Interview with Carlota Pi from Holaluz

Ms Pi, as a recent business school graduate, you helped found the Holaluz start-up. Today, the company is a pioneer of the transition to clean energy in Spain and a top player in the field of solar energy. What was the inspiration behind it?

Carlota Pi: We want to use Holaluz to shape a world that is 100% driven by renewable energies and decarbonise the economy. Because the previous energy system has collapsed and we are in the middle of the climate crisis. Our answer is the Rooftop Revolution, a movement that is driving the transition to clean energy in Spain. We are now able to generate solar power from around 12,500 customers’ roofs across the country. We use our innovative technology platform and local power grids to connect these to households in their area that have no available roofs.

Your approach allows prosumers – people who consume energy and produce it themselves – to participate in the energy market. What good is that?

Carlota Pi: That’s how we're going to democratise access to green energy. We focus on people and their needs. We want to build long-term relationships and jointly create the most impactful green energy community in Europe. To achieve this, we want to exploit the full potential of the roofs and meet the demand of green energy by scaling electricity and storage solutions. Unnecessary solar power is fed into the local power grid and distributed to around 325,000 current electricity customers without an available roof. This is sustainable and saves electricity transmission costs because we rent the power lines and eliminate longer transport routes.

What are the specific benefits for users?

Carlota Pi: Our customers have access to green energy and save electricity and network costs. We also offer flexible modules for storing the solar power – such as batteries and charging stations for electric cars – to optimise energy management. We have already installed more than 1,000 e-chargers, and one in ten new solar systems has a house battery. For our customers, making the switch has paid off when it comes to their electricity bills: three-quarters save 70% or more, and 9 out of 10 are satisfied.

What role do technological innovations play in driving the transition to clean energy with new solutions?

Carlota Pi: Technology plays a central role in providing our customers with a unique energy service experience. With the help of innovative technologies and artificial intelligence, we can gain valuable insights from data, offer our customers the best solution for savings, generate additional revenues, and make our business more efficient. Last year, we developed some groundbreaking projects. Examples include our new customer app or Holaluz Wireless - a solution that allows owners to balance out savings between different homes. We also introduced the first cloud technology-based dispatching centre in Spain. The safety and trust of our customers are of paramount importance to all developments. That’s why we recently joined an initiative that promotes algorithmic transparency to ensure responsible use of artificial intelligence.

What is the state of the solar power market in Spain? What were and are the biggest challenges?

Carlota Pi: Spain lags behind other European countries in generating solar power. One reason is initiatives like the contested “solar tax”, which was in effect from 2015 to 2018. Holaluz was a key player in its abolition and the first company to install a self-consumption plant in Spain. At the moment, demand for photovoltaic technicians is very high and there would be enough professionals. That’s why we launched the Holaluz Academy to train qualified and competitive professionals for the entire sector. We work with other energy companies and are part of the industry organisations UNEF (the Spanish Photovoltaic Union) and Solar Power. This way, we can help reshape regulations and drive the transition to clean energy.

You pursue an inclusive and innovative approach to the transition to clean energy. How important are gender equality and work-life balance at Holaluz?

Carlota Pi: At Holaluz, we are committed to gender equality and diversity: 40 percent of our 700+ employees are women, including in assembly and sales. From the outset, we have taken measures to ensure equal opportunities at all levels. In male-dominated areas such as technology and solar assembly, we are driving gender equality within these teams For example, we recently opened the world’s first school for female solar installers at the Holaluz Academy. As a partner of the Women Empowerment Principles of UN Women, we are committed to overcoming social challenges. We promote work-life balance among our employees through a wide variety of measures and are certified as a “Baby-Friendly Company”. Holaluz is committed to these priorities – by doing so, we advance inclusion and innovation not only for the transition to clean energy, but throughout society as a whole.

Which milestones are you particularly proud of?

Carlota Pi: Our impact business model has enabled us to achieve a positive effect on people and the planet in recent years. Most recently, we received the Ecovadis Gold Medal in June 2023 for our leadership in sustainability. In January, we were recognised by Sustainalytics as the world’s leading ESG company in the category of independent electricity producers and traders. Since 2010, we have avoided more than 2.3 tonnes of carbon in the atmosphere. I'm really proud of that.

How do you see the solar market in Spain developing over the next ten years? And what role will Holaluz play in this?

Carlota Pi: The solar power system market for private households in Spain is currently booming. Over the past four years, this sector has undergone an exponential growth curve: it has grown by a factor of 3.5 to 4 each year. Given the market size of ten million systems, we see great potential here for the coming years. Holaluz is a real game changer: we are fully committed to decarbonising the global economy. We want to help our customers decarbonise and provide access to clean and local energy for all. We are shaping a greener future and are an active part of the transition to clean energy – wholeheartedly!

Carlota Pi has been active in the energy sector for over 15 years. In 2010, together with Ferran Nogué and Oriol Vila, she founded the energy transition company Holaluz in Barcelona. Prior to this, she gained experience in Spain, Germany and the USA.