i-DE, Iberdrola España’s distribution company, promotes events in Extremadura to highlight the importance of electrifying the economy

Cáceres hosted the 22nd edition of the Networks business meeting of i-DE Smart Electricity Grids, Iberdrola España’s distribution company. The event brought together more than one hundred employees and was chaired by i-DE’s Director for the Western Region, Óscar Villanueva, and the Head of the Networks business in Extremadura, David Martín Arevalillo.

The sessions emphasised the value of electrifying the economy as a strategy for sustainability and efficiency. Óscar Villanueva highlighted that “we have a great opportunity ahead to industrialise the country sustainably by driving the electrification of activities that today depend on fossil fuels. This transformation will enable us to reduce polluting gas emissions that harm the environment and accelerate climate change. Initiatives such as the promotion of electric vehicles or the use of electricity to generate heat in residential and industrial settings are clear examples of how we can move towards a cleaner, more efficient model committed to the planet’s future.”

The event also underlined that the energy transition offers numerous benefits both nationally and regionally, as “Spain has abundant natural resources such as sun, wind and water, all of them essential to generate clean and competitive energy. It is crucial to harness these resources through renewable and storage technologies.”

Within this context, i-DE representatives stressed that all growing industries will require more electricity, which makes it necessary to increase investment in networks: “we need a clear regulatory framework in order to build the business plan that will allow us to face this new period (2026-2031) with ambition, and in that scenario smart electricity grids are the backbone of the energy transition as they integrate renewables and connect major industrial projects.”

At the meeting in Cáceres, the Head of the Networks business in Extremadura, David Martín Arevalillo, concluded by reaffirming that “committing to electrification and to modern resilient networks is an essential condition to achieve decarbonisation of the economy, advance in the energy transition and ensure a sustainable, competitive and high-quality future for society.”