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22/10/2024 - 16:19 UTC +02:00Iberdrola presents Smart Grids Academy, an international training platform on smart grids Iberdrola, together with the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the GAIA Cluster, presented the Smart Grids Academy (SGA) project at the Iberdrola Tower in Bilbao, the first academy with an international vocation to train professionals in new digital skills, which aims to develop the specific talent required by the energy transition and the future of smart grids . Smart Grids Academy responds to the urgent and important need for specialised professional profiles to address the digital and energy transformation because, as highlighted today, "without smart grids there is no energy transition, and without trained people, there will be no smart grids". Smart grids use digital technology to distribute electrical energy and are a key element in addressing the digital transition towards the decarbonisation of the economy through electrification. The need for specialised profiles is a priority for the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub , an initiative launched in 2021 by the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and Iberdrola, to anticipate the revolution in the sector and make Bizkaia a benchmark in innovation in smart grids and a territory that generates local talent with the capacity to attract international talent. The centre acts as a driving force for innovation, combining Iberdrola's technological capacity with that of the more than 100 collaborating entities and companies. You can read the full story at Iberdrola España's Communications Room . READ MORE
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17/10/2024 - 10:00 UTC +02:00Start-up Plexigrid wins Iberdrola's challenge to optimise grid capacity through data and AI Iberdrola's global innovation and smart grid centre in Bilbao continues to advance proposals to maximise the potential of smart grids to electrify the economy and create jobs and to contribute to the development of the next generation of these smart grids . The Iberdrola group’s distributor, i-DE , proposed a technological challenge of innovation in smart grids through PERSEO , a platform that aims to facilitate access to the technologies and businesses of the future while fostering a global ecosystem of start-ups with a focus on sustainability. The winner was the Asturian start-up Plexigrid, based in Gijón, Spain and Stockholm, Sweden. In collaboration with the BAT B Accelerator Tower –Bizkaia International Entrepreneurship Centre–, a search and selection process was carried out for the best solutions globally. It culminated with the B Acceleration Week, the largest innovation and entrepreneurship event held to date in northern Spain. During the event, i-DE's technical team was able to learn first-hand about 6 of the 30 solutions presented by the different companies participating in the challenge, as well as to exchange knowledge and experiences with other innovation companies in the region. As the chosen start-up, Plexigrid will have the opportunity to deploy a pilot test within the challenge with i-DE, will become part of the BAT Community, and will be invited to participate in a personalised acceleration programme to boost its growth, within the framework of collaboration between Iberdrola and BAT. The challenge launched through PERSEO consisted of planning new scenarios in the electricity grid , making the most of the available capacity of the digitised grid, using data and AI techniques. Digital solutions were sought to model new demand scenarios (consumption and generation) in the grid with self-consumption, storage and access flexibility to forecast its operational behaviour and then plan its investments, guaranteeing grid capacity, assuming reasonable demand for electricity distribution, with a five to ten year time horizon. Among others, these scenarios had to take into account the evolution and geolocation of: * Current electricity demand, generation and self-consumption * Electrical storage (domestic, industrial, utility, BESS, etc.) * New emerging demand (short term): electric mobility, heating and cooling, decarbonisation of current industrial processes, etc. * New demand in the medium and long term: digital electrification, new consumption and generation associated with technological developments and/or emerging business models (e.g. artificial intelligence, e-fuels, green hydrogen, etc.). GSGIH AND PERSEO Iberdrola Ventures The Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub (GSGIH) is a pole to attract talent and promote emerging technologies that will enable the energy transition, maximising the use of renewables, fully integrating energy storage systems and optimising access to new uses of electricity, such as mobility and air conditioning. Iberdrola and the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, which together with the energy company is promoting this public–private collaboration framework, have so far brought together the capacities of more than 100 industrial companies, universities and technology centres, which contribute their technological capacity, industrial character and research experience. Iberdrola's commitment to a sustainable energy model is part of its PERSEO programme to promote the development of start-ups and innovative industrial companies working in new areas of electrification. Since its creation in 2008, PERSEO has invested more than 200 million euros in businesses that develop innovative technologies, focusing on those that improve the energy sector’s sustainability through greater electrification and decarbonisation of the economy. Through Perseo Venture Builder, industrial initiatives are launched in energy transition to create new business models that contribute to electrification in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise. About the BAT B Accelerator Tower and the B Acceleration Week BAT B Accelerator Tower is the spearhead of a national project that aims to put Bizkaia on the international entrepreneurship map. The backing of major Basque institutions aims to make BAT B Accelerator Tower a unique centre in the world, capable of bringing together public tools at the service of entrepreneurship and innovation, together with the differential services and international network of PwC and collaborations with international partners such as Talent Garden and Impact Hub. Aiming to be the most important innovation hub in Southern Europe and the best connected, B Accelerator Tower is a point of concentration and traction for entrepreneurial talent and open innovation, where start-ups, corporates, investors and the administration work together. The B Acceleration Week, after its first edition, has positioned itself as the most important entrepreneurship and innovation event held to date in BAT B Accelerator Tower and one of the most important on the national scene. This meeting marked a milestone in the field of start-ups and innovation in the Basque Country. It has all been possible thanks to collaboration with strategic members of the BAT such as Iberdrola, as well as other international agents such as Pegasus Tech Ventures and Google, which have made it possible to generate a high-impact event for the regional ecosystem, in which + 500 participants from + 100 companies and + 30 nationalities were able to exchange knowledge and generate new opportunities for innovation and business. READ MORE
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15/10/2024 - 11:49 UTC +02:00Iberdrola invests in innovation with students in Mexico Iberdrola, a través de su filial en México, Iberdrola México , y la Escuela de Ingenierías y Ciencias del Tecnológico de Monterrey organizaron un hackathon, en el que participaron más de 150 estudiantes con la misión de encontrar soluciones innovadoras para facilitar la adopción masiva de vehículos eléctricos en las ciudades, promover el acceso a energía renovable en comunidades vulnerables e impulsar la producción, almacenamiento y distribución de hidrógeno verde. Tras dos días de intenso trabajo y con la asesoría de mentores de Iberdrola México y docentes del campus Monterrey, los equipos presentaron 22 proyectos enfocados en los tres retos principales. El hackathon tuvo como objetivo incentivar el interés de los estudiantes en las energías renovables mediante retos específicos que incorporan tres componentes: innovación, compromiso social y soluciones energéticas sostenibles, proporcionando herramientas para fortalecer su formación. Puedes leer la noticia completa en la Sala de Comunicación de Iberdrola México . READ MORE
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20/09/2024 - 08:00 UTC +02:00Iberdrola begins training employees at its National Training Center in the United States Iberdrola, through its company in the United States, Avangrid, has welcomed the first group of students to receive training at its newly opened National Training Center in Oregon. The space, which is located near many of the company's existing wind and solar facilities, will provide hands-on and safety training for new hires. It will also be used to enhance the skills of existing wind and solar specialists. You can read the full story in Avangrid's Communication Room. READ MORE
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13/06/2024 - 12:24 UTC +02:00Iberdrola promotes the application of Artificial Intelligence in its electricity grids through its startup programme Iberdrola's main growth driver between 2024 and 2026 will be electricity grids. They are the backbone that connects demand, both industrial and domestic, with generation through infrastructures. Electrification is unstoppable, both for companies, which must follow their roadmap towards decarbonisation, and for individuals, who are changing their energy models based on fossil energy sources, such as gas, to others based on renewables, such as electric vehicles and heat pumps. Self-consumption and its decentralisation also play a key role in designing electricity grids. In this context, Iberdrola, through its startup programme Perseo will promote digital solutions that enable the inclusion of machine learning methods or algorithms in its grids to model new demand and generation scenarios, through self-consumption, storage and access flexibility. The aim is to forecast their operational behaviour and, with this, plan their investments to guarantee this network capacity, assuming a reasonable demand for electricity distribution. Iberdrola's potential allies must take into account current electricity generation and self-consumption, electricity storage, new emerging demands, electric mobility, heat pumps and the decarbonisation of current industrial processes, among others. They must also be aware of the new demands in the medium and long term: digital electrification, new consumption and the generations associated with technological developments and emerging business models, such as Artificial Intelligence or green hydrogen. Those companies that enter the challenge will be eligible for a prize consisting of the signing of a collaboration agreement with Perseo or any other Iberdrola company, which will assume the costs of the activities and provide the winner with technical support. The selected project will be developed in collaboration with technical specialists from Iberdrola's Networks area. Furthermore, the winner will be directly included in the process of joining the Global Smart Grids Innovation Hub, as an additional collaborator that will be able to benefit from the services, activities and resources made available at the GSGI Hub. If the trial is successful, Iberdrola could offer the participant the opportunity to scale the solution with commercial agreements. In addition, Perseus may consider investing in the participating company or in the winning solution. The key to electrification Iberdrola's plan is to allocate €21.5 billion to networks - two-thirds of the total investment planned from 2024 to 2026 - to increase these assets to €54 billion by the end of 2026 from the current €43 billion. The amount previously mentioned will be used to expand and strengthen networks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Spain. For the company, electrification is unstoppable, given the need to increase energy self-sufficiency, decarbonisation, efficiency and competitiveness of companies. The driver of energy startups Since its creation in 2008, PERSEO has invested over €200 million in startups that develop innovative technologies and business models, focusing on those that improve the sustainability of the energy sector through greater electrification and decarbonisation of the economy. The programme has focused its actions on the analysing business opportunities and collaboration with tech startups and emerging companies around the world. Through PERSEO, Iberdrola launched the Venture Builder programme in 2020 with €40 million for the creation of new business models aimed at supporting electrification in sectors that are difficult to decarbonise and the development of circular economy solutions, among others. READ MORE
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01/03/2024His Majesty the King of Spain awards the Iberdrola training grants for the development of 'green jobs' His Majesty the King of Spain, accompanied by the Executive Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, took part in a day of support for young talent and excellence, during which he presented the Scholarships corresponding to different training programmes promoted by Iberdrola and its Foundation in Spain for 2023-2024. During the event, Galán thanked His Majesty the King for presiding over this event with which "every year we add 1,300 young people to our efforts to transform the energy sector, generate more industry and quality employment". "We want to invite the new generations to lead this change for the better and Iberdrola's model can help to achieve this", he said. This morning, men and women who are examples of success in different fields took the floor to share their experiences after receiving training thanks to the company's Master's scholarships and through the Impulsa Programme, the Electricians' School and the agreement signed between the electricity company and UNICEF, among others. Finally, the beneficiaries received from His Majesty the King the certificate certifying the award of the different grants launched by Iberdrola with the aim of promoting talent and encouraging excellence in the training of new generations. These are the programmes: * Iberdrola International Master's Scholarship Programme: with the current call for applications for Spain (9 scholarships); United Kingdom (14 scholarships), Brazil and Mexico, young people will boost their professional careers thanks to this line of financial aid. They will complete their postgraduate training at prestigious universities with future professional opportunities. * The 'Energy for Future' postdoctoral research programme (11 grants) benefits postdoctoral researchers for five years who will develop their work on technologies associated with the energy transition (photovoltaic and wind energy, electric vehicles, energy storage and smart grids) in collaboration with prestigious universities in Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, the United States and Mexico. * The Fulbright Commission Scholarships (2 scholarships), a line of postgraduate scholarships in the United States in fields related to Iberdrola's activities in energy, environment and technology. * Scholarships awarded in collaboration with the Carolina Foundation (10 scholarships), a programme of postgraduate scholarships in Spanish universities to further the studies of university graduates from Latin America in subjects related to energy and climate change. * The Restoration Training and Research Scholarships with the Bilbao Fine Arts Museum and the Prado (5 scholarships) for young restorers in these internationally renowned art galleries. In addition, His Majesty the King also awarded certificates for: * STEM Development Grants (5 grants) to train young graduates or professionals so that they can have a positive impact on students from socio-economically vulnerable backgrounds. * The ICAI Scholarship programme (10 scholarships), aimed at financing university studies related to the energy sector for students with limited financial resources; and * Scholarships developed together with the Spanish Paralympic Committee (13 scholarships), aimed at facilitating the professional training of sportsmen and women with a view to their integration into the labour market once their career in sport is over. Furthermore, in a firm commitment by the Iberdrola group to promote young talent, 468 places have been offered in the three calls of its International Graduate Programme (2021-2023). At this event, certificates will also be awarded to 14 representatives of the group of graduates of the 2022 edition. On the other hand, and as sign of Iberdrola's interest in training young people, in 2023 the company has incorporated 1,011 young trainees who have been able to take their first professional steps in a leading company in the energy sector and develop new skills and abilities that will help them to boost their future employment. In this regard, more than 30,000 young people have joined Iberdrola in the last decade, some of whom did so thanks to a scholarship and are already occupying important positions in the company. In addition to the young scholarship recipients, the event was attended by the writer Espido Freire and the Spanish astronaut, Sara García Alonso. The event was attended by the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; the ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in Spain, Hugh Elliot; the ambassador of the Federative Republic of Brazil in Spain, Orlando Leite, as well as members of Iberdrola's Board of Directors and executives. Iberdrola continues to have a pull effect on thousands of suppliers with its investments and purchases of around 18,000 million euros, with which it supports more than 400,000 jobs throughout its value chain. Moreover, through this activity, the company has contributed more than 9.3 billion euros to the public coffers in 2023. In the company, talent is promoted, attracted, identified and managed in different processes and programmes managed through its Foundation in Spain and its Talent area . READ MORE
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01/02/2024Iberdrola launches its International Master Scholarship Programme for the development of 'green jobs' Today, Iberdrola opens a new call for applications for its Master's Scholarships for the 2024-2025 academic year, with the aim of promoting excellence in the training of new generations and fostering young talent. The company offers new generations the possibility of training in activities related to the energy transition. The so-called 'green jobs' offer a development opportunity for society and for the health of the planet itself. The Iberdrola International Scholarship Programme is aimed at graduates and final-year university students. In total, it will have an investment of close to one million euros. Through this initiative, the company aims to promote the professional qualification of young people in the field of energy, with special focus on areas of knowledge such as engineering, renewable energies, information technologies, sustainability and big data. Applicants will be able to choose from around twenty leading universities or technological institutes. These institutions include the University of Cambridge, Strathclyde or Imperial College of London in the UK; the Universidad Pontificia de Comillas or the Polytechnic Universities of Madrid, Valencia and the Basque Country in Spain; or the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey and Panamericana in Mexico, among others. The registration process for this new call for applications begins today and will remain open until 31 March. Those interested can find all the conditions and fill in the application form in the 'Careers' section of Iberdrola's corporate website: https://www.iberdrola.com/careers/students/international-scholarships-master-iberdrola In addition to academic record and language proficiency, other factors such as curriculum vitae, interest in the study project and reference letter will be taken into account in the selection of candidates. To date, nearly 1,000 young people have had the opportunity to further their professional careers by pursuing master's and postgraduate studies and carrying out research at prestigious international centres with the support of the Iberdrola Group. Supporting a new generation with the highests abilities The Iberdrola International Master's Scholarship Programme promotes a generation of professionals with the highest abilities to prepare for and face the challenges of a green future, including the development of a sustainable energy model. This initiative also fosters the employability of young people in a sector that will generate thousands of new jobs in the future – linked to the energy transition and digital transformation. Once they have completed their studies, participants in this call will have the opportunity to do an internship in the company and to apply for vacancies published by the Iberdrola Group related to their profile. READ MORE
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18/01/2024Business leaders are overwhelmingly positive about the green transition, but more needs to be done to implement green skills programmes Most business leaders believe that responsibility for driving the green transition rests with the private sector rather than policymakers, with the vast majority anticipating more opportunities than challenges. However, rapid progress to a lower carbon economy is under threat from the failure of companies to develop and source sufficient green skills, according to the Green Skills Outlook – new research from Economist Impact, supported by Europe’s largest electricity company, Iberdrola. The research explores the impact of the green transition on global labour markets and is based on a scoping literature review and data audit, a global survey of 1,000 business leaders, sector-specific workshops, and the convening of an advisory board of subject-matter experts. It looks at nine countries and four sectors of the economy playing a central role in the green transition, including IT and Technology, Construction and Infrastructure, Transport and Logistics and Energy and Utilities. Despite an overwhelming majority (79%) of business leaders agreeing that skills will be the most important driver of the green transition, just 55% are implementing or planning to implement relevant programmes to create these for their workforce. This leaves a large proportion of the workforce without training in the skills necessary for a greener economy, and risks obstructing progress on the green transition, at a time when it is gaining urgency in order to tackle the climate crisis and enhance energy security. Accordingly, the Green Skills Outlook found that 62% of global business leaders say shortages in green skills will create bottlenecks that will delay the green transition. Green transition will have net-positive impact on job creation As greener industries gain prominence, the Green Skills Outlook shows that business leaders are overwhelmingly optimistic about the green transition, with 79% saying it presents more opportunities than challenges for their organisation. European business leaders, albeit generally optimistic, show a slightly more cautious stance. Smaller majorities of survey respondents in the UK (68%), Germany (72%), France (74%), and Spain (75%) were confident that opportunities will surpass challenges compared to near unanimity (94%) in Brazil and China (94%). However, the green transition is expected to have a net-positive impact on job creation, with particular benefits seen in clean energy, electrification, energy efficiency and research and development. Almost three quarters (73%) of respondents agreed that the green transition will create more jobs than it eliminates, and 81% say that it will create higher-quality jobs for workers. At a global level, the International Labour Organization (ILO) estimates the transition could lead to 25 million net new jobs by 2030, particularly in green sectors and activities. For example, in the energy sector, the expansion and maintenance of electricity grids and storage facilities provides millions of additional jobs around the world, up to 3,500 jobs per 100,000 jobs in Europe. The growing demand for green skills across the economy The green transition will require all workers to acquire green skills – not just those working in explicitly green roles. Such skills will range from non-vocational, non-technical soft skills that are needed to excel in green jobs, to more technical, role-specific skills. For example, over a third (38%) of respondents in the Energy sector identified smart grid implementation as one of the most important green skills to enabling their organisation’s green transition. More broadly, the most important cross-sectoral green skills are sustainability and disclosure reporting (39%), environmental impact assessment (35%) and sustainability compliance (32%). However, skills in compliance and disclosure, and reporting remain some of the most challenging to source. In addition, soft skills will be important to supporting business leaders’ efforts in transitioning their businesses towards greener ways of working. The top three which businesses are looking for are environmental awareness (45%), innovation and creativity (37%), and problem solving (31%). Innovative strategies from governments, educational institutions and the private sector are required to bridge emerging green skills gaps The Green Skills Outlook shows that there is overwhelming positivity for the green transition from business leaders globally, and two thirds (63%) say responsibility for leading it ultimately lies with them, over policymakers. However, bridging emerging gaps in green skills will be imperative to driving the transition forward, and will require coordination and innovative strategies on the part of governments, educational institutions, and the private sector. The role of government policy in fostering the green transition cannot be overstated. The top three policies that business leaders think should be prioritised to ensure the supply of green skills in the labour market meets the needs of the green transition are: * Support for businesses' investment in up-skilling and re-skilling programmes (e.g. through grants or tax relief) (53%) * Support for the establishment of green skills courses at educational institutions (e.g. through strategic funding) (49%) * Adapting existing work and training programmes for the unemployed to increase the emphasis on and support for green skills (46%) As well as introducing active labour market policies that nurture the supply of green skills, in the longer term, governments will need to create an enabling environment that incentivises the greening of the economy more broadly. Such as through stricter standards, putting a price on emissions, and removing subsidies for polluting industries, such as fossil fuels. Ignacio Galán, Iberdrola's Executive Chairman, says: “The opportunities presented by the transition are vast, but it is critical that both businesses and policymakers are sharply focused now on ensuring people are equipped with the right skills and training. Without skilled workers, the transition will not be delivered, and the benefits will not be realised." “As the world emerges from COP with a clear focus on phasing out fossil fuels, as well as tripling renewables in six years, every company in every sector is fully aware that change is coming fast." “Those who plan well will lead and be at the forefront of the transition. For two decades at Iberdrola we have been helping workers and industries to refocus and retrain to make the most of the green transition. We have helped aeronautics companies to take the lead in wind power, shipbuilders to diversify into offshore wind fabrication, and oil and gas workers to retain their offshore expertise, but switching to renewables." “Iberdrola and the energy sector also have much more to do, and we are not standing still. We continue to work with schools, universities and policymakers across the world, as well as delivering our own new initiatives, such as the Global Green Employment platform, and cross-sector initiatives, such as Reskilling 4 Employment. In producing this Outlook we also now have detailed thoughts from a thousand business leaders across the world, giving us valuable insight into where the pinch points are and how they can be addressed.” Commenting on the demand for green skills, Kevin Nilsen, President of ECO Canada, says: “All individuals will need to acquire green skills - if a person doesn’t have basic green literacy skills, they won’t be able to effectively carry out their role.” On the role of different stakeholders in the green transition, Simon Schmid at SkillLab emphasises, “What is important is having an ecosystem that enables communication and alignment between educational institutions, employers and governments.” Matus Samel, Senior manager and the Green Skills Outlook programme lead at Economist Impact, says: “We see green skills as the key to a just and equitable transition to a more sustainable economy. The Greek Skills Outlook highlights that much more needs to be done across private and public sectors in advanced as well as emerging economies to enable workers and communities to participate in this crucial transition.” READ MORE
