Iberdrola joins forces with Woza to Shield its Power Lines from Climate Change
Iberdrola has partnered with Woza Labs, a startup headquartered in Bilbao, Biscay, to safeguard its power lines against the impacts of climate change. Leveraging its specialized knowledge, Woza Labs will develop digital solutions, including geographic information systems and satellite image analysis, to assist Iberdrola's network division in forecasting, strategizing, and evaluating climate-related risks that have the potential to harm network infrastructure.
Woza Labs emerged as the victor in Iberdrola's PERSEO startup challenge, an initiative launched in October. This Basque company is set to develop a comprehensive program aimed at assessing the potential impacts of climate change and its associated factors, including strong winds, heavy rainfall, and extreme weather events like Filomenas, on Iberdrola's electrical grids. The program's goal is to enable the company to prioritize infrastructure investments or modifications to proactively mitigate these climate-related risks. The ultimate objective is to expand the adoption of such solutions to the regions where the Iberdrola Group operates.
Distribution lines represent a fundamental component of the global electricity system, gaining even greater significance with the integration of renewable energy sources, the drive for energy efficiency, and the enhancement of supply reliability. Iberdrola aims to fortify its distribution networks, which consist of 1.1 million electricity lines primarily located in forested areas, where many challenges arise due to the effects of climate change.
Given the continuous expansion of the distribution grid and the escalating environmental challenges, investments are imperative to reinforce its resilience in the face of these threats. Iberdrola's grid business holds significant importance within its overall strategy. During its Capital Markets & ESG Day on November 9, the company revealed plans to allocate approximately €27 billion, which accounts for 57% of its total €47 billion investment plan for the period from 2023 to 2025, toward bolstering this critical sector.
Enhancing distribution lines represents the pathway to transforming the traditional unidirectional power supply model—transmitting power from grid stations to consumption points—into an intelligent and interactive platform. This upgraded infrastructure will accommodate higher levels of renewable energy integration and provide ample room for emerging developments, including electric vehicles, self-consumption systems, and electric-based heating systems.
