Twins heading Spanish energy ministry

November 4, 2016
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Daniel Pérez, attorney at Holtrop S.L.P, told PV Tech that the industry will be relieved that Alberto Nadal was not appointed minister. Flickr: fdecomite

Twin brothers are now running Spain’s energy ministry with the surprise appointment of Alvaro Nadal as the new Spanish energy minister.

Formerly director of the economic bureau of the president, Alvaro Nadal takes charge of the country’s energy policy over and above his twin brother Alberto Nadal, who will remain in his current role as secretary of state for energy. However, Alberto may still be moved to another position as Spain’s new government takes shape over the next two weeks.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Spain has been without a government since last year, but has allowed for a minority government ruled by the conservative Partido Popular party to finally take over. The new government could see in major utility-scale renewables tenders and the surprise repeal of the infamous ‘Sun Tax’ on self-consumption.

Daniel Pérez, attorney at Holtrop S.L.P, told PV Tech that the industry will be relieved that Alberto was not appointed minister, “because he has something personal against renewables”.

Perez added: “Anyone apart from him is better. That’s important. Most associations will say that this guy is against renewables.”

Alvaro Nadal was not part of the severe cutbacks against solar seen over the last few years even though he was advising president Mariano Rajoy and would have been aware of the policies, said Perez. Alvaro Nadal also has a reputation for being more open to dialogue than his twin brother. It will now be up to Alvaro to choose whether to keep his twin as secretary of state for energy or not and this could signal whether the previous anti-renewables politics will be maintained of upheaved.

Most commentators in Spain expect Alberto to be moved to another post, added Perez.

Spanish solar association (UNEF) general director José Donoso, said: “The solar sector is not asking the Government to put in place special conditions or treatment for renewable energy. It is asking not to place obstacles to the development of this clean technology, which is experiencing a remarkable growth at international level.”

This article has been updated to include comment from UNEF.

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.

Read Next

October 23, 2025
Powerlink Queensland is seeking federal approval to expand its existing 330kV Bulli Creek Substation in Southern Queensland to accommodate the grid connection of Genex Power's 775MW Bulli Creek solar PV power plant.
October 22, 2025
The Queensland government has launched the Social Licence in Renewable Energy Toolkit, providing local councils in Australia with resources to navigate renewable energy project engagement and community consultation processes.
October 20, 2025
New federal policies in the US will 'cloud' the country’s renewable energy sector, according to a webinar hosted by Wood Mackenzie.
October 20, 2025
Spain has amended its national common agricultural policy (PAC) framework to include agrivoltaic (agriPV) systems to be eligible for subsidies.
October 15, 2025
The average price of a solar PPA signed in North America increased 4% between the second and third quarters of 2025, according to LevelTen.
October 15, 2025
The Australian government has approved the 141MW Forbes Solar Farm Project in New South Wales in just 19 days, marking one of the fastest environmental approvals on record in the country.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
November 25, 2025
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
December 2, 2025
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
February 3, 2026
London, UK
Solar Media Events
March 10, 2026
Frankfurt, Germany
Solar Media Events
March 24, 2026
Lisbon, Portugal