New Balearic climate law mandates PV build out

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The new law foresees the creation of a register to foster renewable self-consumption (Credit: Balearic Parliament)

Large car parks and buildings on the Balearic Islands will have to start incorporating PV panels starting next year under newly-passed legislation.

The law on climate change and the energy transition adopted by regional MPs this week sets out a roadmap for the Spanish archipelago to be fully renewable by 2050, starting with a 35% interim target for 2030.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis

Photovoltaics International is now included.

  • Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
  • In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
  • Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
  • Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
  • Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
  • Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual

Or continue reading this article for free

The pledge will be met, in part, through a government-supported build-up of PV capacity. New parking sites larger than 1,000m2 will have to install rooftop panels, earmarking the power for the site’s own self-consumption needs. The same obligation will apply to existing car parks of 1,500m2 or more where contracted power sits at 50kW or above.

PV incorporation will also be mandatory for buildings more broadly, specifically for new constructions covering 1,000m2 or more, as well as those undergoing a change of use or complete renovation. Buildings featuring a fibre cement cover will be exempted, however.

Under the text voted in by Balearic MPs, these obligations will come into force on 1 January 2020. The regional government will “exceptionally” consider exemptions on grounds of unfeasibility, landscape protection or cultural grounds provided these come with the backing of local authorities.

The new PV requirements sit alongside other climate change pledges, including the shutdown of fossil fuel plants from 2020 onwards and greenhouse gas-curbing goals for 2030 (40%) and 2050 (90%).

The law, the work of the ruling left-wing coalition of Balearic socialists and the eco-nationalists at Més en Mallorca, foresees the creation of a register to foster renewable self-consumption. The document mandates the set-up of 1,000 EV charging points by 2025 in a bid to fully decarbonise road transport by 2050.

The PV push from Balearic policymakers comes as the broader Spanish industry enjoys a revival – explored by PV Tech last year – free of government support, driven instead by grid parity and strong power prices.

The archipelago was home to 80MW in installed PV capacity as of 2017, according to the most recent stats from Spanish trade body UNEF. The region operates dedicated public subsidy schemes, with some €8.5million invested by the current government in the addition of PV for self-consumption.

See here for more background on the law

2 December 2025
Málaga, Spain
Understanding PV module supply to the European market in 2026. PV ModuleTech Europe 2025 is a two-day conference that tackles these challenges directly, with an agenda that addresses all aspects of module supplier selection; product availability, technology offerings, traceability of supply-chain, factory auditing, module testing and reliability, and company bankability.
10 March 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
The conference will gather the key stakeholders from PV manufacturing, equipment/materials, policy-making and strategy, capital equipment investment and all interested downstream channels and third-party entities. The goal is simple: to map out PV manufacturing out to 2030 and beyond.

Read Next

July 3, 2025
Spanish IPP Zelestra has secured a €235 million (US$277 million) increase to its sustainability-linked loan, bringing the total to €770 million.
Premium
July 3, 2025
Meeting the UK’s solar targets will not simply require the installation of new capacity, but investment in grid infrastructure and training.
July 3, 2025
TotalEnergies has expanded its renewables assets in the Caribbean, sold a stake in projects in Portugal and begun construction on two PV parks in Spain.
July 2, 2025
Asset management firm Capital Dynamics has secured €110 million (US$129.4 million) in financing for three solar PV projects in Spain.
July 1, 2025
Solar developer ib vogt has sold a 110MW solar PV plant in Spain to international fund NextPower V ESG, which is operated by investment firm NextEnergy Capital (NEC).
July 1, 2025
French private equity firm Ardian Clean Energy Evergreen Fund (ACEEF) has bought 117 solar PV plants, worth 116MW of total capacity in several locations in Italy.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Media Partners, Solar Media Events
September 2, 2025
Mexico City, Mexico
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 22, 2025
Bilbao, Spain
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK