In the last 3 years, about 9 GW of PV system have been installed in Spain, practically doubling the total installed power in just 3 years, according to the report by Solar Power Europe: EU Market Outlook For Solar Power 2021 – 2025.
The objectives of the Spanish government through law 7/2021 are to have 74% of electricity generated from renewable by 2030 and 42% of primary energy consumption.
In 2023 these targets can be revised, but only upwards. The goal is to have carbon neutrality in 2050.
Over 39 GW of photovoltaic installed by 2030 in Spain
Also in 2021, the Spanish National Climate and Energy Plan (NECP) was approved which sets very strong objectives for PVs, in practice triple the installed power from the current 13.6 GW to over 39 GW by 2030.
Spain ranks 5th in the world among renewable energy markets
The market research institute IHS Markit considers Spain in fifth place in the world among the most interesting markets in renewables thanks to the political stability in this field.
For this reason, many investors, both Spanish and international, have been building and scheduled utility-scale ground-mounted systems in recent years.
In addition to this, the high insolation and the large surface of free land must be taken into consideration.
Large systems
In this context, in large plants, it is not even necessary to have a subsidy from the government to built profitable PV generators, in fact the data released by Solar Power Europe indicate 2.9 GW were connected to the grid in 2020 and in the first 3 quarters of 2021 another 1.9 GW with the prospect of having 3.8 GW of new systems at the end of 2021.
Small self-consumption plants
With regard to small self-consumption residential PV systems, however, the regulatory framework was not so favorable, but with the changes that took place in 2020 they led Spain to acquire 715 MW of new self-consumption plants with a growth of + 30% compared to the previous year.
Appropriations for the Autonomous Communities
To increase the installed power in this sector, in June 2021 the government allocated through the Royal Decree 477/2021 450 million euros to be transferred to the Autonomous Communities, dividing the ceiling into three sectors: residential, tertiary and public administration 200 M€, industry and agriculture 150 M€ while the remaining 100 M€ to the commercial sector.
Now it will be up to the local authorities to issue the implementing regulations, and foreseeing a strong interest in these subsidies, the central government has already indicated that it will be able to double the funds.
Another factor that Solar Power Europe indicates as a driver for growth in PV field is the increase in electricity prices, which is happening practically throughout Europe after the downward shock at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic and recently due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
In any case, everything suggests that Spain will remain one of the largest PV markets in the world in the coming years and that with small legislative adjustments it will be possible to exceed even the current forecasts of the aforementioned Outlook.
