Spanish grid set for funding boom to accommodate renewables

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
The fresh funding comes as Spain braces for a colossal uptake of renewables (Credit: REE)

Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica de España (REE) will support the country’s energy transition with a multi-billion investment push in the space of few years.

The agency said on Thursday it will deploy over €3.2 billion between 2018 and 2022 to expand Spain’s high-voltage transmission network, in a bid to prepare for national clean energy targets of 32% by 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

A great chunk of the total (€1.5 billion) will be earmarked for the integration of renewable capacity through new interconnections and access points, REE explained. This will come alongside €908 million for system reliability and security of supply, €434 million for digitalisation and technological upgrades and €54 million for power control systems.

Energy storage will also reap a slice of the funding boost. REE’s 2018-2022 investment plan foresees €185 million support for pumped hydroelectric solutions, with a separate €30 million reserved for other storage technologies.

The multi-billion grid commitments emerge as the Spanish system braces for a colossal uptake of renewables. In draft plans that must be confirmed by the winner of the general 28 April election, the government is targeting a fully renewable power system by 2050; under the roadmap, PV and energy storage capacity should reach a respective 37GW and 6GW by 2030.

The grid push may help ease the congestion fears of some of the investors drawn to Spain’s subsidy-free PV potential. At a recent Solar Media event, some went as far as to warn the system would “collapse” if all the capacity under planning was linked to the grid in its current state.

In parallel to its 2018-2022 commitments, REE is also laying the groundwork of grid upgrades between 2021 and 2026. Until late May, the operator will accept proposals from regional and municipal authorities and energy developers on how the network should be managed over the six-year period.

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

June 9, 2025
Sonnedix has signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Renfe to supply 420GWh of renewable energy annually for its commercial operations.
June 6, 2025
Eternal Sun has acquired German solar simulator provider Wavelabs, which has resulted in the formation of a new subsidy, Wavelabs Eternal Sun.
Premium
June 6, 2025
Europe must secure the 'strategic segments' of the solar supply chain, according to experts at a PV Tech panel at this year's Intersolar event.
June 6, 2025
ElectraNet has revealed that renewables supplied 100% of South Australia's electricity demand for 27% of 2024, roughly 99 days.
June 5, 2025
Policy uncertainty in the US is likely to disrupt investment in clean energy, according to a recent report from Crux.
June 5, 2025
Investment in clean energy and grids will reach US$2.2 trillion in 2025, double the expected investment into fossil fuels this year, according to data from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
June 17, 2025
Napa, USA
Upcoming Webinars
June 30, 2025
10am PST / 6pm BST
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
July 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece