Fotowatio Renewable Ventures (FRV), a leading global developer of renewable utility-scale projects and part of Abdul Latif Jameel Energy, has announced a new Young Talented Leaders scholarship, in collaboration with the IE Foundation. The selected student will be given a scholarship to the highly-regarded University of Extremadura, in the same Spanish region as FRV’s ‘La Solanilla’ solar project (50 MW dc).  The Young Talented Leaders scholarship program was established in 2015 as part of FRV’s commitment to contribute to economic and social development in the communities in which they operate. Since the program was established in 2015, scholarships have also been granted to students from Uruguay and Jordan.  

The grant, valued at more than € 100,000, will cover all the expenses derived from the training: tuition, accommodation, academic material, and will offer financial support for travel and maintenance expenses during the four years of the Degree at IE University. In order to apply, the best talent from the region must go through the admission process of IE University, and once admitted, apply for the FRV Scholarship through the Financial Aid Office.

Over the past five years, the IE Foundation and IE University have allocated approximately 15 million euros per year for scholarships to more than a total of 6,000 students from +150 countries. The IE “Talent without Borders” scholarships program, of which the FRV Young Talented Leader Scholarships for Extremadura is the newest component, aims to provide a wide range of scholarships and grants to individuals from diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Rafael Rodríguez de la Cruz, General Secretary of Education of the Junta de Extremadura, Geoffroy Gérard, General Director of the IE Foundation and Andrea Fontana, Operations Managing Director of FRV Europe participated in the presentation of the scholarship in Merida.

Rafael Rodríguez de la Cruz, Secretary General of Education of the Junta de Extremadura, thanked the company´s commitment to the educational community of the region, saying:

Although the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training and the Regional Department of Education and Employment convene each year university scholarships to cover the costs of registration and stay, the collaboration of private companies and other entities that bet on the talent of our youth is always welcome.

Geoffroy Gérard, General Director of the IE Foundation mentioned that:

Our mission as a foundation is to break barriers and empower the best talent to access higher education and impact afterwards their region, their country and society as a whole. Counting on the support of companies such as FRV and their partners in making it possible and impact such a promising region as Extremadura, it’s for us a real pleasure.

Andrea Fontana, Operations Managing Director of FRV Europe highlights: 

This program shows FRV’s commitment to the educational community of the region and especially to young talent. Thanks to the support of the IE Foundation and the Junta de Extremadura, we will contribute to the recognition of academic excellence and offer young people the opportunity to carry out their studies at a reputable university in Spain.

Sustainable project in Extremadura

‘La Solanilla’ solar plant (50 MW dc) will be located in the town of Trujillo, 50 kilometers from Cáceres, a province in the region of Extremadura. It will generate 103 GWh of clean energy per year, enough to reach around 25,000 Spanish homes and avoid the emission of 1 kilogram of CO2 per hour. The plant is currently under construction and is expected to be operational by the beginning of 2020.

About FRV

FRV is a leading global renewable development company in markets including Europe, Australia, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Since 2006, the management team has completed the construction, operation, maintenance and financing of over 1 GW dc of photovoltaic and CSP solar energy plants. Such projects represent more than US$ 3 billion in total financings with more than 20 leading banks. www.frv.com

 About IE Foundation:

The IE Foundation is a non-profit organization that works to enhance the social impact of IE, through the application of its own resources as well as collaborations with strategic partners. Founded in 1997, the Foundation has been actively promoting the institution’s values of entrepreneurship, diversity, inclusivity and innovation for the past twenty years.

The IE Foundation’s principal goals are to provide resources and create initiatives that increase the quality of education at IE; to support applied research that adds value to the academic community and society at large; to implement and finance scholarship programs for talented individuals; and to foster a culture of social awareness and community involvement.