News

Iberdrola has defined four areas of action related to energy transition as its contribution to the socio-economic development of Asturias: more investment in renewables, support for job creation by offering opportunities and contracts to local industry, the training of young people in the skills required by the employment sectors of the future and the development of new innovation projects, such as the creation of a Citizens’ Innovation Platform.

Today, the first phase of the Citizens’ Innovation Platform initiative began with the training of a dozen employees at the Lada headquarters. This will consist of gathering information -by way of community listening dynamics- on the main challenges and opportunities within the region and, in this way, channelling the best entrepreneurial and R&D&I initiatives of local entrepreneurs and suppliers.

The initiative has the support and is backed by the experience of a team of academics from the ALC-Laboratory for Social Innovation at the Universidad del País Vasco and the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid who are part of EIT Climate-KIC, a knowledge and innovation network that is an offshoot of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology and is dedicated to accelerating the transition to a carbon-free economy.

The Citizens’ Innovation Platform will incentivise entrepreneurs and start-ups who are considering setting up in the Nalón region and study funding options for R+D+i initiatives from local suppliers. 

In recent weeks, the team has also identified key actors within the area -public, private, organisations and civil society- and initiated a round of presentations to make the work to be developed by the initiative known. One of the first meetings was held this morning with Langreo Town Council, during which its Mayor, Carmen Arbesú, expressed her gratitude that “this training, which is so important for the future of Langreo and which we are sure will contribute to the energy transition within our region, is being implemented”.

Contribution to socio-economic development

In addition to these actions, Iberdrola is making progress in the development of new renewable energy projects in Asturias, specifically four wind farms with a total capacity of 130 MW, which will triple its installed renewable capacity in the region. Investment in these projects amounts to more than 100 million euros and will create jobs for some 1,200 people, according to estimates from the PNIEC. 

The construction of these projects is already helping to reactivate the local industrial fabric and employment in the region, since practically all the field and civil engineering work is being done by Asturias-based companies, such as Hormavasa, Horvalsa, Canteras Rencanos, Deymet, Excade, Posada, Méndez y Mota, Gruas Roxu and Taxus. The project is being developed by ERPASA and some of the wind turbine components will be manufactured in Windar (Avilés).

Opportunities for Asturian industry

Another line of action is the opening of new markets for local industry. Iberdrola awarded contracts to Asturian companies worth 200 million euros in July, multiplying the average purchases from Asturian suppliers made by the company each year by four.

These projects will enable companies from Asturias to take part in growth sectors in Spain and international markets and also create thousands of jobs in the region.

Iberdrola's contribution in Asturias also involves setting up training programmes in future energy for dual vocational training students, institutes and universities in the region, with the aim of turning future generations into active players in the energy transition.