Spain advances 1.9 GW of energy storage projects

Spain put 99 energy storage projects totaling 1,925.3 MW into public consultation in the third quarter of 2026, according to quarterly permitting data. The total was 222.5 MW below the second quarter and 1,516.5 MW lower than in the third quarter of 2025.

Standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) accounted for 91.1% of the capacity entering public consultation. Wind-hybrid projects represented 5%, while solar-hybrid projects accounted for 3.9%.

Extremadura had the largest volume of storage projects entering public consultation, with 479.2 MW across 14 installations. Castilla-La Mancha followed with 346.6 MW across 17 projects, ahead of Andalusia with 320.8 MW across six installations and Castilla y León with 292.4 MW across 24 projects.

Storage projects also advanced to later permitting stages. Nine BESS projects totaling 195.5 MW received prior administrative authorization, while 996.3 MW of storage capacity received construction authorization. Standalone batteries accounted for 985 MW, or 98.9%, of the latter total.

Andalusia accounted for 518.4 MW of storage projects authorized for construction, representing 52% of the quarterly total. Castilla y León followed with 132.9 MW, ahead of Castilla-La Mancha with 130.7 MW.

Rejected installations

Spanish authorities put 87 renewable energy projects totaling 1,762.4 MW into public consultation in the third quarter of 2026. The total was 637.1 MW below the previous quarter and 2,071 MW lower than in the same period of 2025.

Solar PV accounted for 963 MW, or 54.6%, of the capacity entering public consultation, while wind power contributed the remaining 799.4 MW. Castilla y León led with 506.8 MW, followed by Aragón with 464.3 MW and Castilla-La Mancha with 324.1 MW.

Spain’s central government and regional administrations shared responsibility for permitting. Regional authorities handled 66 of the 87 projects, representing 655 MW, while the Ministry for the Ecological Transition accounted for 1,107.3 MW, or 62.8% of the capacity, reflecting the larger size of projects under central government jurisdiction.

Authorities granted construction authorization to 58 renewable energy projects totaling 578.3 MW in the third quarter. The figure was 857.8 MW below the previous quarter and 691.5 MW lower than in the same period of 2025.

Solar PV accounted for 524.8 MW, or 90.7%, of the authorized capacity. Biomass contributed 49.5 MW, while wind power accounted for 4 MW. Andalusia led with 277.9 MW, followed by Aragón with 177 MW.

Authorities rejected 53 renewable energy projects totaling 3,367 MW in the third quarter, nearly twice the capacity that entered public consultation during the period.

Solar PV accounted for 2,512.5 MW of rejected projects, while wind power contributed another 854.6 MW. The central government rejected 23 projects totaling 1,770 MW, while regional administrations rejected 30 projects totaling 1,597 MW.

Expired permits were the leading reason for rejection by capacity, affecting 13 projects totaling 1,410.3 MW. Another 14 projects totaling 1,085.5 MW were rejected following unfavorable environmental assessments. Developers withdrew 13 projects, while seven were rejected for incompatibility and five for urban planning violations.

The Basque Country recorded the largest volume of rejected capacity, at 921.6 MW, all of it solar PV. Castilla y León followed with 457.6 MW, ahead of Castilla-La Mancha with 447.3 MW and Andalusia with 440.8 MW.

Storage projects also left the pipeline, although on a much smaller scale. Authorities rejected two projects totaling 120 MW. One 100 MW project received an unfavorable environmental assessment, while the developer withdrew the other, a 20 MW project.

From pv magazine España