Edison Next champions competitiveness at the X Energy Forum

Edison Next Spain has once again placed itself at the center of the energy debate with the participation of our CEO, Íñigo Bertrand, in the X Energy Forum: Energy as a Strategic Axis of European Competitiveness, organized by El Economista. The forum brought together over two days the leading figures of the energy sector in Spain and Europe, including CEOs and executives from companies such as Siemens, Endesa, Naturgy, Iberdrola, Repsol, BP, Acciona Energía and EDP. Wednesday’s session consisted of five debate panels addressing the challenges and opportunities of the sector. Throughout the discussions, some of the most strategic issues for Europe’s energy future were also examined. Topics included the current paradox of dependence on gas imports from the United States, when the continent could be advancing towards greater domestic production. In this regard, it was underlined that Europe’s objectives of strategic autonomy, sustainability and the maintenance of the social welfare state must always be linked to a central concept: competitiveness. The speakers also agreed that gas will continue to play an essential role within the energy system — from its connection with data centers, which opens a new horizon for the sector, to its role as an indispensable vector for guaranteeing the sustainability of the electricity system. At the same time, concern was raised over the scarcity of new investment and the need to strengthen the operations and maintenance of infrastructure, always with the challenge of decarbonizing in a cost-effective way. Beyond gas, other sector challenges and opportunities were also addressed, including renewable energy generation, the deployment of renewables ahead of 2030 and the role of energy retailers in the energy transition. Each of the five panels allowed for the analysis of trends, the sharing of experiences and debate on how technological innovation and sustainability are fundamental to guaranteeing companies’ competitiveness in an increasingly demanding European context. During the fourth panel, in which Bertrand participated, he highlighted how companies’ competitiveness is increasingly dependent on energy efficiency and the ability to integrate different technological solutions. In this regard, he underlined Edison Next’s role as a strategic partner that combines energy efficiency, renewable energy and the circular economy, providing a mix of technological solutions that allows companies across all sectors to reduce their carbon footprint and optimize their energy expenditure. In the field of renewables, he highlighted the spectacular growth of photovoltaics in industry, where Edison Next is driving several onsite generation projects with significant potential. However, he noted that the sector must adapt and hybridize with other technologies such as storage and energy efficiency, and that regulatory measures such as shared self-consumption will be decisive in consolidating this development. He also emphasized the role of biomethane and Edison’s part in building the first plants that will reinforce the transition towards a more sustainable and competitive industrial model. Another key point raised by Bertrand was the positive impact of the Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs) system — a tool that, as he highlighted, is consolidating itself as an increasingly important strategic asset for companies. Through CAE management, Edison Next supports industrial, tertiary and public sector clients in identifying projects, certifying savings and monetizing certificates, thereby accelerating the transition towards more sustainable and competitive energy models. In his intervention, the Edison Next CEO emphasized that the combination of digital solutions, renewable energy and process optimization is key to guaranteeing competitiveness in a European context that is placing ever greater demands on companies. Edison Next Spain’s projects — which already include more than 2,500 initiatives and 2,000 managed buildings — have demonstrated that sustainability is no longer merely a regulatory obligation, but has become an opportunity to generate economic and environmental value simultaneously. Edison Next’s participation in high-level forums such as this reinforces its role as a benchmark in energy and sustainability solutions in Spain and Europe, demonstrating that the integration of technologies, the commitment to efficiency and the strategic management of energy are fundamental elements for the competitive development of the business and industrial sector.