Spain

Researchers reviewed 110 studies on cold thermal energy storage in liquid-air energy storage, finding that cold storage performance has a far greater impact on system efficiency than previously assumed. While phase change materials offer high theoretical efficiency gains, simpler packed-bed sensible heat systems are currently the most mature and cost-effective option, with further experimental validation needed to bridge the gap to large-scale deployment.

Researchers at ICMS in Seville have developed a hybrid perovskite solar cell that generates electricity from both sunlight and raindrops, using the photovoltaic and triboelectric effects. A fluorinated CFₓ polymer layer enables water resistance, triboelectric energy harvesting, and high light transparency without reducing solar cell efficiency.

Aurora Energy Research says uncompensated PV curtailment will remain elevated in 2026 and 2027, reaching 3.05 TWh next year and 3.38 TWh in 2027, as grid constraints persist despite planned reinforcements.

Researchers in Spain have developed a dual-condenser air-to-water heat pump that shifts domestic hot water production to daylight hours, maximizing PV self-consumption. The prototype boosted solar energy use from 9.9% to 55.5% and achieved a peak coefficient of performance of 7.59 under PV-assisted operation.

A survey of more than 800 Spanish C&I PV installations following the 2019–2022 self-consumption boom found significant administrative, technical and monitoring deficiencies in all audited systems, with 13.2% of businesses reporting savings far below expectations.

Spain installed 339 MWh of storage linked to PV self-consumption in 2025, up 119% year on year, according to APPA Renovables. The country added 1,214 MW of new self-consumption capacity, bringing the total to 9.6 GW.

An international research team used high-resolution electroluminescence imaging to quantify type-C cracks in 100 PV modules after 11 years of operation, linking crack distribution to real-world power loss. Concentrated cracks within individual cells were found to cause disproportionately high losses, highlighting the importance of cell-level crack analysis for effective PV maintenance.

The silicon batteries developed by the Spanish startup Silbat are spearheading the Research and Analysis of Long-Duration Energy Storage for Operational Resilience in Critical Military Infrastructures (ARMIC) project, covering Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 7 to 8.

An international research team has reviewed emerging solid-state and gas-cycle heat pumps capable of reaching temperatures of up to 1,600 K, assessing their challenges, applications, scalability, and technology readiness levels. The researchers say these systems could outperform conventional high-temperature heating technologies by achieving coefficients of performance above 1.

Spain’s installed solar capacity reached 50 GW in early 2026 after adding about 8.7 GW in 2025, according to grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE).