'Cleantech Way'

BBVA CIB and the company Basque Hydrogen have signed the first project finance loan on the Iberian Peninsula to finance an electrolytic hydrogen plant to produce synthetic fuels (e-fuels) in the Bilbao port. BBVA made the announcement during the largest European conference on innovation and financing for the energy transition, the Energy Tech Summit, which starts on Wednesday in Bilbao. The event will bring together over 1,500 experts from the cleantech ecosystem.

The BBVA Group paid a record-breaking €8.46 billion in own taxes in 2024 in the countries where it operates, 10 percent more than the previous year, according to the Total Tax Contribution Report. In addition to this figure, BBVA collected €8.98 billion in taxes from third parties for a total of €17.44 billion–the Group’s highest tax contribution thus far. This means that for every €100 of income generated by BBVA in 2024, the bank contributed €49 to public coffers in taxes¹.

¹Ratio between BBVA’s financial contribution to public coffers in 2024 (€17.44 billion) and the bank’s gross margin for the year (€35.48 billion). BBVA’s tax contribution includes both its own taxes (corporate tax, VAT and specific levies on the financial sector, among others), as well as taxes collected by the BBVA Group on behalf of third parties, which are paid as a result of its presence and activity with employees, customers and suppliers in over 25 countries.

Guardrails are mechanisms to guide the responsible development of AI so that it does not become a technological, social, or security threat. Classical and generative AI require different types of guardrails, as the latter’s ability to engage directly with end users has introduced a whole new set of challenges for developers—such as the mass production of fake news or the creation of new methods for perpetrating cybercrime.

The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Humanities category has gone in this seventeenth edition to the Anglo-American philosopher Philip Kitcher, described by the committee as a “humanistic intellectual” whose trailblazing work addresses a broad spectrum of the core questions of our time.

BBVA is the main sponsor of a new edition of what is the largest European conference on innovation and financing for the energy transition, which will run from April 9 to 10 at the Euskalduna Palace in Bilbao. This year’s event will notably feature a debate on the key resources needed to achieve a more sustainable energy model.

Murat Kalkan, Head of Digital Banks at BBVA, participated in the 36th edition The European House – Ambrosetti, held in Cernobbio, to discuss the rise of digital banks. During his address, he shared his views on the competition between incumbents and neobanks, and highlighted how BBVA Italy is disrupting the banking industry in the country by combining the best of digital banking with the strengths of traditional institutions. The result: one of the fastest growing banks in Italy with more than 680,000customers and the top-rated bank by customers in the country according to the Bain & Company NPS Benchmark Report, all achieved in just three years.

On Thursday, April 10, BBVA will pay a supplementary dividend of €0.41 per share. Added to the interim dividend paid in October, the total payout for 2024 rises to €0.70 per share, the bank’s highest since 2007. BBVA has also announced a €993 million share buyback.  Through dividends and the buyback, the bank will return a combined €5.03 billion to shareholders this year, half of its 2024 profit.

BBVA and Técnicas Reunidas have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the aim of promoting the development of initiatives and projects linked to the energy transition and the decarbonization of the economy.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç emphasized on Thursday that the transaction with Banco Sabadell is focused on growth, bringing together the strengths of both institutions. “This is about preserving and expanding the excellent work Sabadell has done, and growing together in high-value segments, such as companies,” he explained. At an investor event organized by Bank of America, Genç underscored the attractiveness of the offer for Sabadell shareholders, not only due to the premium offered, but because of the value that will be created through synergies. As a result, they will be able to increase earnings per share compared to the standalone scenario. “BBVA is offering Sabadell shareholders the opportunity to become part of a stronger, more profitable, and more efficient bank,” he said.

For the third year running, BBVA has been busy promoting training in sustainability for 466 of its SME suppliers in 13 countries where it operates, showing an 11 percent improvement on the 2024 figure (418 companies). In total, 593 people will take part in the Sustainable Suppliers Training Program of the UN Global Compact (up 7 percent on the 552 in 2024).

Like every year, global and European regulators have published their annual work plans, in which they describe the lists of initiatives underway in the regulation areas they will prioritize in  2025.

BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) has expanded its pioneering ESG-linked credit risk sharing transaction from €2 billion to €6 billion, further amplifying its commitment to sustainable finance. In addition to long-standing partner PGGM, the upsized transaction also brings in Alecta, the Swedish occupational pension fund, as a second investor. This strategic expansion reflects growing investor appetite for ESG-integrated financial solutions and BBVA’s leadership in structuring innovative SRT transactions.

The EIB Group – made up of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF) – has signed a new €93 million synthetic securitisation operation with BBVA for 100% green projects. This investment will allow BBVA to mobilise around €185 million to finance the construction of residential buildings with near-zero emissions by small and medium firms (SMEs) and mid-caps in Spain’s real estate sector.

In a global context marked by uncertainty and economic challenges, BBVA Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB) has reinforced its commitment to the growth, the sustainable development and the long-term success of its wholesale clients. The institution advocates for a business model rooted in sector specialization—a strategy that enables it to provide tailored solutions and support large companies and institutions in their transition toward a more sustainable future.

BBVA CEO Onur Genç believes that decarbonization requires ‘massive’ capital investments. “Europe needs large banks to finance clean technologies, or ‘cleantech’, on a greater scale,” he said at an event held at the bank’s headquarters in Madrid.

BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila stated today that “our country is uniquely positioned to play a more relevant role in Europe.” To do so, he believes Spain needs larger banks that are capable of financing the investments needed in areas such as the energy transition, digitization, new technologies, and European autonomy. During his speech at the ‘Wake Up, Spain’ event, Carlos Torres Vila emphasized that growing across all business segments is one of BBVA’s six strategic priorities and will be a key driver of value and growth for the bank over the next five years. “Far from losing anything, Banco Sabadell’s business clients will gain BBVA as their best ally for growth,” he stressed.

The financial institution is developing an internal manual to give visibility to the reality of the people on the autism spectrum in the workplace and society. The goal is to make all professionals at the bank aware of this neurodivergence and promote a working environment that facilitates the integration of this group, makes the most of their strengths and understands the barriers they face.

Speaking in Barcelona on Monday, BBVA Chair Carlos Torres Vila pointed to the advantages that the potential integration of BBVA and Banco Sabadell would bring to customers, businesses, and society in Catalonia: “We want to double down on our commitment to Catalonia, to grow and contribute to the growth of this region and its business fabric,” he said during the Gran Encuentro Expansión Cataluña. He emphasized that BBVA combines the necessary scale to meet the investment demands of today’s macroeconomic context, while maintaining close ties with customers and strong local roots.

BBVA has adopted a data and AI governance strategy that lets it widen the use of artificial intelligence safely and responsibly.  The bank follows industry best practices and international regulations, keeps an inventory of its AI systems, and monitors them regularly to assess their accuracy, spot errors and ensure they remain current.

The BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in Basic Sciences has gone to Avelino Corma, John F. Hartwig and Helmut Schwarz for fundamental advances in the field of catalysis that have made it possible, in the words of the awards committee, to “control and accelerate chemical reactions” and obtain products across multiple industrial processes”, thus “improving efficiency and reducing energy consumption.” Their work has had a profound impact on sectors such as pharmaceuticals, energy and food.

For the fifth consecutive year, the bank will donate €300,000 to social organisations operating in the social and environmental spheres at its Annual General Meeting. The winning entities for 2025 are the Asociación Madrileña Para Ayuda del Recluso Abandonado, the Asindown Foundation, the Francisco Luzón Foundation, and the Scout Griebal Foundation.

BBVA has appointed Carlos Sanz-Pastor as Global Head of Internal Audit, replacing Joaquín Gortari Díez, who is leaving the bank following a successful career of 35 years. Meanwhile, Carlos Sanz-Pastor has been part of Internal Audit for more than two decades and, since 2015, was responsible for this unit’s strategy.

BBVA shareholders showed overwhelming support for all of the items proposed on the agenda at the 2025 Annual General Meeting, held this Friday. Quorum for the meeting reached 72.9 percent– an all-time high. The bank’s corporate management in 2024 received the support of 98.9 percent of the shareholders. Furthermore, the re-election as board members of BBVA Chair, Carlos Torres Vila, and CEO, Onur Genç, was backed by 97.4 percent and 99.1 percent of the votes, respectively.

On Friday, March 21st at 12:00 PM (CET), BBVA will hold its 2025 Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Euskalduna Conference Center in Bilbao (Spain). BBVA is making it easier for its shareholders to participate in the AGM by offering a hybrid model, combining in-person attendance with the option of remote participation. To participate remotely, shareholders need to register in advance on the Remote Attendance Portal. Furthermore, the bank’s corporate website will broadcast the event via webcast.

BBVA’s Head of Retail Banking in Spain, Gonzalo Rodríguez, emphasized this Tuesday the unprecedented remedies that BBVA has presented to the National Commission on Markets and Competition (CNMC) to secure the approval of a business combination with Banco Sabadell in Phase 2 of the assessment procedure. He made these remarks during his speech at the Financial Observatory organized by El Español-Invertia, where he underscored that these remedies go beyond competition-related issues, focusing on three key pillars: financial inclusion, credit for SMEs, and territorial cohesion. Additionally, he stated, “In the regions where Banco Sabadell has a strong presence, BBVA is committed to maintaining that brand recognition and staying close to the business community and wider society, both through banking activities and foundations.”

The Central Bank of Morocco has given the green light for the indirect change in control of Banco Sabadell's branch in the country, as part of the transaction with BBVA. Therefore, BBVA now has all the authorizations needed from international regulators to complete the transaction.

Speaking at the Morgan Stanley European Financials Conference held in London on Tuesday, BBVA’s CEO explained that BBVA’s long-term profitability outlook is predicated on diversification, leading franchises and the successful pursuit of the bank’s strategy built around digitization and sustainability. Onur Genç also pointed to the geopolitical landscape: “Europe is at a turning point and will need further investment to become self-sufficient on various fronts. To finance this investment, he doubled down on the “need for larger, more profitable and efficient banks.” In this context, BBVA’s CEO underscored the importance of the combination with Banco Sabadell: “We expect to receive the CNMC’s decision within a matter of weeks. Once issued, the government will be able to review the combination, ultimately allowing the shareholders to make a decision.” For Onur Genç, “there is no doubt that Banco Sabadell shareholders will find a better ‘home’ at BBVA.”

Cleantech is key to moving toward sustainability, although to continue growing it must overcome certain challenges, notably the €50 billion investment gap that currently exists in Europe until 2030, according to Cleantech for Europe. Public-private partnerships and the development of innovative solutions are essential to unlock its potential and ensure wider access to clean technologies.

Battery energy storage systems (BESS) have become a solution to prevent surpluses from being lost and to cover the intermittence of renewable energy. “We need energy storage solutions to make them permanent,” says researcher and electric battery expert Philippe Knauth in an interview for bbva.com. He also points out that the democratization of energy depends on “the combination of renewable energies and energy storage.”

‘Is our last chance?’ features eight documentaries that aim to draw attention to the urgent environmental and social impacts of climate change. From rising sea levels and increasing droughts to ecological devastation, the documentaries emphasize the pivotal role water plays in ecosystems, economies, and communities, and call for sustainable management of this vital resource. The screenings will take place at Salt Beyoğlu's Open Cinema from March 19 to April 19, 2025.

A simple accounting identity shows that greenhouse gas emissions that build up in the atmosphere and cause climate change evolve according to GDP and emissions intensity per unit of GDP. Global GDP grew by 114% between 2000 and 2022, while emissions intensity fell by 33%.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is crucial to combating climate change, but achieving net zero will also require carbon capture technologies.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication

Neustark, founded just five years ago, has developed a technology that captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and stores it within concrete, which is capable of retaining it for hundreds of thousands of years. This is a novel contribution to the fight againstclimate change.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication

The world is entering a new era of global competition, and cleantech manufacturing is at its heart. Reindustrialisation has brought industrial policy back into the mainstream, with China’s Made in China 2025 programme, and the American Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) investing billions of public funds to capture a share of a global market likely to reach $650 billion by 2030.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication

Clothing is much more than something to keep us warm: it is a powerful expression of our identity, culture and ideas. Brands are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of creating quality clothing that is not only attractive, but also sustainable, and that showcases their commitment to the planet and the future.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication

For Ismael Olmedo, CEO of Captoplastic, seeing clean, vibrant waterways is priceless —a value he cherishes more with age. He finds his company’s work particularly gratifying; they have developed technology to capture microplastics as small as one micron (0.001 mm), which are otherwise elusive and harmful to nature and health. We spoke with Olmedo to learn how this technology cancleanse ecosystems of these tiny pollutants and protect the environment.

Cleantech Way: download the BBVA and Ethic publication