real equality between men and women, one of its core values. In 2016, Iberdrola became the first company to make a firm and global commitment to equality and the empowerment of women through sport. The company currently supports 32 federations: gymnastics, triathlon, rugby, canoeing, badminton, football, handball, volleyball, hockey, table tennis, athletics, karate, boxing, surfing, ice sports, fencing, underwater activities, bowling, winter sports, weightlifting, judo, Olympic wrestling, mountaineering and climbing, swimming, skating, pelota, rowing, squash, taekwondo, tennis, archery and sailing. It also gives its name to 32 leagues, all of them at the highest level, and to 75 other competitions. In parallel, Iberdrola's contribution of resources, facilities, medical services and referees and the promotion and sponsorship of initiatives has not only helped to increase the number of members in the aforementioned disciplines -to over 600,000-, but is also enabling Spanish elite athletes who have developed their sporting careers in other countries to return to compete in Spain, helping to increase the level and visibility of national competitions. READ MORE
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15/03/2022Iberdrola is looking for innovation projects for the development of its photovoltaic plants In line with its commitment to the fight against climate change, Iberdrola is committed to renewable energies to advance towards the energy transition and the decarbonisation of the economy. To this end, it has launched a new challenge through its International Start-up Programme - PERSEO, in which it is seeking new innovative structures for photovoltaic plants that enable optimisation of the cost and use of materials. In recent years, the prices of steel and other materials have been on an upward trend, which affects the profitability of photovoltaic plants. In this context, solutions are sought for large photovoltaic plants, which are usually located on rural land. It will be valued that the structures are manufactured from new materials or with new, lower-cost designs; that they use materials in line with circular economy models -recycled, sustainable and environmentally friendly- or that they are manufactured with a lower ratio of steel per MW installed. Proposals will be analysed on the basis of maturity criteria, simplicity of installation, cost, reduction of associated emissions and positive impact on Just Transition areas. Initiatives can be submitted until 1 April. The winner will be announced in May. Solar photovoltaic generation is one of Iberdrola's main pillars of growth. In 2021, almost 1,200 MW of new solar capacity was installed, contributing to exceeding 38,000 MW of installed renewable capacity worldwide. In Spain, Iberdrola's main facilities include the Núñez de Balboa photovoltaic plant (Badajoz), with 500 MWp, and it is currently building the Francisco Pizarro plant, which is located in Cáceres and will have a capacity of 590 MWp. Financial technical support The prize will consist of signing a collaboration and testing agreement with PERSEO, which will assume the costs of these activities and provide the winner with the necessary technical support, as well as an environment and real data to test the solution, giving access to equipment, teams, infrastructures, high-tech sites and co-working areas. The selected project will be developed in collaboration with technical specialists from Iberdrola's renewables area. In addition, Iberdrola could offer the participant the opportunity to scale up the solution by adopting it through commercial agreements or even investing in the participating company. Iberdrola, with energy start-ups The Iberdrola PERSEO international start-up programme aims to facilitate the group's access to the technologies of the future and foster the creation and development of a global and dynamic ecosystem of technology companies and entrepreneurs in the electricity sector. Since its creation in 2008, PERSEO has invested more than 85 million euros in start-ups that develop innovative technologies and business models, focusing on those that improve the sustainability of the energy sector through further electrification and decarbonisation of the economy. READ MORE
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09/03/2022Iberdrola reopens the fixed income Euromarket with a €1 billion green bond issue Iberdrola has reopened the fixed income market in Europe in the midst of the crisis generated by the war in Ukraine, by successfully closing the issue of a new green bond for an amount of €1 billion and with a ten-year maturity. The company has thus become the first Spanish issuer to enter the market in the current situation and one of the first European issuers, along with Germany's BASF, Denmark's Vestas and the US company Berkshire Hathaway, which joined it today. This operation allows it to reinforce its already comfortable liquidity position, anticipating a large part of the financing to be provided during 2022 at excellent conditions and reducing the market risk due to the evolution of interest rates and credit spreads. With demand exceeding €3 billion, the coupon was set at 1.375%, which was made possible by achieving a spread of 60 basis points over the mid-swap benchmark for the corresponding maturity. The good conditions obtained demonstrate the solidity and robustness of Iberdrola's solvency, as well as Iberdrola's leadership in its green financing strategy, and endorse its track record in the financial markets. Specifically, the issue has been placed among 181 investors, mainly from Europe and the United Kingdom. Green bonds tend to generate higher demand and lower costs, as socially responsible investors are added to the interest of regular investors. A large part of the transaction (69% according to BBVA, the transaction's Green Advisor) has been placed among this group of investors, so Iberdrola continues to diversify its investor base and expand demand, which improves the execution of these transactions in difficult market times. The funds raised will be used to partially finance the group's investments in renewable offshore wind installations in France (the offshore St. Brieuc wind farm) and Germany (Baltic Eagle). Nine leading international banks, Bank of America (Coordinator), Citibank, BNP, HSBC, BBVA, Santander, Sumitomo, Intesa San Paolo and ING, participated in the placement, in an extremely volatile market context due to the global uncertainty generated by the war in Ukraine. With this new issue, the company chaired by Ignacio Galán continues to consolidate its leadership in sustainable financing, with more than €39 billion of live operations, of which nearly €16 billion are green bond issues. One of the main characteristics of green bonds is that the funds raised are used to finance sustainable, socially responsible projects with a positive impact on the environment. READ MORE
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08/03/2022Iberdrola is confident that the measures announced by the Commission will strengthen the Energy Union and accelerate investments in electrification The European Commission's Communication on energy prices is a positive step towards tackling the current crisis and incentivising the investments needed to achieve a more secure and self-sufficient energy system in Europe, as well as continuing to lead the way towards climate neutrality. Iberdrola is confident that the regulatory developments resulting from this communication will also serve to strengthen the Energy Union in the short, medium and long term. Iberdrola has maintained for more than 20 years that a true Energy Union is the key to achieving ambitious climate targets, creating growth and quality jobs, as well as offering competitive energy prices to consumers. The invasion of Ukraine, which we all condemn, emphasises more than ever the importance of Europe's energy security and self-sufficiency, a goal that is fully compatible with decarbonisation. As the Commission communication points out, both can be achieved by accelerating the deployment of new renewable capacity; increasing electricity interconnections and grids to enable electrification; and maximising energy storage capacity. Iberdrola is ready to take a leading role in this process, as the company's chairman, Ignacio Sánchez Galán, has stated in various international forums. To this end, it is essential to have stable long-term frameworks and to remove any obstacles or bottlenecks to the deployment of clean energy investments, leading to a cleaner, cheaper and more secure electricity supply for the benefit of citizens in all regions of Europe. READ MORE
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08/03/2022Iberdrola bets on young female talent: more than 500 young women joined in 2021 Iberdrola reinforces its commitment to the talent of young women: almost half of the contracts signed with women in 2021 were for those under 30 years of age. Specifically, 48%. Of the almost 1,200 women hired in 2021, more than 560 were women under 30. This is the highest number of women hired since 2019. The lower representation of women in the labour market in certain technical profiles makes it difficult to achieve gender parity in new hires. These limitations are inherent to the energy sector, which is why Iberdrola deploys numerous actions to promote interest in technical studies among women of school age. The continuity of the projects that the company has been carrying out to promote the interest of young women is key, especially at an early age. Iberdrola's commitment to equality has been recognised by various organisations. In addition, the company participates decisively in global forums that fight for equality. - Bloomberg maintains Iberdrola, for the fifth consecutive year, within the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index (GEI), which distinguishes organisations committed to equality between women and men. - Iberdrola is a member of the European Round Table for Industry (ERT), with which it collaborates, among other activities, in the Diversity and Inclusion working group, which seeks to give greater visibility, support and connect large companies in this area. - The company's commitment to equality is perceived by employees: 77% said in the work climate survey that Iberdrola is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. - The WDI (Workforce Disclosure Initiative) has recognised Iberdrola for its initiatives to promote a quality working environment among its employees. - Support for UN WOMEN, a United Nations entity that promotes gender equality. - Iberdrola is the winner of the first edition of the "MAPFRE Inclusión Responsable" award for its leadership in its commitment to people with disabilities. Actions for the recruitment and selection of young talent Talent management is a key factor at Iberdrola to ensure the organisation's success in achieving its goals. The companies that form part of the group join forces to attract, select, empower, and retain professionals of all ages, who share the behaviours, knowledge, and skills aligned with the purpose, values, and current and future needs of the company. Through agreements with numerous universities, the company continues its actions to promote the study of STEM careers among women in the countries where it is present, such as the Pontifical University of Comillas, the University of Salamanca, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Yale University, the University of Strathclyde, the Technological Institute of Monterrey, the Federal University of Pernambuco and the Hamad Bin Khalifa University. In Spain and through its Foundation, together with the Madrid Municipal Transport Company (EMT) and the Pontifical University of Comillas, the STEM Women Chair in Sustainability and Mobility was launched. The company seeks to promote women in STEM vocations in the field of Vocational Training for sustainable mobility, where the female presence does not exceed 3.6%. In the UK, in partnership with Equate Scotland, the Women Returner, a comprehensive support programme for female employees from STEM careers who have been inactive for two or more years, was launched. The company has also joined a new gender diversity coalition to increase the number of women at senior and middle management levels in the UK energy industry. In addition, the company is a member of the Women's Engineering Society (WES), a professional network of women in technology and engineering that provides inspiration, support and development for future professionals. In the United States, in collaboration with universities and local organisations for the promotion of diversity, the WomENERGY programme stands out, focused on discovering and promoting the talent of Avangrid's women through an action plan for training the company's future leaders. In Brazil, the "Empodere-se" conference on women's empowerment provides a place to discuss women's struggles and achievements. On Women's Day, Neoenergía's female employees participate in the "Estrelas" dialogue tables, leading talks on female empowerment. In addition, the company promotes the attraction of women to the electricity market through the School of Electricians. In Mexico, we organised the event "Mujeres con Energía" (Women with Energy) , in which a group of 40 women leaders from Iberdrola Mexico participated. We have also developed a workshop on "labour and personal competitiveness" given by the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), and sponsored women's football. International scholarship programmes have been organised for master's studies, where Iberdrola has awarded 35 master's scholarships for studies in the company's areas of interest in 2021. The International Graduate Programme in Spain has been launched to attract and incorporate talent, accelerating professional growth to become future leaders and experienced specialists. In addition, employment forums, talks and conferences are organised, both face-to-face and virtual, where the company is committed to sharing the value of the company with students, encouraging their participation in the selection processes. More than 14,000 students have attended. Thanks to all these initiatives, a total of 331 vocational training students and 580 university students have begun their internships at Iberdrola España, ScottishPower, AVANGRID, Neoenergia, Iberdrola México and Iberdrola Energía Internacional. READ MORE
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07/03/2022Iberdrola to support refugees from Ukraine invasion with 8,000 volunteers Iberdrola is on the side of the victims, of the Ukrainian citizens who have been victims of the invasion of their country for some weeks now. Spain's leading electricity company has placed itself at the disposal of the central government to collaborate in various initiatives. In particular, Iberdrola has informed the government that it could send electricity generators for use in possible camps. The company has also offered a network of accommodation and residences in Spain so that, managed by the authorities, they can be used by refugees who have arrived in our country. Since last Tuesday, Iberdrola has set up a working group to evaluate possible humanitarian actions to assist Ukrainian women and children, especially those who can be accommodated in Spain. The company has activated its 12,000 volunteers, 8,000 in Spain, so that they can collaborate in different lines of action related to Ukraine. The company has joined the work of UNHCR and is raising money among its employees with a crowdfunding campaign in favour of the NGO. The aim is to provide shelter, warm clothes, mattresses, blankets, water and immediate food for the people who are leaving Ukraine and arriving at the borders. In addition, it will provide basic necessities for the special convoys that will leave Spain for Ukraine and the borders in the coming days in collaboration with various organisations (Fundación ONCE, Generalitat Valenciana). Empathy The company will also organise collection points in some of its offices by asking employees to bring a note with drawings, photos and phrases of love and encouragement in Ukrainian. In addition, Iberdrola has already initiated contacts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to gain first-hand knowledge of the most pressing humanitarian material needs of the Ukrainian population. With regard to the shipment of health products, the company intends to collaborate with the Official Associations of Pharmacists for their purchase and transport. The electricity company has a powerful logistical transport infrastructure that can be used to transport donations of medical supplies, food, clothing and other provisions. Iberdrola will make its Innovation and Training Campus in San Agustín del Guadalix available to the central government to teach Spanish to refugees, as well as skills to facilitate their adaptation and integration into the labour market, paying special attention to women and minors. Similarly, Iberdrola has a network of facilities (rural villages used by employees, residences close to generation plants) that it makes available to the authorities for them to manage in order to help the refugees. The colours of the Ukrainian flag have been flying since last night at the Iberdrola Campus in the Madrid town of San Agustín del Guadalix in solidarity with the Ukrainian citizens. READ MORE
