El photovoltaic self-consumption in Spain has made a remarkable leap in recent years and now totals 9,3 gigawatts (GW) of installed power by the end of 2025, becoming one of the most relevant pieces of the energy transition and savings on electricity bills for homes and businesses.
Even so, the latest data made public by the Spanish Photovoltaic Union (UNEF) show that the sector It begins to lose steamIn 2025, the following were added: 1.139 megawatts (MW) new ones, a figure that, although high, represents a 3,7% less than in 2024 and raises some red flags about the growth rate needed to meet the goals set for the next decade.
A growing market, but at a slower pace.
According to UNEF figures, the cumulative power of photovoltaic self-consumption reaches the 9,3 GW operational in the Spanish electricity system. This volume reflects the strong deployment of installations in recent years, but also makes it clear that the expansion is moderating.
The 1.139 MW installed in 2025 They demonstrate this change of pace: new connections continue, but the annual volume is lower than the previous yearFor the sector, this partial slowdown comes at a delicate time, as the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) set a target of 19 GW of self-consumption by 2030.
To achieve that goal, the employers' association estimates that it will be necessary maintain around 2 GW of new installations annually over the next few years. The gap between what is currently being installed and what is needed, according to UNEF, necessitates a rethinking of the support framework if growth is to be avoided.
The sector organization emphasizes that self-consumption “has proven its worth all with reduce your electricity bill, trim polluting emissions, reinforce the energy independence and minimize investments in networks,” but he insists that, without a stable and predictable environment, it will be difficult to sustain the momentum of recent years.
The association emphasizes the need for a stable and ambitious regulatory frameworkcapable of instilling confidence in both domestic consumers and businesses and public administrations. The underlying message is clear: the potential exists, but uncertainties need to be resolved and procedures streamlined so that the market can continue to grow strongly.
The weight of the residential segment: many homes, less new power
One of the most visible indicators of this evolution is the domestic self-consumption. In 2025, 36.330 new homes They incorporated self-consumption photovoltaic installations, which represents a considerable number of households that are adding their own energy generation.
These new residential facilities added together 229 MW of powerBut the data comes with a slowdown of 17% compared to 2024, the year in which some 275 MW additions. That is, solar rooftops continue to be connected, but at a slower rate of installed power.
UNEF warns that this trend could intensify if certain factors that are making self-consumption in homes less attractive are not addressed. Among the most concerning issues is the uncertainty about tax incentives, key factors to encourage many individuals to take the plunge.
The employers' association points out that, in addition to the installation costs, households greatly value the existence of deductions in personal income taxMunicipal subsidies or regional government aid. When these tools suddenly disappear or are managed slowly, some of the potential demand is lost, and installation companies quickly notice it.
At the same time, the sector emphasizes that the collective self-consumption in the residential sector Apartment blocks, homeowner associations, or neighborhoods that share a facility—have not yet taken off as they could, despite their enormous potential for development in cities and metropolitan areas. The example of promotion of collective self-consumption In some regions, it shows the potential that is yet to be exploited.
Impact of Royal Decree-Law 16/2025 and the prices of surpluses
One of the elements that has generated the most concern in recent months is the non-validation of Royal Decree-Law 16/2025This regulation included, among other things, a extension of the tax deduction in personal income tax for energy efficiency improvement works in homes, a mechanism that acted as key driver of domestic self-consumption.
With the expiration of that extension, many residential projects may be put on hold or even canceled, since some households relied on that incentive to finalize their investment decision. For UNEF, this change translates into a clear risk of accelerating the deceleration in the new facilities.
This effect is further compounded by continued decline in the price of surpluses in the free market tariffs. Every time the surplus energy fed into the grid is paid at a lower rate, the return on investment is delayed if other elements of the bill are not adjusted, which makes projects that depend heavily on that compensation less attractive.
In this context, UNEF insists on the need to strengthen the simplified compensation mechanism for the regulated tariffmaking it more interesting for the consumer. Among the proposals is that the surplus could also offset the fixed term, tolls and chargesand not just the energy consumed component.
The employers' association also proposes that the settlement of the value of the surpluses beyond the standard monthly billing period, so that the user can make better use of the times of the year when they generate more electricity than they consume.
For the sector, adjusting this mechanism would not only improve the profitability of projects already underway, but would also boost new installations in both homes and small businesses, which tend to be particularly sensitive to price changes and economic conditions.
Commercial and industrial: slowdown in commerce and slight improvement in industry
In the business sector, market behavior has been uneven. commercial segment —small businesses, offices, hotels, restaurants and other services— has registered the installation of in 2025 176 MW new, Representing a 15% drop compared to 2024.
This decline is worrying companies in the sector, because the commercial and service fabric has a high potential for collective self-consumption and for shared schemes with clients, neighbors or nearby businesses, which would allow optimize facilities and distribute the investment.
However, UNEF points out that this shared self-consumption model still “It just can't seem to take off."due to the lack of full and uniform implementation of the improvements foreseen in the new Royal Decree on Self-ConsumptionAspects such as the figure of the self-consumption manager, The possibility of sharing surplus between several points of consumption or the expansion of the self-consumption radius They would be key to attracting more participants.
In contrast, the industrial self-consumption It shows a somewhat more solid performance. During 2025, installations in factories, warehouses, and large production centers totaled 679 additional MW, which is a slight increase in the installation rate (+0,7%) compared to the previous year.
This progress is largely due to the commissioning of higher power projectswhich are gaining importance within the overall market. For many industries, the possibility of covering a significant part of their demand with their own generation translates into significant savings and greater predictability in the face of the volatility of electricity prices.
However, UNEF believes that there are still barriers limiting the expansion of self-consumption in industry. One of the most frequently mentioned proposals is the extension of the scope of simplified processing and compensation up to 500 kW of access capacity, which would allow many medium-sized projects that currently encounter long and complex administrative processes to be expedited.
The employers' association also advocates for introducing a greater variability in the structure of the electricity tariffincreasing the weight of variable term —linked to actual consumption— versus the fixed term of contracted power. This change, they argue, would help to maximize the value of self-consumed energy in an environment where the prices of surpluses They remain relatively low.
With these measures, the sector hopes that more industries will be encouraged to optimally size their facilities, taking advantage of roofs, parking lots or adjacent land to reduce their dependence on the grid and improve their competitiveness.
Strong pull from facilities isolated from the grid
Beyond the segments connected to the electrical grid, 2025 has brought a very noticeable growth of isolated facilitiesAccording to UNEF data, this type of project, which operates offline, has increased by 105%, until adding up 55 MW new outside the conventional system. Examples of self-consumption of electricity in unique environments illustrate these possibilities, such as the case of Valvanera Monastery.
This boom is due to several factors: from the need to supply energy in rural or remote areas where extending the network is costly, even the interest of certain users in having one even greater energy autonomycombining photovoltaics with batteries and, in some cases, with other backup generators.
For UNEF, the growth of these isolated facilities fits with the trend towards a more distributed energy model, in which generation occurs close to the point of consumption and dependence on large transport infrastructures is reduced.
This type of system, they point out, also contributes to relieve the electrical gridsespecially in those areas where the reinforcement of existing lines or the construction of new infrastructure generates social or environmental conflicts.
The development of standalone solutions also opens up opportunities for small and medium-sized installation companies, which find market niches in agricultural and livestock farms, rural accommodations, tourist facilities or public buildings located in environments with limited access to the network.
Storage and a new regulatory framework: the next step
One of the most relevant changes taking place in the market is the growing interest in self-consumption with storageIn 2025, a greater demand for systems integrating batteries has been detected, a trend that has been reinforced by events such as the April 28 blackout, which highlighted the importance of having energy reserves in one's own home or business.
Although the published official statistics refer only to installed photovoltaic power, UNEF highlights that a significant part of the Inverters are already installed, ready to incorporate batteries. in the future. That is, many current facilities are designed with the intention of being able to add storage later without having to excessively modify the infrastructure.
This development highlights the need to approve the new Royal Decree on Self-Consumption, which for the first time incorporates the distributed storage explicitly within the regulatory framework. For the sector, recognizing and properly regulating these solutions is essential if it wants to extend the benefits of self-consumption at more hours of the day and in situations of higher demand.
UNEF emphasizes that self-consumption, combined with batteries, is becoming established as a a fundamental tool for decongesting electrical networksBy generating and consuming energy at the same point, grid usage is reduced during peak radiation hours, and Storage allows some of that energy to be displaced at times when the sun is no longer available.
This scheme facilitates moving towards a more flexible electrical systemIn this scenario, demand management, distributed generation, and storage play a key role in integrating more renewables and maintaining system stability without excessive reliance on fossil fuel generation.
Bottlenecks in aid and proposals to revive the market
Beyond the general regulatory framework, UNEF draws attention to the problems in the processing of grants, in particular those related to the Next Generation funds Europeans. According to the employers' association, there are still numerous pending cases in different autonomous communities, which creates uncertainty for installers and customers.
The sector is demanding action from regional authorities acceleration of aid management already granted or in process, so that the money reaches companies and individuals on time and does not become an additional obstacle to the decision to invest.
In addition to demanding speed in the grant process, UNEF defends the need for stable tax incentivesthat do not depend on specific calls for proposals. Among the suggested measures is, for example, the application of a Reduced VAT on photovoltaic equipment and the elements associated with the facilities.
The organization also proposes a stable recovery of the deductions in personal income tax for energy efficiency improvement works in homes, beyond the temporary windows that have existed until now, to give greater security to those planning renovations in the medium term.
Another key point that UNEF raises is the need to harmonize and simplify administrative procedures throughout the territory. Among its proposals is to extend the Exemption from requesting Access and Connection Permit to all facilities that inject less than 15 kW to the grid, regardless of the installed peak power.
The employers' association also demands that the measure be applied in all autonomous communities. Exemption from Prior Administrative and Construction Authorization (AAP and AAC) for the facilities of self-consumption below 500 kWSomething that, they claim, is still not happening in regions like Galicia, Cantabria, Castile and León, La Rioja, Aragon, Castile-La Mancha, Valencian Community, Canary Islands and Balearic Islands.
Collective self-consumption, dynamic coefficients and energy communities
Across all segments, UNEF is committed to strengthening the formulas of collective self-consumption and energy communities, two models that allow several users to share the energy generated by the same installation and distribute its costs and benefits.
Among the proposed measures, the incorporation of a ex post dynamic coefficients model for collective self-consumption. This system would allow each participant to pay only for the energy actually consumed from the grid, adjusting the shared generation allocation later according to actual usage.
The employers' association also considers it important to include the energy savings through self-consumption within the system of Energy Saving Certificates (CAEs)so that projects can obtain additional value from the reduction in consumption from the grid.
To decisively promote neighborhood, municipal, or cooperative initiatives, UNEF also proposes developing a specific regulatory framework for energy communities, which clarifies its regulatory framework, simplifies its constitution and operation and facilitates its relationship with the marketing companies and the system operator.
With these types of tools, the sector is confident that collective self-consumption will cease to be an exception and become the norm. common option in residential buildings, industrial parks and rural environments, multiplying the impact of each photovoltaic installation on the territory.
With the 9,3 GW of photovoltaic self-consumption already operationalSpain holds a prominent position within Europe, but the challenge now is to maintain market dynamism in a context of falling surplus prices and slower installation rates. The future of the sector depends on combining stable regulatory improvements, well-designed incentives, and a clear commitment to collective storage and self-consumptionso that both households and businesses can continue to confidently join renewable energy generation on their own rooftops.
