Location: Global initiative
Issue: Need for effective water management through operational- and supply chain-level actions.
Organizations involved: Iberdrola
Year: 2015
This case study drawn from:
As a signatory of the Global Round Table on Climate Change and the UN CEO Water Mandate, Iberdrola champions transparency on water. Recognizing that effective water management depends on operational- and supply chain-level interactions, Iberdrola promotes environmental responsibility and strict compliance by suppliers, with a particular emphasis on the principles established by the UN Global Compact. Through such efforts, 75% of Iberdrola’s contracted suppliers had Environmental Management Systems in place in 2015.
Over the last three years, Iberdrola modernized 45 of its 92 small hydropower projects, investing US$11.2 million in order to ensure their hydropower facilities are equipped with the most advanced, energy efficient technology and maximize the generation of clean energy. They also invested in R&D for the development of a biodegradable oil for hydraulic systems in hydroelectric plants in order to prevent environmental damage in the event of oil spillage.
Replacing less efficient technologies such as conventional thermal generation with renewables has helped Iberdrola to meet rolling annual water efficiency targets. In 2015, they achieved a 45.4% reduction in their water consumption compared to 2013.
Furthermore, Iberdrola are actively pursuing Sustainable Development Goal 6 and are involved in a number of initiatives aiming to achieve this goal. One such initiative, part of the Water for All program in Brazil, involves the installation of systems for capturing and storing rainwater for human consumption, which will supply water to over 3,300 homes that currently have no connection to the general water system.
