IBERDROLA forms part of the Future Internet Private-Public Partnership programme within the EU’s Finseny Project to design a smart internet grid for the future which takes into account the needs of smart grids.

In line with its commitment to technological innovation, IBERDROLA has teamed up with major players from the energy and ICT sectors as well as R&D centres and universities from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland and Spain.

This European consortium aims to identify the ICT requirements of smart energy systems, develop trail-blazing architecture and help standardise the solution adopted to ensure a widespread roll-out of smart energy systems in Europe and the rest of the world.

The Finseny Project, set up as part of the fight against climate change and the drive to find new energy sources, intends to develop a more efficient and secure electricity system which particularly favours the introduction of renewable energy sources to the grid. This project will be particularly important in Spain, the global wind energy leader.

In this regard, smart power grids will ensure reliability of supply and guarantee a constant balance between generation and demand by introducing advanced ICT technologies to the energy system.

The use of ICTS in energy supply infrastructures will allow companies real time demand response and load control. This system will also aid, for instance, electric vehicle recharging and offer savings schemes for homes and commercial buildings. 

The Finseny Project also recognises that Internet is now the main communication tool between people and that in the future it will be key to making people’s lives easier. By bringing Internet and smart grids together, users will be able to manage their power usage easily.

IBERDROLA and smart grids

IBERDROLA, in line with the EU’s energy policy, is tracing the roadmap for the development of smart grids with a number of projects designed to upgrade and modernise the power grid based on remote control technology. This will pave the way for new customer products and services and ultimately raise supply quality.

The grid transformation work being promoted by the company will contribute to delivery of the European Union’s environmental targets as the former dovetails with the latter: promotion of energy efficiency, facilitation of grid connection of renewable power and the mass roll-out of the electric vehicle.

IBERDROLA, which boasts projects in Valencia, the Basque Country and Murcia, has successfully rolled out the first stage of this initiative in Castellón, installing 100,000 smart meters and adapting 600 substations to include new electronic equipment that provides information on and improves their operation.

The company also has initiatives in other countries: in the US, through its subsidiary Central Maine Power, and Scotland, in conjunction with ScottishPower in Glasgow.