Wallbox teams up with Iberdrola for 100% renewable energy consumption at its new Barcelona factory and offices

• Producing 1,500 MWh/year of green power, equivalent to the consumption of 500 homes, and the development of next-generation nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB), the new plant is a pioneer in achieving near-zero energy consumption

• Iberdrola’s investment in the photovoltaic system means that Wallbox can save on the production and consumption of green energy from day one. The power company thus continues championing the competitiveness of renewables, fostering energy supply at competitive and stable prices with large customers committed to sustainable consumption

• This initiative is by far Wallbox’s most innovative commitment as bellwether in developing and adopting sustainable technologies, thus further reducing its carbon footprint 

Barcelona, 22 April 2021.- Wallbox and Iberdrola have entered a long-term, onsite Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to produce, consume and reuse 100% of the energy produced by the Wallbox plant and offices in Barcelona’s Zona Franca. 

Iberdrola’s investment in the photovoltaic system means that Wallbox can save on the production and consumption of green energy from day one. The power company thus continues championing the competitiveness of renewables through bilateral contracts, fostering energy supply at competitive and stable prices with large customers committed to sustainable consumption. This deal is another step forward for Wallbox’s pursuit to attain energy autonomy at these facilities, a smaller carbon footprint and leadership in productive energy management based mainly on solar energy. 

The photovoltaic solar panels at the Wallbox factory in Barcelona’s Zona Franca will produce 1,000 kWh/day to supply these facilities and offices, equivalent to the consumption of 500 homes. Panel installation at the corporate offices is scheduled to begin in late April and should be finished by the end of June. The photovoltaic system is thus set to be operational by the second half of the year.

Intelligent and bi-directional energy

The facilities will also have a unique, intelligent and bidirectional energy management system that will optimise generation, storage and grid use. Through regeneration, 75% of the energy consumed in the production process is returned to the internal power grid for reuse. The new plant is expected to be fully operational by September this year.  

The Wallbox plant is a pioneering building with nearly zero energy consumption in terms of the volume of green energy production generated and development of a new generation of nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB), which harmonises with the new trends in sustainable engineering and self-consumption worldwide.

“With this unprecedented industry engagement, we sought to honour our commitment to accelerate the process of adopting cleaner energy in everyday life.”

Wallbox CEO Enric Asunción

“With this unprecedented industry engagement, we sought to honour our commitment to accelerate the process of adopting cleaner energy in everyday life. Energy consumption everywhere in the world is changing at an accelerating pace, spurring us to develop products that promote decarbonisation. Thanks to this agreement, our products will also be manufactured with renewable energy, thus closing the production circle in the most sustainable way possible”, commented Wallbox CEO Enric Asunción.

“With such approaches to partnerships, in which Iberdrola invests so that customers can secure savings from the outset, producing renewable energy at their own facilities, we can maintain a sharp focus on the competitiveness of renewables, opening up opportunities for projects capable of transforming the present and future of energy in our country. These long-term power purchase agreements deliver customer stability and have become an optimal tool for managing the electricity supply of large consumers who are committed to clean and sustainable consumption. In this particular case, we also maximise infrastructures by harnessing the available surface area of the factory roofs, and then integrating an innovative energy efficiency system”, explained Raquel Blanco, Smart Mobility global director at Iberdrola.

Raising self-consumption to the next level

Wallbox launched a pilot project this February to apply bi-directional charging technology that would permit the use of energy stored in electric car batteries as a means of supplying part of the extra energy demand of its corporate offices. The system, installed at the corporate headquarters in Barcelona’s Zona Franca, comprises a range of Quasar bi-directional chargers and a fleet of Nissan Leaf electric vehicles. 

Wallbox employees can use the vehicles, which are recharged at night to supply power to the offices during the day. The building thus performs as an intelligent ecosystem, maximising its architecture to capture the available solar energy and releasing or storing it as required through the cars, which act as buffers whenever the building’s energy demand exceeds either the contracted power or the power generated by the solar panels.

“This innovative ecosystem features a dual system of stationary and mobile batteries. The first ones provide the first line of basic coverage and are configured to charge with a purely renewable energy mix, while the second ones squeeze the flexibility capabilities offered by electric vehicles, both for emission-free mobility and as a high energy density storage resource”, explained Wallbox CPO Eduard Castañeda. He added that “the benefit is again twofold as it provides access to a sustainable means of transport for Wallbox employees, while at the same time reducing the need for power from the grid as vehicles become both generators and storage units. The grid becomes more flexible and efficient as the generation/consumption curve flattens”.

We intend to increase the fleet of Quasar vehicles and bi-directional chargers until we reach full energy supply autonomy. Wallbox currently has 7 of them, but the fleet will soon receive an additional 15 vehicles. 

“We seek not only to develop new technologies that will enable the use and management of clean energy globally, but also to lead in their adoption. We live our commitment to sustainability from within, it’s in our DNA”, concludes Casteñeda.

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About Wallbox

Wallbox is a global company, dedicated to changing the way the world uses energy in the electric vehicle industry. Wallbox creates smart charging systems that combine innovative technology with outstanding design and manage the communication between vehicle, grid, building and charger.

Wallbox offers a complete portfolio of charging and energy management solutions for residential and semi-public use in more than 60 countries, and soon will begin commercializing public charging solutions as well.

Founded in 2015, with headquarters in Barcelona, Wallbox’s mission is to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles today to make more sustainable use of energy tomorrow. The company employs over 500 people in Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

About Iberdrola

Iberdrola is one of the world’s biggest energy companies, a leader in renewables, which is spearheading the energy transition to a low carbon economy. The group supplies energy to almost 100 million people in dozens of countries. It carries out renewables, networks and commercial activities in Europe (Spain, the United Kingdom, Portugal, France, Germany, Italy and Greece), the United States, Brazil, Mexico and Australia, and, as growth platforms, it is present in markets such as Japan, Ireland, Sweden and Poland, among others.

With a workforce of more than 37,000 and assets in excess of €122.5 billion, in 2020, it achieved a turnover of €33 billion and a net profit of over €3.6 billion. The company contributes to sustain 400,000 jobs along its supply chain, with annual procurement of €14 billion. A benchmark in the fight against climate change, it has allocated more than €120 billion over the last two decades to building a sustainable energy model, based on sound environmental, social and governance (ESG) principles.