Spotlight on Giada Boudekji , Branch Manager at Graded S.p.A

How did your story in renewables begin and in your opinion, how much has it changed since then, if at all?

• The history of Graded began in 1958 in Italy, where thanks to the excellent work and contacts in the sector, it managed to distinguish itself in the supply of efficient but also innovative solutions. Among our partners there are also prestigious Italian, American and Emirati universities, in this way Graded can manage two core businesses: the development of new technologies and energy efficiency projects. In recent years, two offices have been opened, in Dubai and in Kenya. The energy sector has changed a lot in recent years and above all in the Emirates new solutions are always sought to increase the efficiency of the country, so 3 years ago Graded decided to open a branch also in Dubai, as a strategic point, both as a location and as a possibility of growth. Being a very lively and productive market , it is also good to keep up and propose new solutions.

Can you tell us about your most advanced solution or service and what sets you apart from other competitors?

• Regarding the business, Graded can offer turnkey solutions for retrofit, solar, air conditioning and lighting systems, both in the public and private sector. We also deal with global service: for example in Kenya, we won a tender for the maintenance of the Italian space station. In Dubai we also support partner companies from a financial, technical and management point of view for participation in local tenders. As far as innovation is concerned, we are proceeding in Dubai in two areas: geothermal and hydrogen. The geothermal project is based on the supply of air conditioning in buildings, using the heat exchange with the ground; this new system allows you to cut costs and save on space and maintenance. In parallel, we are developing a system that combines hydrogen storage with a series of double-sided solar panels and a reflective roof, in order to optimize energy production and efficiency.

What’s a recent milestone Graded S.p.A. has achieved that you would like to share with us?

• A good goal that I would like to mention, as it is more particular from an innovative point of view, has been achieved with the geothermal energy project, where we have achieved excellent results, thanks also to the collaboration with the Rochester Institute of Technology. The next step will be to push on the marketing of the product and its introduction in the renewable energy market.

What are your expectations for the MENA region in terms of growth and new opportunities for Graded S.p.A.?

• Our expectations are to increase our core business more and more while maintaining our Italian identity, which is identified with quality and readiness in understanding the customer’s needs and providing turnkey systems. We do not want to forget our goal and dedication to the environment, which translates into the development of new technologies.

Graded S.p.A. are strengthening and accelerating the digital transformation and innovation process through active participation in R & D projects. Can you expound more on the importance of this.

• Regarding the digital transformation we are carrying out collaborations with MIT, we also provide support to students thanks to a post-graduate digitization course. We provide support to universities to carry out research projects that adapt to the needs of the local market, for example bio-masses and cogeneration in Italy, and hydrogen and geothermal in Dubai. In this way, innovation and market demands are met by our solutions.

About Graded S.p.A.

Graded S.p.A. deals with providing turnkey systems that cover various types of green energy, from air conditioning systems for hospitals, to PV systems, and much more. In addition to this, thanks to over 50 years of experience in the field of renewable energy, it’s studying new technologies to revolutionize the energy sector, including hydrogen and geothermal.