Energy efficiency, the strategic lever of the energy transition

As every March 5th, yesterday we celebrated World Energy Efficiency Day, a date that invites us as a society to reflect on the role energy plays in our economic and productive model. In a current context marked by the volatility of energy markets, regulatory pressure, and the urgent need to move towards decarbonization, energy efficiency has become one of the most effective tools for transforming our energy system. For years, talking about energy efficiency mainly meant reducing consumption. Now the concept has evolved profoundly. Efficiency has become a true strategic lever that allows companies and administrations that decide to bet on it to improve their competitiveness, strengthen their operational resilience, and move towards more sustainable production models. In practice, optimizing energy use involves much more than installing more efficient equipment. It means precisely understanding how energy is consumed in each process, identifying structural inefficiencies, and applying solutions capable of improving the overall performance of facilities. This optimization not only reduces costs but also decreases emissions associated with the activity and facilitates compliance with an increasingly demanding regulatory framework. Furthermore, in an increasingly electrified energy system with a growing presence of renewable energies, energy efficiency has become the first step in any serious energy transition strategy. Even before talking about new technologies or large investments, optimizing existing consumption allows freeing up resources, improving operational stability, and laying the groundwork for future decarbonization actions. In this scenario, the commitment of energy companies to efficiency takes on fundamental importance. At Edison Next, energy efficiency is the core of our value proposition as a long-term energy partner for companies and public administrations. Our approach is based on accompanying organizations throughout the entire energy transformation process, from the initial diagnosis to the operation and continuous optimization of facilities. This comprehensive model allows our clients to integrate energy efficiency, renewable energies, digitalization, and circular economy under a single results-oriented strategy. Through contractual models based on performance guarantees, at Edison Next we assume a direct commitment to the energy savings and emission reductions of our clients. This approach, characteristic of Energy Service Companies (ESCOs), allows eliminating financial barriers and aligning incentives. The results reflect the real impact of this model. Currently, at Edison Next we manage more than 2,450 GWh of energy, have developed more than 2,500 projects, and have contributed to avoiding more than 120,550 tons of CO₂, largely thanks to the energy efficiency and decarbonization initiatives we have developed in industrial sectors, tertiary sector buildings, and public administrations. Looking ahead to 2026, at Edison Next we have reaffirmed our commitment to energy efficiency as a driver of the energy transition. We will continue to promote high-impact projects capable of reducing consumption, improving the competitiveness of organizations, and decreasing their environmental footprint. This commitment is articulated through the deployment of comprehensive solutions that combine engineering, digitalization, energy operation, and financing, as well as through the promotion of key tools for the Spanish energy market, such as the Energy Savings Certificates (CAEs) system, which allows monetizing the savings generated by efficiency projects. Our goal is clear: to make it easier for more and more companies and administrations to turn energy efficiency into a real and measurable competitive advantage. The energy transition does not depend solely on the development of new renewable generation sources. It also requires using the energy we already consume more intelligently. In this sense, energy efficiency represents one of the fastest, most profitable, and most reliable ways to move towards a more sustainable energy model. Because, ultimately, the most sustainable energy remains the one we do not need to consume.