Strengthening Decree-Law for the Electrical Grid Gains Backing from Photovoltaic Sector (UNEF) Embraces Legislation

The Spanish government has announced a new regulation aimed at strengthening the electrical system, with a focus on transparency, control, and supervision. The proposed measures are designed to promote energy self-consumption and its storage, as well as industrialization, in a bid to make electricity cheaper, safer, and more competitive.

The regulation will allow for the rationalization of the commissioning of renewable installations, giving greater robustness and flexibility to the electrical system. It includes a definition of a provisional operation authorization for tests in cases where the start-up of the installation depends on a shared evacuation infrastructure.

The development of energy storage is given special emphasis in the new proposal. UNEF, the photovoltaic association, has positively assessed the measures included in the decree, praising the elimination of regulatory barriers to the development of hybrid storage. They also highly applaud the acceleration of the commissioning of installations in process.

The CNMC is mandated to monitor voltage control in the regulation, while Red Eléctrica is referred to make regulatory proposals. The proposal promotes industrialization through the implementation of the expiration of access and connection permits for demand to five years and the requirement that they be linked to a specific activity.

The current Executive Council under Pedro Sánchez has initiated regulatory reforms focusing on transparency, control, and monitoring of the entire energy system. These measures reflect Spain's broader commitment to economic progress and social causes.

The new regulation also includes measures to adapt penalties for the non-compliance of reactive power obligations. It aims to promote energy self-consumption and its storage, with the expectation that the industrialization measures will favor the development of photovoltaic projects that take advantage of their competitiveness.

The regulation is currently in the public information process, allowing stakeholders to voice their opinions and suggestions before it is finalized and implemented. The photovoltaic sector has expressed support for the new regulations, seeing it as a step towards a cleaner, more sustainable, and competitive energy future for Spain.

Strengthening Decree-Law for the Electrical Grid Gains Backing from Photovoltaic Sector (UNEF) Embraces Legislation