Spain 3-5 kWh outdoor energy storage power supply

It targets large-scale energy storage projects in Spain. It focuses on technologies like standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS), pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), and thermal energy storage. The program supports hybrid projects, which combine storage with renewable energy, such as solar or wind farms.

Spain has launched an ambitious €700 million (around $796 million) program to increase its energy storage capacity. This plan will add 2.5 to 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of storage. It includes pumped hydro, thermal energy storage, and battery systems.

Due to the large capacity of installed hydroelectric and thermal storage systems and the resilience of the Spanish power grid, the need for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) in Spain has been relatively low. The lack of a clear regulatory framework for BESS has also hindered its development in Spain so far.

Currently, Spain has 6.3GW of hydroelectric and 1GW of thermal storage capacity installed. In fact, the non-BESS storage capacity in Spain is higher than in any other European country. As a result, the need for BESS to integrate renewable energy sources into the electricity system is less immediate than in the UK, for example.

The European Commission on Monday approved a new aid scheme for the deployment of large-scale electricity storage in Spain. Subsidies will be available for standalone energy storage sites, projects installed alongside renewable energy facilities, and storage planned as part of thermal power plants.

The projected storage needs of Spain in 2030 are similar to those of the UK and Italy. In its National Energy and Climate Plan (NECP), the Spanish government aims to have 22.5GW of energy storage by 2030 (see table 1). This amount of storage capacity will be needed to integrate the growing capacity of intermittent generation.