El battery storage Renewable energy is rapidly gaining ground in the Spanish electricity system, and Naturgy has positioned itself among the companies most actively pursuing this technology. The energy company has decided to reinforce its commitment to this technology with a wave of projects aimed at supporting the growing renewable energy generation and providing greater flexibility to the grid.
In recent months, the group has assured Public funding for seven new battery projects These projects complement other developments already underway. With this expansion, the company is building a significant portfolio of storage facilities spread across several autonomous communities, with operations expected to begin in 2026 and an investment well over one hundred million euros.
New battery storage projects and territorial distribution
The seven new projects Projects promoted by Naturgy have been selected as beneficiaries in the first call for aid for innovative energy storage initiatives, co-financed with European funds ERDF 2021-2027According to the final resolution proposal from the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), these actions will collectively receive 39 millones de euros in subsidies.
The facilities will add 100 megawatts (MW) of power and a storage capacity of 359 megawatt hours (MWh)In other words, these are systems capable of storing electricity produced by renewable plants for several hours and releasing it later when it is most useful to the electrical system, especially during periods of low wind or photovoltaic generation.
The deployment is spread across several regions, creating a fairly diverse map. The projects are located in Canary Islands (Puerto del Rosario and Fuerteventura), Castilla y Leon (Saint Blaise), Castilla la Mancha (The Pedreros), Galicia (Troncal and Monte Redondo) and Murcia (Jumilla). This cast highlights the company's intention to to support different areas with a strong renewable energy presence with batteries, both on the peninsula and in the archipelagos.
From a technical point of view, the package includes six hybridization projects with existing renewable energy facilities and a stand-alone batteryThis is a storage system that connects directly to the grid, without being tied to a single generation plant. This isolated generation battery will be located in Vigo and will function as an additional resource of flexibility for the electrical system in the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.
The energy company emphasizes that these projects are part of its strategy to diversify into clean technologies and that European support through IDAE reinforces the viability of the developments. Public aid covers part of the investmentThe rest is covered by the company, which seeks to accelerate the deployment of commercial-scale storage solutions.
A portfolio of 16 battery installations and 140 million in investment
With the addition of these seven new assets, Naturgy reaches a total portfolio of 16 battery storage facilities In Spain, all of them have received some form of aid and are at various stages between development and construction. The combined capacity of this portfolio is around 260 MW, while the accumulated capacity is around 689 MWh.
In economic terms, the sum of these actions represents a estimated total investment of around 140 million eurosThis figure includes both facilities already under construction and those still in earlier stages but with secured public funding. The company considers this financial investment key to positioning itself in a segment expected to be crucial in the immediate future of the electricity sector.
Several of the storage plants included in this portfolio are already under construction. Naturgy has begun work on its first battery storage projects in the country, which will be integrated with various photovoltaic parks. A significant portion of these facilities are scheduled to become operational by 2026.This means that, in just a few years, the company will have a network of operational batteries of a certain size distributed throughout the territory.
Among the most advanced projects are the batteries associated with solar parks de Tabernas I and II (AlmerÃa), Carpio del Tajo (Toledo), La Nava (Ciudad Real) y Escobar and Piletas (Las Palmas)In these cases, the batteries will be connected directly to the photovoltaic plants, which will allow for better use of periods of higher solar production and shifting some of that energy to times of higher demand or higher prices in the electricity market.
The energy company points out that this combination of projects in the development phase and others already under construction places the company in a relevant position in the field of stationary battery storage in Spain. Furthermore, it believes that having a broad and geographically distributed portfolio will allow it to better adapt to the specific needs of each regional electricity system.
Why battery storage has become essential
The rise of batteries cannot be understood without the context of the strong expansion of variable renewable energiesprimarily photovoltaic and wind power. These technologies depend on the sun and wind, so their production doesn't always coincide with peak electricity demand. This misalignment necessitates finding solutions to maximize energy use when it's available and to make it available for later use.
The battery storage systems They allow precisely that: storing the surplus renewable energy generated at certain times and releasing it when it is most needed, whether during peak consumption or periods of low production. In this way, batteries introduce more flexibility and responsiveness In the system, they reduce renewable energy spillovers and make it easier for sources like the sun and wind to cover a larger part of electricity consumption without compromising the stability of the grid.
According to the forecasts of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC)The goal for 2030 is that around a 81% of electricity generation in Spain comes from renewable energy sourcesAchieving such a high quota implies redesigning the way the system operates, incorporating new tools to match generation and demand in real time and guarantee a sufficient firm capacity even when renewables are not producing at full capacity.
In this scenario, the PNIEC envisions the installation of around 22,5 gigawatts (GW) of storage capacity by the end of the decade. It's not just about batteries, but this technology is considered one of the essential pillars for achieving the established goals. Their speed of response, modularity, and ability to be integrated into both renewable energy parks and specific points in the grid make them a highly versatile component within the new electrical system.
The Government incorporated this view into the Energy Storage StrategyApproved in 2021, the plan identifies stationary batteries as a key element for increasing the system's flexibility. This planning document acknowledges that without a robust storage base, maintaining the system will be very difficult. security and quality of supply in a context with such a high weight of intermittent renewable generation.
The role of Spain and Europe in promoting storage
Although the expansion of batteries is happening globally, Spain's case is part of a broader European movement. The European Union has been promoting a regulatory and funding framework for years aimed at facilitate the mass integration of renewables and to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, especially after the tensions in energy markets in recent times.
In this context, instruments such as funds ERDF 21-27 These funds are being used to channel resources towards projects that add value to the electricity system, including battery storage. The support obtained by Naturgy for its new projects is part of this strategic approach, which prioritizes initiatives capable of improving the network resilience and increase the capacity for integrating renewable generation.
The experience gained in Spain is also beginning to align with other initiatives being deployed in the rest of Europe, where different combinations of renewable and storage technologies are being tested. However, in this case, Naturgy's projects focus on hybridizations with photovoltaic and wind farmsIn the European sphere, solutions are also being explored that integrate batteries with other renewable sources and with applications such as the production of green hydrogen.
All of this paints a picture in which batteries go from being an almost experimental element to become a regular component in the planning of new electrical infrastructure. This evolution also implies an adaptation of regulations, flexibility markets, and business models that allow for the recovery of investment in these types of assets.
The combination of national and community resources, along with the participation of energy groups with investment capacity, is shaping an emerging network of storage projects which, if they maintain their current pace, could play a significant role in meeting the climate and energy security objectives set by Spain and the European Union itself.
Naturgy's international experience in battery storage
In addition to the deployment in Spain, Naturgy contributes to these projects the previous experience in battery installations on an international scaleThrough its subsidiary Global Power Generation (GPG), the group has developed several benchmark projects in recent years that combine renewable generation and storage in other markets.
In 2023, the company connected its network to the Australian grid first large-scale battery storage facility globally, known as the ACT Battery project. This development represented an important step in testing the operation of large-scale storage systems in an environment with increasing renewable generation penetration and an extensive grid.
More recently, Naturgy has also launched the project in Australia Cunderdin, its first large hybrid complex of photovoltaic generation and battery storageThis plant combines approximately 128 MW of solar power with a storage system 55 MW and 220 MWhThis allows for more efficient management of energy production and adaptation to the needs of the local system.
Experiences like those of ACT Battery and Cunderdin contribute operational, technical and regulatory knowledge which the company can transfer to its projects in Spain. Aspects such as coordination between the network operator and battery owners, management of charge and discharge cycles, and participation in different ancillary services markets are fundamental for these facilities to deliver maximum value.
The energy company believes that this international track record gives it an advantage when planning more complex storage projects, both because of the technological learning curve as well as the ability to anticipate potential difficulties in integrating batteries into the Spanish electricity system.
Naturgy's battery storage developments, spread across several autonomous communities and backed by European funding, are part of a broader transformation process of the Spanish and European electricity system, in which batteries are consolidating as a key tool to manage a mix with a very high weight of renewables, improve security of supply and make the most of the investment in new clean generation plants.
