Iberdrola expects green light for its offshore wind energy project in the United States

2753/5000Ignacio Sánchez Galán, president of Iberdrola, visits New York these days as a representative of one of the world’s pioneering companies in renewable energies and within the framework of the Climate Summit organized by the UN.

Iberdrola occupies a prominent place in the fight of climate change, as a company that twenty years ago detected that it was a challenge for humanity that required urgent action. “The transition began twenty years ago, there were those who believed us and those who did not, but time is running out,” Galán said.

Following the approval in 2015 of the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, Iberdrola incorporated its compliance with its strategy and statutes. Among the objectives, it is possible to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% in 2030 compared to 2007 and disappear completely in 2050.

According to Galán, concrete measures are necessary, even if they involve a cost. “The closure of coal plants in the United Kingdom cost Iberdrola 500 million euros,” recalls the director, who ensures the fight against climate change requires planning. “You can’t improvise,” says Galán.

In the United States, Iberdrola is also one of the great representatives of clean energy. The company is currently pending authorization for its wind power macro project in Vineyard, off the coast of the state of Massachusetts, considered the largest offshore wind farm in the United States and one of the largest internationally.

The project, for which Iberdrola has partnered with the Danish Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), has suffered administrative delays in permits, but Galán hopes to have the green light in March. “This is an administration issue that we hope will be resolved soon,” he said.
3,000 new megawatts

In Spain, Iberdrola will configure the investment in clean energy generation with the installation of 3,000 new megawatts until 2022. Until 2030, the company’s forecasts point to the installation of 10,000 new megawatts (MW). The plan allows job creation for 20,000 people. Iberdrola will allocate an investment of 8,000 million euros to Spain during the 2018-2022 period.

Galán believes that the great commitment of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, for climate change, which materializes today with a great summit in which dozens of heads of state will participate, could mark a turning point in the environmental struggle, although he considered that concrete measures are needed. “You need compromises and not words,” he said.