IBERDROLA has published its 2009-2010 R&D Report. The document includes the Group’s main initiatives and most significant milestones in R&D, in which it has invested over €220 million over the last two years.
The Group considers R&D a strategic pillar of its activity when confronting with guarantees the challenges facing the energy sector, and to this end has launched over 150 projects focused on sustainable development, the promotion of renewable energy sources and the promotion of emerging technologies.
Thanks to this open innovation model and to the work carried out jointly with companies, universities, technology centres, industrial organisations and public institutions, IBERDROLA today leads the profound transformation process facing the energy sector.
This recently published document highlights the Company’s main initiatives in this field, amongst which are highlighted the Innovation Network, a forum for sharing amongst technical collaborators for promoting new ideas, the different IBERDROLA chairs at universities for promoting research and training, or the Perseo development capital fund for assuring the Company’s access to energy-related technologies of the future.
By activity area, as reflected in the aforementioned report, the Company has embarked on a series of actions amongst which are worth mentioning::
1) RENEWABLE ENERGIES
IBERDROLA has driven a series of initiatives with the objective of keeping itself at the forefront of technological innovation and ready to assume the leadership of new generations of renewable energies. For example, the Company has launched projects in the area of offshore wind power, such as Emerge, for promoting floating platform systems in deep waters, or Azimut, for broadening technical know-how for optimising offshore wind projects.
In addition, IBERDROLA has taken steps along the fields of marine energy (waves and tides) through programmes amongst which stand out Ocean Leader and Orcadian, and in biomass, where mention must be made of the Lignocrop project, which researches the value chain of biomass based upon energy crops.
2) SMART GRIDS
The Company has driven several initiatives in this field, amongst which are notable the culmination of the final phase of the Star Project in Castellón, city where 90,000 meters have been installed and 520 transformer stations have been adapted. Thanks to this, almost all persons in Castellón enjoy this smart metering and automation system.
Furthermore, IBERDROLA has launched initiatives in the United States, where 600,000 clients in Maine will be equipped with smart grid infrastructure, and in Scotland, where this technology is being tested in Glasgow in order to improve the power supply’s reliability and quality.
3) ELECTRIC VEHICLE
The Company has intensified in 2010 its commitment to sustainable mobility throughout its value chain by formalising agreements with public administrations, electric vehicle manufacturers and recharge system suppliers. Likewise, it participates in standardisation groups and national and international R&D projects.
IBERDROLA’s main initiative has been its launch of the Green Mobility Plan, the first comprehensive solution in Spain for facilitating real access of citizens to this new means of transportation. This Plan offers clients options for purchasing the vehicle, the installation of the recharging point, and the supply of 100% renewable energy.
4) CLEAN GENERATION TECHNOLOGIES
IBERDROLA’s efforts in this area aim to optimise operating conditions improve safety and reduce environmental impact of generation plants. In this realm, for example, the Group operates a thermal plant in Longannet (Scotland), a CO2capture project and another for reducing NOXin Velilla.
The Company is also developing the Cenit Vida project, which researches CO2capture techniques, together with environmental modelling techniques and their application in urban settings.
5) ENERGY STORAGE
IBERDROLA has begun in the United States the first phase of an energy storage initiative using compressed air. Amongst other benefits, this system will promote the integration of renewable energy sources into the grid.
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Source: iberdrola, August 01, 2011;