In continuation of its ‘Meet the Expert’ series, Qatar Science & Technology Park (QSTP), a member of Qatar Foundation, recently hosted a workshop to emphasize the importance of digital technologies in enabling the success of clean energy initiatives and strengthening the fight against climate change.
Managing Director of Iberdrola Innovation Middle East – Iberdrola’s innovation center housed within QSTP – Santiago Bañales, opened the session with an overview of the company’s expanding global footprint over two decades of operations at the forefront of energy transition, and the global energy sector’s shift from fossil-based energy production systems to renewable energy pathways with net-zero emissions.
The session also demonstrated the evolution of Iberdrola’s products and services from 2000 to 2022, underpinned by technological development to benefit areas such as industry, transport, and buildings. While showcasing current efforts in smart mobility, green hydrogen and smart solar applications, Bañales identified opportunities for further diversification and growth of renewable energy sources. To this end, the company has invested 120 billion euros in the energy transition since 2001.
During the session, Bañales also drew attention to Iberdrola’s efforts in decarbonizing the energy sector, electrification technology trends, and electrification in the domains of transport and buildings. He stressed that digitalization serves as a key enabler for leading energy companies, especially in the face of increased pressures on utilities from regulators and investors to decarbonize. Digitalization involves using data captured by millions of sensors and devices and transforming it into insights and actions that help to improve the way we generate, distribute, and use electricity, he explained.
“At our tech hub in Qatar, we are focused on building digital solutions for adoption across the global energy sector as we collectively work toward achieving net-zero electricity generation goals and the decarbonization of energy demand. Making the energy system sustainable entails two things; generating electricity with only renewable technologies and electrifying the energy demand in buildings, transport, and industry. Digitalization is key to integrating the two together and then continuously balancing the generation of green electricity with the customer’s optimal use of energy,” Bañales highlighted.
Referring to some of Iberdrola’s made-in-Qatar digital solutions that are currently under development, Bañales said: “We’ve developed a wind farms data manager that uses data from wind turbines to offer insights for enhanced planning, operations and maintenance of wind farms, and electricity-storage batteries sizing tool which provides optimal sizing of new battery projects that stack several revenue streams.”
“Additionally, we have created the Advanced Smart Assistant, a solution for customers to connect all their electrical devices at home to this Assistant via a mobile application, and reduce their emissions footprint as well as energy bills by embracing a more environmentally-positive lifestyle. Among other services, the solution smartly adapts the setting of air conditioning and heating units, charges electrical vehicles at optimal times, and overall helps use energy-consuming devices at home in the most efficient manner.”
Ahmed Al Enazi, Planning and Strategic Initiative Director at QSTP, commented: “QSTP places sustainability at the top of its priorities and so this Meet the Expert session was especially enriching for us as it delved into the opportunities digital technologies unlock for the global energy sector. We value the contributions of our longstanding partner, Iberdrola, in leveraging QSTP’s ecosystem to advance the development of cutting-edge solutions crucial to countering local and global environmental challenges.”
QSTP’s Meet the Expert series convenes local and international experts, industry leaders, academics, and researchers to underline best practices and technology-driven solutions focused on areas of strategic importance to Qatar. The series aims to boost innovation and entrepreneurship to achieve Qatar’s economic diversification and sustainability-centered goals.
To learn more about the series, or to stay tuned for upcoming sessions, please visit: https://qstp.org.qa/qstp-expert-series