Iberdrola España at the forefront of self-consumption in Spain with close to 200,000 customers connected to its grid

• The company has provided access to an average of 8,750 users per month in 2023, about 300 every day.

• Together, they contribute around 1,700 MW of 'green generation' to the system, which prevents the emission of 296 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

i-DE, the Iberdrola España group's distribution company, exceeded 197,000 self-consumption customers connected to its grid in 2023, after facilitating the deployment of nearly 105,000 installations; 43,000 more than in 2022. In total, the new connections contribute 1,690 megawatts (MW) of 'green generation' to the system. The new contribution is integrated into the low and medium voltage grids – avoiding the emission of more than 296 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.

The company, which proactively supports and facilitates access to self-consumption as a source of clean energy generation, has connected an average of 8,750 installations per month – nearly 300 per day. All the autonomous communities have grown at very high rates, reaching an average of 114%, and standing at over 80%. The Madrid and Valencia regions stand out, with 60% of the total between them. 

As an accelerator of the energy transition, since 2022 the distributor has been carrying out outreach work with the agents involved in the process to inform, promote and facilitate self-consumption. Among the activities carried out by the company in 2023 are its conferences with experts in the sector, such as installers or professional associations, in which, together with the Public Administration, it has managed to bring together more than 1,500 professionals. 

In addition, i-DE holds meetings with public administrations, both regional and national, as well as with the Spanish regulator, the CNMC.

The best quality of supply

i-DE offers its customers the best quality of supply in the Spanish electricity sector, with a level of service quality 20% above average. In the last three years, the company has improved the quality of the electricity supply it offers its customers by 15%. The index that measures this service – Interruption Time Equivalent to Installed Power (TIEPI) – accumulated to date is below 40 minutes.

The company manages more than 270,000 kilometres of power lines – a distance equivalent to circling the earth almost seven times in 10 autonomous communities and 25 provinces. It also has 98,000 transformation centres in service and 1,000 substations. In recent years, the company has undertaken an ambitious plan to digitalise its electricity grids, converting its more than 11 million meters and the infrastructure that supports them into smart meters, as well as incorporating remote management, supervision and automation capabilities.
 

A fundamental pillar

Electricity grids are essential to enable the energy transition, as they are the link between the generation of renewable energy and the consumer – whether an individual or a company. Traditionally, the electricity grid was static and unidirectional; whereas, with new consumption habits, such as self-consumption, it is necessary for the grid to be bidirectional, with communications between all agents. 

i-DE is immersed in a process of digitalisation of the electricity distribution grid that will provide more information to implement additional energy efficiency and sustainability measures, in a way that is committed to ambitious and urgent climate action. The deployment of the smart grid makes it possible to respond to new models of grid use and offer a better service to citizens.

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