To increasingly free ourselves from fluctuations in the price of commodities, in 2022 we accelerated the decarbonization of power generation, continuing the development of new renewable capacity and the decommissioning of fossil plants, such as the Bocamina II coal-fired power plant in Chile. Its recent closure means we have become the first electricity company to no longer use coal in the country.
From photovoltaic panels to mini-wind farms, multiple technologies can assist in improving the reliability of the energy system. Customers can also become producers or can reduce the cost of energy, accelerating the path towards an electrified future. We remained the leader in demand response, with 8.5 GW of capacity managed for energy consumption. Electrification also entails electric mobility, which we are supporting by expanding the infrastructure, with 22,600 owned public charging points installed globally in the last year, and with the development of new technologies and flexible services to improve the customer experience.
Another key element of our ecosystem is the more than 172,000 suppliers, thanks to which we can innovate and make our value chain more and more decarbonized and sustainable. We are supporting them towards a sustainable growth that can increase their competitiveness and efficiency, by means of tangible development initiatives and access to services at advantageous conditions.
Constant dialog with the communities in the countries where we operate enables us to jointly construct projects and solutions that respond to common priorities, promote local development and result in the creation of shared value in the long term. In 2022, there were already around 5 million global beneficiaries of our projects to foster sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth. In Italy, we’ve been focusing on students leaving school too soon, on access to the world of work for the new generations and on training in the new skills required by the energy transition, including via the circularity of professions linked to the previous energy model, through reskilling and upskilling programs. The School4Life project – intended to support students and teachers to prevent early school leaving – will involve about 15,000 students in the two years from 2022 to 2023, whereas the Energie per Crescere (Energy for Growth) program, extended in early 2023 from the grids to the renewable generation sector, will provide technical training to 5,500 young people.
A key element in the strategy is our people: now as much as throughout the 60 years of our history, they design the future of energy systems, with dedication and spirit of service even at the most difficult times and in the most extreme conditions.
Our people have understood – and have helped others to understand – the great value of the resource we work with, and the necessity to use it efficiently and responsibly. By sharing our purpose of “Open power for a brighter future” on a broader scale, we commit to making the energy system more and more safe and sustainable for our stakeholders.