Spain

Energy company Iberdrola will supply power to telecoms business Euskatel. The electricity will be generated by the 391 MW Núñez de Balboa solar plant the company is building in southern Spain, for which Iberdrola secured a first PPA last summer.

A few days after the Spanish government introduced new rules for self-consumption and canceled the solar tax, the Spanish Parliament is now reviewing new provisions to reduce the time frame of the registration for a project under the self-consumption regime, while also simplifying bureaucratic procedures.

The Spanish Cabinet has approved a royal decree, which introduces a package of urgent measures to boost the country’s energy transition. It includes the already announced elimination of the “sun tax”, and other important measures, such as compliance with renewable energy objectives, electric vehicle adoption, reduced electricity prices, a social bonus for heating, consumer protection measures, and the extension of an electric social bond.

The Spanish power and gas provider has started construction on two 50 MW solar plants near Ciudad Real, in the southern region of Castile–La Mancha. The projects are part of the 250 MW pipeline it secured in the government’s renewable energy auction held in July.

New measures under preparation by the Spanish government include the setting of a calendar for new auctions, elimination of the solar tax and support for community solar and PV irrigation projects. Spanish developer X-Elio has secured a PPA for two 50 MW solar projects in the southern region of Murcia.

The Ministry of the Ecological Transition has given the green light to a solar park near the municipality of Talayuela, in the southern region of Extremadura. Work on the facility may begin this year with completion scheduled for 12 months later.

The Balearic Islands have decided to fast-track a 42 MW solar project, which would raise the three island’s total installed generations by one third. Iberdrola has secured a PPA for its 391 MW Nuñez de Balboa projects. Moreover, several other PV projects have obtained approval from regional authorities.

Spain’s Enel unit Endesa plans to invest €59 million in the construction of a 84.9 MW solar park in the town of Totana, in the southern region of Murcia. In other news, Catalonia is also seeking independence through energy. In this vein, Barcelona Energy, a public metropolitan electricity operator that will supply renewable electricity to the City Council and other municipal companies, as well as street lighting, began operations yesterday.

With her first official announcement, Spain’s incoming Minister of Ecological Transition, Teresa Ribera has made it clear that the previous government’s reviled tax on distributed generation array, the so-called ‘sun tax’ will be eliminated. At the same time, she has confirmed her support for more ambitious EU renewable energy targets.