Collective self-consumption has gained prominence in Andalusia and Spain in recent months, consolidating itself as one of the most interesting options for citizens, companies and institutions to move towards a more participatory, clean and efficient energy model. Regional administrations, especially in provinces such as Granada and Cádiz, have multiplied their efforts to promote solar and energy communities as a key formula for the future.
The trend in Andalusian territory is clear: facilitate the shared use of locally generated renewable energy, allowing more and more homes, businesses and public entities to benefit from greater energy independence and significant savings.
Granada and Cádiz: benchmarks of collective self-consumption in Andalusia
Within the framework of several provincial days organized by the Andalusian Government - especially in Granada and Cadiz - institutional representatives and experts have highlighted the fundamental role of solar communities to transform energy management in the region. Granada, with 1.452 megawatts of installed renewable power and more than 23.500 self-consumption installations—amounting to 214 MW—consolidating its position as the Andalusian leader in hydroelectric power and third in solar energy.
For its part, Cadiz stands out with 3.170 MW of green power, being the second province in Andalusia in renewable capacity, and the first in wind generation. In the solar field, it accumulates 1.636 MW photovoltaic, with at least 18.800 self-consumption installations operating in a variety of contexts, from homes and businesses to public buildings. According to official figures, collective self-consumption represents a growing fraction of this total.
Authorities have insisted that this progress directly contributes to the decarbonization of the economy and the commitment to climate neutrality set for 2050, as well as the reduction of dependence on large electricity companies.
What is collective self-consumption and how is it organized?
El collective self-consumption consists share energy generated through renewable facilities —mainly photovoltaic— between several users. This system can be articulated through neighborhood associations, Cooperatives, agreements between companies in the same industrial park, or through legally constituted energy communities. In all cases, in addition to leveraging local electricity production, they promote energy bill savings and foster a decentralized model.
La Junta de AndalucÃa has launched an ambitious roadmap: the goal is to install, before the end of 2026, at least 1.000 new collective self-consumption installations, totaling an estimated capacity of 68 megawatts. Meeting this challenge would require doubling the current number of collective installations in the region, all through the collaboration of local entities and the private sector.
Help, advice and administrative challenges
To facilitate the deployment of collective projects, the programs INCEA e INEA —financed with European ERDF funds 2021–2027— offer specific subsidies both for the creation of solar communities and for shared self-consumption. Priority is given to disadvantaged areas through lines aimed at vulnerable households. In addition, the Local Energy Transition Offices of Andalusia (OLTEAN) lend free technical advice on procedures and organizational models, and are being developed so that interested parties can learn about the opportunities available in their area.
Despite this push, the photovoltaic sector and various groups continue to demand a simplification of administrative procedures and greater agility in granting permits. The experience of users and promoters indicates that the Bureaucracy remains the main obstacle so that many projects can be completed within a reasonable timeframe. The need to define the figure of the collective self-consumption manager and allow the exchange of surpluses between communities.
Social and economic role of energy communities
The development of collective self-consumption not only translates into savings on your electricity bill, but also in greater resilience to market fluctuations and the possibility of generating new dynamics of local collaboration in both urban and rural environments. In fact, many associations and experts highlight the positive effect on the local job creation (engineers, installers, and managers), as well as the capacity of these communities to promote other projects and strengthen the social fabric in small municipalities.
It is also recognized that public interest in participating in energy communities and collective initiatives continues to grow, although the lack of updated legislation and clear procedures with energy distributors remains an obstacle to connecting new facilities.
