IBERDROLA’s R&D efforts in the generation field are aimed at optimising operational efficiency, improving security, and reducing environmental impact through lower emissions or new and more efficient generating facilities.

With respect to life and materials management, the focus has been on the ECRIGEN and SIRO projects. The former aims to improve the reliability of equipment that is critical to generating facilities, which are subject to very demanding service conditions, while the latter focuses on the development of an innovative robot that is capable of rapidly, flexibly and reliably inspecting the condition of the entire fleet of electricity generators.

As regard nuclear generation, two projects are worthy of note – AUTONUC, which concerns the integration of new technologies into control systems – and PREVENCIÓN DE ACCIDENTES, regarding new models and approaches for the prevention of accidents at nuclear plants. In addition, various studies are being carried out into fusion technologies, as a commitment to generating clean and sustainable energy.

IBERDROLA continues to be firmly committed to reducing the environmental impact of its generating facilities, both in Spain and in Scotland. Continuing along this line are the COEBEN II project, the goal of which is to conform our facilities to the environmental requirements of NOx emissions, and the SIGMA and VIDA projects, regarding the capture of CO2.

In the hydroelectric field, there is the ARRANCADOR project, developed at the Gabriel y Galán pure-pumped station located in el Tajo, which will facilitate the integration of renewable energy.

Energy markets: Faced with an increasingly global and competitive market, the INTEGRA project was launched, led by Global Energy Management Department. The aim of this project is to standardise decision-making criteria, developing advanced management tools for energy trading and obtaining an in-depth knowledge of the functioning of the international markets which facilitate the taking of investment decisions in energy technologies.