Spain has allocated more than $956 million (€818 million) in public funding to support large-scale energy storage projects, selecting 126 projects with a combined capacity of 9.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) and 2.2 gigawatts (GW) of power output.

The funding was awarded by the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) 2021–2027. The program was oversubscribed, attracting approximately 1,750 applications, prompting an increase from the original €700 million budget.

The majority of the funding will go to co-located (hybrid) energy storage projects, which account for 69 awards, primarily paired with solar photovoltaic and wind power installations. Standalone battery projects received 39 awards, while thermal storage and pumped storage projects received smaller allocations.

According to MITECO, the projects aim to improve grid flexibility, support renewable energy integration, and accelerate decarbonization by enabling more efficient use of low-emission electricity. All selected projects must be completed within 36 months, with final commissioning required by December 31, 2029.

Funding was distributed by autonomous community, with higher allocations directed to less developed regions. Andalusia received the largest number of projects, followed by the Valencian Community, Galicia, Castile and León, Catalonia, and the Canary Islands.

The grants complement earlier NextGenEU-backed energy storage programs under Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR).

Source: ess-news.com