El The government has given a significant boost to the circular economy applied to renewable energies. with the resolution of the first call for applications RENOCICLA programManaged by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), this aid program aims to anticipate the volume of waste that renewable energy equipment will generate in the coming decades and turn that challenge into an industrial opportunity.
In total, the following have been awarded 86,1 million euros to 47 projects spread across much of Spain, with the aim of improving the recycling, reuse and eco-design of equipment such as photovoltaic panels, lithium batteries and wind turbine bladesThe actions will mobilize a total investment of 216,8 millones de euros, largely financed with European NextGenerationEU funds through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.
A key program for the circular economy in renewable energies
RENOCICLA is part of the PERTE of Circular Economy and is geared towards building a industrial value chain linked to the treatment of renewable wasteIt's not just about managing the end of the equipment's life cycle, but about addressing the entire cycle: from the design of the components to the recovery of valuable materials when they are no longer in use.
The aid has been granted in competitive competition regimeTaking into account criteria such as the technical rigor of the proposals, economic and financial viability, level of innovation, and positive environmental impact. All initiatives must respect the European principle of “not to cause significant harm” to the environment (DNSH).
The program also aims to reduce external dependence on strategic raw materials, a particularly sensitive aspect for the European energy transition. Recover critical metals and materials Using renewable waste is seen as a way to strengthen industrial autonomy and reduce exposure to tensions in international markets.
86,1 million for 47 projects: scope and main objectives
The call for proposals issued by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) channels 86,1 million euros in subsidies to 47 initiatives that combine treatment infrastructures, reuse projects, research activities and ecodesign proposals.
The set of actions will allow mobilize 216,8 million euros of total investment, including the private contribution of the promoting entities. This effort seeks to strengthen a a more sustainable industrial model, in which the waste from clean technologies is transformed into new usable resources.
The program focuses particularly on technologies that are already widespread, such as photovoltaic modules, lithium batteries and wind turbinesand which will reach the end of their useful life en masse in the coming years. The idea is for Spain to have sufficient industrial capacity to treat this waste within its own territory.
The Actions must be carried out before March 2029, a time horizon that allows both the construction of infrastructure and the development of innovative technological solutions and the implementation of new business models based on the circular economy.
36 new plants to treat more than 75.000 tons of waste per year
One of the most important parts of the program is the creation of 36 new industrial facilities These plants, dedicated to the treatment and recovery of waste from renewable energy technologies, will be distributed across various autonomous communities and will form a pioneering infrastructure network in Europe.
Taken together, these facilities will achieve a treatment capacity exceeding 75.000 tons per year —the specific figure committed is around 75.147 tons per year— and has set itself the goal of average valuation percentage of 87,5% by weight, in line with the EU reuse and recycling targetsIn other words, the vast majority of the material entering these plants must be recovered in the form of raw materials or reusable products.
By type of waste, the following have been approved 15 projects focused on the recycling of photovoltaic solar panels, 13 initiatives related to lithium batteries —including second-life solutions and recovery processes— and 8 facilities dedicated to wind turbine bladesThis distribution reflects the growing importance of these technologies in the national renewable energy mix.
Most of the new plants will also integrate renewable generation systems for self-consumptionThis is typically achieved through rooftop or nearby photovoltaic solar installations. The aim is to reduce the carbon footprint of the recycling processes themselves and to make the energy consumption of these industries more sustainable.
Recovery of conventional materials and critical raw materials
The projects funded by RENOCICLA have been designed to maximize material recoveryThis includes both everyday items and those considered critical for the energy transition. The underlying idea is to move from a linear model—use and discard—to a circular one, in which components re-enter the production chain.
In the case of solar panels, batteries and wind turbines, the treatment processes will allow recovery conventional materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, or glass, in addition to other elements present in the silicon and electronic components of photovoltaic modules.
Along with these materials, the call for proposals emphasizes the recovery of critical raw materials for the European Union, such as the lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese, silver, or graphiteMany of these elements are essential for manufacturing batteries, electronic components, and advanced renewable energy equipment.
By boosting its recovery within the national territory, the aim is to reduce dependence on imported resources and improve the resilience of the supply chain associated with clean technologies. This approach aligns with EU strategies on critical raw materials and with the goals of the European Green Deal.
Research, ecodesign and new technological solutions
RENOCICLA does not just build treatment plants: it also supports 11 industrial research and ecodesign projects aimed at improving both the processes and the renewable products themselves in preparation for their future recycling.
These initiatives focus on develop new equipment and manufacturing methods that facilitate the separation of materials, reduce the use of difficult-to-recover substances, and extend the useful life of components. In practice, this means designing renewable technologies with their second life in mind from the outset.
Among the highest-rated projects are a battery reuse and recycling plant in Cubillos del Sil (León), 100% recyclable wind turbine blade project in Salamanca or with a Advanced solar panel disassembly system in Aretxabaleta (Gipuzkoa)These proposals are clear examples of how to combine applied research with industrial deployment.
In addition, it has been included a feasibility study to give wind turbine blades a second life in sectors other than energy, such as manufacturing of nautical componentsFor example, catamaran skids. These kinds of ideas illustrate the potential of creative reuse beyond the renewable energy sector itself.
Territorial distribution of aid and selection criteria
The territorial map of RENOCICLA shows a broad distribution of projects across autonomous communitiesThis helps to extend industrial opportunities linked to the circular economy in much of Spain.
By number of performances, Castilla-La Mancha leads the list with nine projectsfollowed by Andalusia with eightNext comes the Basque Country, with seven initiativesand, a little further down, Catalonia and the Valencian Community, with five projects each.
They have also been approved four performances in Castile and León y four in Aragon, in addition to several projects in Community of Madrid, Extremadura and NavarreTaken together, this distribution allows for the creation of a network of facilities and innovation centers that covers both areas with a strong industrial presence and territories undergoing energy and economic transition.
The grants have been awarded taking into account factors such as the technical quality of the proposals, their positive environmental impact, the degree of innovation and economic viabilityIn this way, the aim is for public funds to support projects with a real capacity to consolidate in the long term and to generate skilled employment around the recycling of renewable technologies.
European funding and alignment with climate policies
The RENOCICLA program is funded by NextGenerationEU European funds by Recovery, Transformation and Resilience PlanThese subsidies allow for the promotion of investments that, in many cases, would be difficult to carry out as quickly without public support.
The initiative is directly integrated into the PERTE of Circular Economy, one of the strategic projects for the modernization of the Spanish productive sector. Its purpose is Make better use of resources, reduce waste, and increase material efficiency, in line with the priorities set by the European Union.
RENOCICLA also complements other previous calls related to the circular repowering of wind turbinesThese policies have already enabled the opening of the first wind turbine blade recycling plants in Spain. Taken together, these policies point to a change in approach: it is not enough to simply install more renewable energy sources; we must consider their entire life cycle.
With a pilot plant implementation period extending until March 2029The supported projects are expected to contribute to consolidating a business ecosystem specializing in advanced recycling, ecodesign and raw material recovery, reinforcing Spain's position in the European energy transition.
The commitment to allocate 86,1 million euros to 47 recycling, reuse and ecodesign projects Linked to renewable energies, this represents a significant step towards establishing a genuine circular economy in Spain based on these technologies: 36 new plants will be deployed with the capacity to treat more than 75.000 tons of waste per year, research into processes and products that are easier to recycle will be promoted, critical materials that currently depend on imports will be recovered, and industrial activity will be generated across numerous autonomous communities, all under strict environmental criteria and with the support of European funds from the Recovery Plan.
