Edison Next bets on 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 leading figures from the energy sector in Spain and Europe over two days, including CEOs and executives from companies such as Siemens, Endesa, Naturgy, Iberdrola, Repsol, BP, Acciona Energía, and EDP. Wednesday’s session consisted of five discussion panels addressing the challenges and opportunities in the sector. Throughout the panels, some of the most strategic issues for Europe’s energy future were also discussed. For example, the current paradox of relying on gas imports from the United States was debated, when the continent could move towards greater domestic production. In this regard, it was emphasized that European objectives of strategic autonomy, sustainability, and maintaining the welfare state must always be linked to a central concept: competitiveness. Likewise, the speakers agreed that gas will continue to play an essential role within the energy system. From its connection to data centers, which opens a new horizon for the sector, to its role as an indispensable vector for ensuring the sustainability of the electricity system, gas remains key in the energy transition. At the same time, warnings were issued about the scarcity of new investments and the need to strengthen operations and maintenance of infrastructure, always with the challenge of decarbonizing profitably. Beyond gas, other challenges and opportunities in the sector were also addressed, such as renewable energy generation, the deployment of renewables towards 2030, and the role of energy retailers in the energy transition. Each of the five panels allowed for analyzing trends, sharing experiences, and debating how technological innovation and sustainability are fundamental to ensuring the competitiveness of companies in an increasingly demanding European context. During the fourth panel, in which Bertrand participated, he highlighted how company competitiveness increasingly depends on energy efficiency and the ability to integrate different technological solutions. In this regard, he emphasized the role of Edison Next as a strategic partner that combines energy efficiency, renewable energies, and circular economy, providing a mix of technological solutions that allows companies from 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 great potential. However, he noted that the sector must adjust 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. Furthermore, he emphasized the role of biomethane and Edison’s role in building the first plants that will reinforce the transition towards a more sustainable and competitive model for the industrial fabric. Another key point that Bertrand brought to the table was the positive impact of the Energy Savings Certificates (CAEs) system, a tool that, as he highlighted, is becoming 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, thus accelerating the transition towards more sustainable and competitive energy models. In his speech, the CEO of Edison Next emphasized that the combination of digital solutions, renewable energies, and process optimization is key to ensuring competitiveness in a European context that increasingly demands more from companies. Edison Next Spain’s projects, which already include over 2,500 initiatives and 2,000 managed buildings, have demonstrated that sustainability is no longer just 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, commitment to efficiency, and strategic energy management are fundamental elements for the competitive development of the business and industrial fabric.