Renewables: Catalonia is getting serious about batteries

BarcelonaCatalonia was the first region in Spain to have a wind farm, but He lost the initiative a long time ago.And for many years it has lagged behind the rest of the country in green energy generation. Now, however, faced with the new challenge of renewable energies – storage to ensure supply when the wind isn't blowing (wind power) or the sun isn't shining (photovoltaics) – Catalonia wants to take a step forward.

The latest data from the sector, collected in theRenewable Energy Observatory The report prepared by the consulting firm Opina 360 clearly shows that the Principality of Asturias does not want to fall behind in energy storage. The most noticeable boost in storage in 2025 was in the initial phases. Favorable environmental impact assessments surged to 3,061.8 MW of installed capacity across Spain (almost 2,000 MW more than in 2024). Catalonia led in this area with 867.8 MW of battery storage, followed by the Valencian Community (485.4 MW) and Andalusia (471.9 MW), the latter due to a nearly 357 MW pumped storage project in Granada. The report highlights that the outlook for the future is for this sector to grow even further. In Spain, 225 energy storage projects totaling 6,553.8 MW were submitted for public comment in 2025, a 215% increase compared to 2024. 59.6% of these projects were battery storage systems and 39.3% were pumped storage plants. Galicia positioned itself as the undisputed leader in this future phase thanks to two large pumped storage plants with a combined capacity of 2,200 MW. However, the situation in Catalonia is not bad, as it ranks third with 690.4 MW, after Extremadura (695 MW). In fact, electricity storage in Catalonia far surpasses the regional average. When considering projects that have already received construction authorization, meaning they have completed all the necessary administrative procedures, the Principality accounts for 122.2 MW of the 815 MW authorized nationwide. Only Castile and León, Castile-La Mancha, and Asturias have more.

Renewables are slowing down in Spain

Regarding electricity generation from renewable energy sources, Spain has experienced a significant decrease in projects during 2025. Even so, in the case of Catalonia, the reactivation of several wind energy projects stands out, with 98 MW in the public information phase. HeObservatory It points out that in the State, during 2025, the granting of construction authorizations for renewable energy projects was halted.Specifically, public administrations authorized permits for 482 projects, totaling 8,194.4 MW, representing a 69% decrease compared to the previous year. Photovoltaic energy maintained its leading position among renewables. Construction permits were granted for 7,033.3 MW, accounting for 85.6% of the total authorized capacity in Spain. Wind energy followed at a considerable distance with 1,111.2 MW, and biomass with 50 MW. Regarding the distribution of powers, regional governments granted 59.9% of the authorized capacity (4,910.9 MW), while the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge granted permits for the remaining 3,283.6 MW (40.1%).

"This drop in building permits should be interpreted in perspective. 2024 was an atypical and exceptional year, marked by the need to meet administrative milestones due to permit expirations, which led to a massive acceleration of approvals," explains Juan Francisco Caro. "2025 is, above all, a return to normality and a stabilization of the market after the administrative effort of the previous year. However, it is vital to maintain a steady flow of processing in order not to compromise medium-term objectives," adds Caro.

Decline in the fourth quarter

The Observatory reports that during the fourth quarter of 2025, 157 renewable energy projects were in the public consultation phase, representing a total generation capacity of 2,148.1 MW, a decrease of 48.4% compared to the previous quarter. Of this capacity, 56% corresponds to photovoltaic installations (1,202.0 MW) and the remaining 44% to wind farms (946.1 MW). Among the projects submitted, 50 (790.2 MW) are in the initial authorization application phase. The remaining 107 installations, totaling 1,357.9 MW, have also applied for construction authorization, a declaration of public utility, or an environmental impact assessment. Regarding the responsible administration, 143 of these projects were processed by the autonomous communities. However, these represent only 61.6% of the generation capacity (1,322.7 MW), as these parks must have an installed capacity of less than 50 MW. Meanwhile, the Ministry for Ecological Transition has processed 38.4% of its total capacity in 14 projects (825.5 MW). From a territorial perspective, Castile and León led in terms of the volume of power submitted for public consultation, with 476.4 MW, mostly photovoltaic energy (458.4 MW). Andalusia ranks second, with 321.7 MW distributed as 210.4 MW wind and 111.3 MW solar. They are followed by Galicia (254.1 MW), Castile-La Mancha (204.6 MW), and Catalonia (169.5 MW).