Iberdrola connects 4,300 MW of renewables in Spain through grid access facilities for new generators
Iberdrola has connected 4,300 MW to the electricity system in the last year and a half, almost all of them renewable, owned by individuals, small and large companies. This impetus was possible thanks to the overhaul of the process of access and connection to the network carried out by i-DE, its distributor in Spain, which facilitates the connection of other producers.
This new, simpler and more transparent procedure has made it possible to integrate more than 2,000 new-generation power plants into the network, with a cumulative installed capacity equivalent to the energy consumed by two million households. These installations will prevent the emission of 3.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year.
With this new process, Iberdrola aims to advance in the transition to a more sustainable energy model based on clean sources. By accelerating the connection of new renewable power plants to its network, it is also helping to move towards energy independence. The new standard also ensures transparency and generates enough trust to attract the investment needed to develop the infrastructure that makes the decarbonization process possible.
The redesign included the development of an interactive geographic capacity map, accessible to any customer through the i-DE website (www.i-de.es). This map makes it possible to consult the capacity of all the lines operated by the company and to identify the location of the access points. It is also the first step in the process of interaction between new producers and the distribution company through a pioneering computer system that allows the standardization of documents and content, as well as the monitoring of deadlines to facilitate the early detection of any incident.
This comprehensive process brings a double benefit. On the one hand, it responds to all requests from agents wishing to access and connect to the i-DE networks within the framework of the legally established deadlines and conditions. On the other hand, it also provides producers, whether individuals or companies, with useful and up-to-date information on the network and the costs and conditions in each particular case. This increases the likelihood of successful processing of individual renewable energy projects.
Distribution networks, key to the success of the energy transition
Distribution networks have become the key to the success of the energy transition. They are the element underlying the transition from a centralized model, where energy comes from large power plants located far from consumption points, to a decentralized model, in which distributed resources – such as self-consumption, storage or electric vehicles – are integrated in a capillary way in the distribution network, from Low Voltage to higher voltage networks.
This change involves great technical complexity in managing an increasingly efficient network, thanks to digitization and the incorporation of flexibility to adapt to changing conditions of energy demand and volume. injected into the network.
i-DE manages and maintains 270,000 kilometers of electricity distribution lines in 10 autonomous communities and 25 provinces, covering an area of 200,339 square kilometers. It also has more than 97,000 transformer stations and more than 1,100 substations to serve its more than 11 million customers.