Spain is one of the first countries to deploy large-scale solar photovoltaics, and is the world leader in concentrated solar power (CSP) production. Spain is also one of the European countries with the most hours of sunshine. In 2022, the cumulative total solar power installed was 19.5 GW, of which 17.2 GW were solar PV installations and 2.3 GW were concentrated solar power. In the same year, solar power accounted for 11.5% of total electricity generation in the country, up from 2.4% in 2010 and less than 0.1% in 2000. Solar deployment then accelerated sharply: Spain added 5.59 GW of new solar PV in 2023 and a further 6.64 GW in 2024, bringing cumulative installed solar PV capacity to about 32 GW (32,043 MW) by the end of 2024. This made solar PV the country's largest technology by installed capacity, narrowly overtaking wind (32,007 MW). Solar PV's share of total electricity generation continued to rise, reaching about 17% in 2024, up from 11.5% in 2022, although wind remained the single largest source of generation. Industry organization Solar Power Europe projects Spain will more than double its solar PV capacity between 2022 and 2026.
The country initially had a leading role in the development of solar power. Generous prices for grid connected solar power were offered to encourage the industry. The boom in solar power installations were faster than anticipated and prices for grid connected solar power were not cut to reflect this, leading to a fast but unsustainable boom in installations. Spain would find itself second only to Germany in the world for solar power installed capacity. In the wake of the 2008 financial crisis, the Spanish government drastically cut its subsidies for solar power and capped future increases in capacity at 500 MW per year, with effects upon the industry worldwide. Between 2012 and 2016, new installations stagnated in Spain while growth accelerated in other leading countries leaving Spain to lose much of its world leading status to countries such as Germany, China and Japan. The controversial "sun tax" and intimidating regulation surrounding solar self consumption introduced in 2015 were only begun to be repealed in late 2018 by the new government. As a legacy from Spain's earlier development of solar power, the country remains a world leader in concentrated solar power. Many large concentrated solar power stations remain active in Spain and may have provided some of the impetus for large CSP developments in neighbouring Morocco.
The 2020s are seeing a large increase in solar installations in Spain. Following three years of strong growth, the country's updated 2023 National Energy and Climate Plan anticipates solar PV capacity reaching 76 GW by 2030.
Installed capacity
Installed capacity grew rapidly until 2013. Between 2013 and 2018 growth was negligible in Spain, and the country fell behind many other European countries in the development of capacity, though it retained its leading position in the deployment of solar thermal power. Growth resumed again after 2018. +Installed solar generation capacity (MW)20062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022Solar PV*1256373,3553,3993,8404,2614,5614,6394,6464,6564,6694,6884,7078,71111,66915,28618,164Solar thermal1111612325329991,9502,3042,3042,3042,3042,3042,3042,304Total1366483,4163,6314,3725,2606,5116,9436,9506,9606,9736,9927,01111,015*Solar PV figures include only grid-connected capacity.
Timeline of developments
2004 Through a ministerial ruling in March 2004, the Spanish government removed economic barriers to the connection of renewable energy technologies to the electricity grid. The Royal Decree 436/2004 equalised conditions for large-scale solar thermal and photovoltaic plants and guaranteed feed-in tariffs.
2008 Spain added a record 2.6 GW of solar photovoltaic power in 2008, a figure almost five times that of the next record year, increasing capacity to 3.5 GW. Spain surpassed both Japan and the United States in 2008 as the number two market as measured by cumulative installed PV capacity behind the world leader at the time Germany, accounting for 24% of global PV capacity. PV capacity added during 2008 would still account for more than half of total capacity as of 2016. In 2008 the Spanish government committed to achieving a target of 12% of primary energy from renewable energy by 2010 and by 2020 expected the installed solar generating capacity of 10 GW.
2010–2011 Since 2010, Spain has been the world's leader in concentrated solar power (CSP). Spain was leapfrogged by Italy during 2011 following a later solar boom there to lose its position as the world's second largest installer of solar PV.
2012 By the end of 2012, 4.5 GW of solar photovoltaics had been installed, and in that year 8.2 TWh of electricity was produced. New installations of solar photovoltaics have slowed down significantly to around 300 MW during 2012. By the end of 2012 Spain had also installed over 2,000 MW of CSP.
2014–2016
Almost no new solar capacity was added between 2014 and 2016, following the removal of government feed-in tariffs. Having promoted the solar industry with large government subsidies during earlier periods, the system now operates under a 180-degree turn with a punitive 'sun tax' applied to new PV systems which would otherwise flourish. Spain has been cited as a model in how not to develop renewables. The hoped for growth in self consumption solar generation during 2016 fails to materialise due to delays to reforms following the extended time taken to form a government, albeit with just one party opposed to reforms in this area.
2017 In May 2017, Spain held an auction for new renewable capacity to be online by 2020. Solar projects won only 1 MW of the 3000 MW awarded. After complaints by the solar industry which felt the auction terms favoured wind power, another auction occurred in July. In this auction, solar projects received 3,909 MW and wind received 1,128 MW.European Energy Auctions Yield Ever-Lower Wind Energy Prices In Germany & Spain, CleanTechnica, Joshua S Hill, 22 May 2017 Financing, land acquisition and solar panel price fluctuations could reduce the actual amount of solar power installed.
2018 A new sector of the market begins to make headway in the Spanish market following the easing of regulations on self consumption generation. 261.7 MW of new solar power was installed, of which just 26 MW were connected to the grid and the remainder, 235.7 MW being self-generating installations. It is expected that this could increase to 300 to 400 MW per year following further easing of regulations in May 2018. Renewable energy auctions held in the previous year have yet to show much impact on grid connected capacity but expected to make a considerable change during 2019. According to industry sources the 3.9 GW tendered through government auctions has been dwarfed by huge merchant and power purchase agreements bringing the combined total under consideration to 29 GW. The re-emerging boom in Spanish solar PV is not being driven by subsidies or government tenders but as a result of solar being a highly cost effective proposition for electricity needs.
2023 Spain is poised to become a major contributor to Europe's renewable energy landscape, supported by its robust solar potential and favorable market conditions. In 2023, Spain is on track to increase its solar capacity by 4 GW. The country also has ambitions to install an additional 19 GW of new capacity between 2022 and 2025, which would make it home to the largest solar pipeline in Europe. However, Spain grapples with lengthy permitting processes, which can take up to five years, posing a significant hurdle to project development. To address this challenge, the government introduced new regulations in March 2023, streamlining permitting for projects below 150 MW capacity and with low or medium environmental impact. These measures aim to reduce permitting times to approximately two years.
Solar thermal power plants
+ Name of plant Net power MW(e)GW·h/yearCapacityfactor Completed PS10 10 23.4 0.24 2007 Andasol 1 50 165 0.41 2008 PS20 20 48 0.27 2009 Eureka 2 2009, June Andasol 2 50 2009 Puerto Errado 1 1.5 2009 Puertollano 50 2009 La Risca 50 2009 Extresol 1 50 2010 Extresol 2 50 2010 La Florida 50 2010, July Majadas 50 2010, August Solnova 1 50 2010 Solnova 3 50 2010 Alvarado I 50 2010 Solnova 4 50 2010 La Dehesa 50 2010, November Palma del Rio 2 50 2011 Manchasol 1 50 2011 Manchasol 2 50 2011 Gemasolar 20 2011 Palma del Rio 1 50 2011 Lebrija 1 50 2011 Andasol 3 50 2011 Helioenergy 1 50 2011 Astexol 3 50 2011 Arcosol 50 50 2011 Termosol 50 50 2011 Helioenergy 2 50 2012 Valle 1 50 170 2012 Valle 2 50 170 2012 Puerto Errado 2 30 2012 Aste 1A 50 2012 Aste 1B 50 2012 Moron 50 2012 Helios 1 50 2012, May Solaben 3 50 2012, June Guzman 50 2012, July La Africana 50 2012, July Olivenza 1 50 2012, July Helios 2 50 2012, August Extresol 3 50 2012, August Orellana 50 2012, August Solaben 2 50 2012, October Solarcor 1 50 2012 Solarcor 2 50 2012 Termosolar Borges 25 2012, December
In March 2007, Europe's first commercial concentrating solar power tower plant was opened near the sunny Andalusian city of Seville. The 11 MW plant, known as the PS10 solar power tower, produces electricity with 624 large heliostats. Each of these mirrors has a surface measuring 120 square meters (1,290 square feet) that concentrates the Sun's rays to the top of a 115-meter (377 feet) high tower where a solar receiver and a steam turbine are located. The turbine drives a generator, producing electricity.
The Andasol 1 solar power station is Europe's first parabolic trough commercial power plant (50 MWe), located near Guadix in the province of Granada, also in Andalusia (the plant is named after the region). The Andasol 1 power plant went online in November 2008, and has a thermal storage system which absorbs part of the heat produced in the solar field during the day. This heat is then stored in a molten salt mixture and used to generate electricity during the night, or when the sky is overcast.
A 15 MWe solar-only power tower plant, the Solar Tres project, is in the hands of the Spanish company SENER, employing molten salt technologies for receiving and energy storage. Its 16-hour molten salt storage system will be able to deliver power around the clock. The Solar Tres project has received a €5 million grant from the EC's Fifth Framework Programme.
Solar thermal power plants designed for solar-only generation are well matched to summer noon peak loads in prosperous areas with significant cooling demands, such as Spain. Using thermal energy storage systems, solar thermal operating periods can even be extended to meet base-load needs.
Abengoa Solar began commercial operation of a 20-megawatt solar power tower plant near Seville in late April 2009. Called the PS20, the plant uses a field of 1,255 flat mirrors, or heliostats, to concentrate sunlight on a receiver mounted on a central tower. Water pumped up the tower and through the receiver boils into steam, which is then directed through a turbine to produce electricity. The new facility is located adjacent to one with half its capacity, called PS10, which was the world's first commercial solar power tower plant. According to Abengoa Solar, the new facility is exceeding its predicted power output.
Photovoltaics
Solar PV market segmentation Installed PV capacity in Spain by class size in 2017<10 kW2%10-100 kW27%100-500 kW43%>500 kW28%