Greenalia moves forward with its digitalization and technological innovation strategy

• Greenalia’s commitment to digitalizing all its processes has been demonstrated by its major investments of close to two million euros in this area over recent years
• Digitalization and sustainability are both integral to the company’s objective to achieve more efficient and transparent management and to reduce its impact on the environment

The pandemic has put digitalization at the core of all operational and financial endeavors. This is a journey that Greenalia started well before 2020, in 2018 to be specific, when it made a firm commitment to digitally transform of all its business activities. From that point on, Greenalia’s investment strategy has been decisive in the journey to become a 100% Digital Company. This journey included purchasing new equipment and implementing new systems, with a total investment of approximately 2 million euros.

The journey also started with Microsoft 365 implementation, a technology that offers high levels of security and availability; and migrating and securing all the company’s data. Another major step was transferring all the on-premise architecture to the cloud. This process enabled the company to seamlessly transfer their workforce to a homeworking structure last March while maintaining business continuity, days before the general lockdown was decreed. Greenalia’s cloud can be accessed from anywhere, is secured, and is one of the fundamental parts of the company’s development and scaling strategy.

The company is continuing to make advances along this path, particularly with regards to the Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) and is implementing various new developments and integrations into SAP. For this year specifically, the company is committed to incorporating various SuccessFactors modules, a flexible talent management cloud-based tool that is integrated into the SAP HCM/HR module. It is a powerful driver for organizational development that integrates both talent development and the company’s growth strategy. As such, the company aims to continue working on strengthening the user experience of its employees by supporting their development processes and promoting high levels of motivation. All of this is taking place alongside the adoption of new technologies for automating processes (RPA) and the creation of a digital environment that promotes innovation and organizational development.

In addition to improving internal management and business efficiency, this digitalization process has led to other benefits within the company as well, as, among other milestones, it has entirely removed the need for paper and physical archiving in the offices (Paperless Philosophy). This has not just led to an improvement in the working environment, but it has also been an important step in the reduction of paper and ink consumption, which consequently helps to protect the environment. We now use interactive whiteboards, digital post-its and take notes using an electronic pen on our screens. This helps us to be much more sustainable, efficient and focused on what is important: transforming our energy models and fighting for a greener future.

Our move towards digitalization has involved a major focus on security, which is why we work continuously to keep our systems and protocols fully up to date. From the installation of multi-factor authentication (MFA) and single sign on (SSO), to the development of a Cybersecurity Master Plan, the Greenalia Digital Department’s action plan involves maintaining a high level of alert against cybersecurity risks and cyber attacks, which are a constant threat to companies these days.

All devices are validated and configured by the Digital Department, which uses Microsoft tools like Intune (a cloud-based service designed for managing mobile devices) to guarantee security and control access to company data.

Greenalia has also brought innovation and digital transformation to its balers working in the Galician woods transporting biomass to the Curtis-Teixeiro Biomass Plant, where it is used to generate renewable energy. As another example of the developmental power of renewable energy, the Internet of things (IoT) was also applied to the balers, the trucks, and the 50 MW Biomass Plant, so we can now obtain real-time operational information and improve decision-making.

To continue with its digitalization strategy, one of Greenalia’s objectives over the coming months is to begin incorporating artificial intelligence (IA), big data and IoT into new processes. One benefit of the application of IA, for example, is that it will enable the company to anticipate and predict potential faults in the various mechanisms involved in wind turbines. This kind of predictive maintenance will help to save time, maintain activity levels and prevent and rectify potential interruptions.

As a renewable energy company with conservation of the planet ingrained in its DNA, Greenalia believes that digitalization and innovation can help us better protect the environment and make more progress towards sustainability. This goes hand in hand with a reduction in management time and the automation and accessibility of data that enable us to work practically in real time so we can respond to any incident or need for improvement, or even anticipate them. The application of cutting-edge technology enables us to strengthen the company’s resilience within a highly challenging context that is undergoing constant change.