The Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) opened a public consultation into the grant scheme last month seeking comments on the proposal and has now launched the grants that will accept applications in September depending on the technology.
MITECO launched two programmes, with the first one seeking either standalone projects or thermal energy storage projects with a budget of €180 million, of which €30 million for thermal energy storage alone. The second programme is aimed at pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) with €100 million allocated for that technology. A single project can receive up to €50 million from each programme, except for thermal technology which is capped at €6 million.
Grants will cover 40-65% of the project cost depending on the size of the company applying and the technology used for the project which can be presented as a standalone, thermal or PHES to new or existing hydropower, while universities and investigation centres can have the whole project cost covered by the grant.
As is normally the case with such tenders in Spain, there are specific budgets for the overseas regions of the Canary Islands (€15 million) and Balearic Islands (€4 million).
Applications for the first programme – standalone and thermal storage – will open on 20 September 2023 until 18 October 2023, whereas PHES applications can be sent from 22 September 2023 until 20 October 2023. However, no date was specified by MITECO as to when the awarded projects will be announced. Projects will need to come online before 30 June 2026 for standalone and thermal energy storage, while PHES will need to come online before 31 December 2030.
From this capacity Spain seeks to add for energy storage, it will also require to add 15GW of long-duration energy storage (LDES) in the coming years if the country seeks to avoid economic curtailment between 2025 and 2030, according to an analysis from Aurora Energy Research.
However, the main barrier for Spain to add this much LDES capacity is that this technology is not currently considered towards the NECP updated target, as LDES is still currently considered as more expensive compared to other technologies.
Eligible projects will be judged, among others, on economic viability, their capability of helping to integrate renewable energy on the grid, and the creation of local employment and business opportunities as part of their development.
MITECO also launched a similarly-sized grant scheme specifically for co-located or hybridised energy storage projects, for which proposals were due in March 2023. Enel Green Power submitted two projects during the first quarter which fit the criteria, totalling 60MWh and 38MWh respectively.
More details on the call can be accessed in full here (in Spanish).
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It is estimated that by 2030, these technologies could electrify up to 8% of current global gas consumption, which would translate into a 2% reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.
In a world increasingly aware of the urgency of acting against climate change, the transition to renewable energy sources has become a global priority. In this context, Spain emerges as one of the most attractive countries for the development of thermal storage, a technology that promises to revolutionize the way energy is managed and used.
Accelerating the energy transition has become imperative, especially in a scenario of geopolitical uncertainty and volatility in raw materials markets. The international commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, ratified at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Dubai, has driven the search for innovative and sustainable solutions in the energy field.
In this context, electrothermal energy storage (ETES) emerges as a promising technology. By integrating heat electrification with thermal storage, ETES offers an effective solution to decarbonize industrial heat, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. One of the key advantages of ETES is its ability to use electricity generation from intermittent renewable sources, such as solar and wind power, to meet large-scale and continuous heat demand in industrial environments. This not only contributes to reducing emissions, but also improves security and energy independence. Furthermore, the technologies are already competitive with fossil fuels in specific cases, reflecting their potential to radically transform the energy landscape.
Favorable conditionsA recent study carried out by Systemiq Ltd has highlighted Spain as one of the most attractive countries for the development of ETES, thanks to a unique combination of favorable factors in the energy market. The price difference between electricity and natural gas, together with the flexibility of electricity grid rates, has created a favorable environment for the competitiveness of ETES against gas boilers.
The ability of ETES to optimize the charging schedule, harness backup heat sources, and connect directly to local renewables adds another layer of appeal to this technology. In Spain, in particular, local conditions and the structure of the electricity grid are aligned so that ETES can be even more affordable than gas boilers in certain scenarios.
Furthermore, the potential impact of thermal storage technologies in Spain is significant. It is estimated that by 2030, these technologies could electrify up to 8% of current global gas consumption, resulting in a 2% reduction in global energy-related greenhouse gas emissions.
ChallengesHowever, despite the potential of ETES, there are significant challenges that must be addressed to fully leverage this technology. Congestion on electricity networks can delay ETES projects by up to a decade in some regions, highlighting the need for regulatory reforms and changes to network planning to facilitate their implementation.
To close the affordability gap and further promote the development of ETES, a coordinated effort is required between policymakers, network operators and the industry. Reforming rates, taxes and discounts to favor grid use during periods of lower demand, as well as accelerating grid connection for flexible demand technologies, are crucial steps in this direction.
Ultimately, the drive towards a more sustainable energy future depends on the ability of countries, like Spain, to adopt and invest in innovative technologies such as ETES.
Pending approval, a total of €167.6 million ($187.1 million) has been allocated toward 46 standalone thermal and electrical energy storage projects, with a cost range from €170/kWh to €409/kWh.
Image: NuKi Chikhladze, Unsplash
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