Merytronic’s 10th anniversary

This year we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Merytronic. Our origins are the result of the collaboration between companies with complementary expertise, an origin that has marked the roadmap over the last 10 years, making us a leading company in Smart Grid technologies for electricity distribution networks.

Birth of Smart Grids

In 2007 a Royal Decree was approved in Spain, RD 1110/2007, for the replacement of the legacy meters with smart meters, following the directives imposed by the European Union. That same year, the roll out began, thanks to a strong investment of the distribution companies. In 2018, 100% of national meters were already Smart Meters. This is a very important event as it laid the basement for the birth of Smart Grids.

In 2011, the Basque Government, through the Ente Vasco de la Energía, and Iberdrola Distribución Eléctrica, promoted a project called  Bidelek Sareak , to respond to the new needs of the electricity sector, developing a smart grid in the Basque Country. Ariadna Instruments was one of the companies that collaborated to carry out this innovative project, developing the automatic connectivity algorithm for Low Voltage customers.

As a result of this research project carried out by Ariadna Instruments, the first contacts were established with Pronutec (a Gorlan Group company), a leading manufacturer of fuse switchgears, who were interested in incorporating electronics into their devices.

Merytronic

As a result of all these circumstances, and seeing the need within the electricity sector for solutions focused on Smart Grids together with the interest of the Gorlan Group, in 2012 Merytronic was established as its own entity, devoted to design, develop and manufacture electronic devices and solutions focused on the digitalisation, monitoring, operation and maintenance of Medium and Low voltage distribution networks.

In a sector as competitive as the electricity sector, and from its headquarters in the Boroa – Amorebieta, Merytronic has found its place in barely a decade. Its main activity is centred on electrical distribution networks, with solutions designed for their digitalisation, monitoring, control and maintenance.

Gorlan Group

Since its creation, Merytronic has formed part of the Gorlan Group, an international holding focused on responding to the needs of the customers. The different companies that make up the group are dedicated to the design, manufacture and development of devices and solutions, mainly for the electrical sector, such as switchgears, advanced supervision, electrical panels and load switches.

Future

The evolution of electrical grids, decarbonisation, the massive implementation of the Electric Vehicle, the integration of Distributed Renewable Energies (DER)… are just some of the challenges to be faced, and Merytronic works every day to provide innovative solutions that are aligned with the needs of our customers and the electricity sector.

In order to be always at the forefront of the sector, Merytronic is part of different entities and forums from where the networks of the future are drawn. According to Iratxe Zuluaga, manager of Merytronic, ‘Our objective is to manage the grids in an optimal way and guarantee the correct quality of supply to customers in view of the increasing electricity demand, the incorporation of renewable energies in the grid and the massive implementation of the electric vehicle’.