BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTRY'S RELATIONSHIP WITH SDG 7

Spain has emerged as one of Europe’s renewable-energy pioneers, particularly in wind and solar power. Benefiting from abundant solar resources and favourable conditions for wind generation, the country has rapidly transformed its electricity system. In 2025, renewables generated 55.5% of Spain’s electricity, rising to 56.6% when estimated self-consumption is included, while wind remained the largest individual source of grid electricity and solar photovoltaic generation reached a new record (Red Eléctrica de España [REE], 2026). 

Spain has also become a major European centre for renewable capacity expansion. By the end of 2025, almost 69% of installed electricity-generation capacity was renewable when self-consumption is included, and Spain ranked second among ENTSO-E countries for combined wind and solar presence, behind only Germany. Its National Energy and Climate Plan targets 81% renewable electricity generation by 2030, reinforcing Spain’s position as a leading European clean-energy economy (REE, 2026; Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge [MITECO], 2024).

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Spain’s rapid renewable expansion creates new challenges for grid stability, storage and transmission infrastructure. Wind and solar generation varies according to weather conditions, meaning that a system with increasingly high renewable penetration requires greater storage capacity, stronger electricity interconnections and a more flexible grid. In 2025, storage technologies helped integrate more than 9 TWh of electricity, illustrating their growing importance as renewable penetration increases (REE, 2026). 

Renewable deployment nevertheless continues at exceptional speed. Spain installed nearly 10 GW of new wind and solar capacity in 2025, while solar PV alone reached almost 50 GW when self-consumption is included. The updated National Energy and Climate Plan foresees approximately EUR 308 billion in investment through 2030 and aims to reduce Spain’s energy-import dependence to 50%. Spain therefore demonstrates how a renewable-energy pioneer can use wind and solar not only for decarbonisation, but also to strengthen energy security and strategic autonomy (REE, 2026; MITECO, 2024).

LIST OF REFERENCES 

Ministry of the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge of Spain. (2024, September 24). El Gobierno aprueba la actualización del Plan Nacional Integrado de Energía y Clima 2023-2030, eje de la oportunidad económica, social y ambiental de España, por su contribución a la modernización y transformación del modelo productivo. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/prensa/ultimas-noticias/2024/septiembre/el-gobierno-aprueba-la-actualizacion-del-plan-nacional-integrado.html

Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. (n.d.). Plan Nacional Integrado de Energía y Clima (PNIEC 2023-2030). Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.miteco.gob.es/es/energia/estrategia-normativa/pniec-23-30.html

Red Eléctrica de España. (2026). Renewable Electricity Generation - 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.sistemaelectrico-ree.es/en/spanish-electricity-system/generation/renewable-electricity-generation

Red Eléctrica de España. (2026, March 11). The Spanish Electricity System in 2025: Electricity demand, generation, and installed power capacity increase. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://www.ree.es/en/press-office/news/press-release/2026/03/the-spanish-electricity-system-in-2025-electricity-demand-generation-and-installed-power-capacity-increase