The Spanish government says it plans to deploy 76 GW of cumulative solar capacity and 22 GW of storage by the end of this decade. In the old version of the national energy strategy, the solar energy target was set at 39 GW.
Spain’s Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenges (MITECO) has published a revised draft of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC), which aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 32% compared to 1990, surpassing the previous target of 23%. . The draft is currently open for public consultation until September 4.
To achieve these goals, the new energy strategy has a plan for the electricity sector to have 214 GW of total installed capacity by 2030. This includes 160 GW of renewable generation and 22 GW of various forms of storage.
The document recognizes that the distribution of technologies may change based on factors such as technology development, cost, availability and integration capacity. It highlights the potential of solar electricity and has a capacity of 76 GW by 2030, including 19 GW for self-consumption. The previous version of the plan aims for 39 GW of solar electricity capacity. By the end of 2022, the source of solar electricity had reached 20 GW, indicating the need to deploy an additional 56 GW over the next eight years.
The plan also includes the addition of 62 GW of wind power, including 3 GW of offshore wind, 14.5 GW of hydro and 4.8 GW of concentrated solar power (CSP). Non-renewable technologies are also taken into account, and by 2030, 26.6 GW of gas combined cycles and 3 GW of existing nuclear power plants are expected.
In addition, the new plan raises the target for green hydrogen production via electrolyzers to 11 GW, compared to 4 GW in the current roadmap.
José Donoso, head of the Spanish solar energy association UNEF, expressed a positive view of the new plan and stated that the goals are achievable. He emphasized the importance of expanding warehouses and calls for accelerated regulatory measures to facilitate operations.
As for the draft industrial plan for solar manufacturing, Donoso pointed to a budget of one billion euros ($1.09 billion) and the growing interest of panel manufacturers to invest in Spain. He emphasized the need for quick administrative approvals and suggested promoting a “welcome package” to attract investment.
