Energy Communities in Spain

Did you know that energy communities are emerging as one of the key models for democratising access to energy in Europe? In Spain, this model is gaining momentum thanks to a favourable regulatory framework and strong institutional support, although challenges remain that shape its development.We analyse the role of energy communities in the energy transition and the opportunities they represent for the future of the electricity system.

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Energy communities: a growing model

Energy communities are local initiatives that bring together citizens, businesses and public authorities to collectively produce, consume and manage renewable energy. This model responds to a clear trend: moving towards a more decentralised, participatory energy system that is closer to the consumer. In Spain, its development has been accompanied by rapid growth in self-consumption. Since 2018, installed capacity has increased significantly, reaching around 8 GW in 2024, reflecting a structural shift in the way energy is generated and consumed. The energy community model continues to expand: more than 8% of municipalities already have some form of initiative; a network of support and advisory offices exists to drive new projects; and growth is being seen in both urban and rural settings.

👉 The goal is clear: to give citizens greater control over their energy.

Spain: a favourable framework, but with challenges

Spain is one of the European countries that has adapted EU regulations earliest to facilitate the development of this model. The transposition of the European RED II directive and the development of specific legislation have enabled progress in collective self-consumption, energy sharing and the creation of energy communities. Key regulations include Royal Decree 244/2019, which governs self-consumption; Royal Decree-Law 23/2020, which drives the energy transition; and Royal Decree 18/2022, which strengthens the role of energy communities. This is complemented by the CE Implementa programme, with public funding aimed at boosting local projects across the country.

However, the model's development still faces several challenges, including technical grid limitations, coordination between multiple stakeholders, surplus energy management and administrative complexity. While the framework is evolving (for example, by expanding the radius for collective self-consumption), there is still work to be done to facilitate scalability.

👉 Are we looking at a model with enormous untapped potential?

Regions leading the change

The development of energy communities is not uniform across the country. Some regions, such as Catalonia, the Valencian Community and the Basque Country, stand out for their dynamism. In these territories, growth is supported by strong involvement from local authorities, a cooperative tradition, access to European funding and projects with social impact (such as tackling energy poverty). This approach demonstrates that the success of the model depends not only on regulation, but also on the local ecosystem.

Europe: different models, one shared goal

The development of energy communities is also advancing in other European countries, albeit with different approaches:

• Belgium (Brussels): strong development of citizen-to-citizen sharing models
• Germany: the Mieterstrom model, focused on residential buildings
• Switzerland: advanced consumer grouping systems (RCP)
• Austria: one of the most structured and flexible frameworks in Europe

Each country adapts the model to its own context, but all share a common goal: moving towards a more distributed and participatory energy system.

Trends: towards a more flexible and scalable model

Energy communities are evolving rapidly, and their development in the coming years will be shaped by several trends, including the integration of storage batteries, the development of smart grids, connections with electric mobility, the growth of participatory financing models (crowdfunding) and a greater role for local authorities and local actors.

European support through funds such as Next Generation EU will also continue to be key to accelerating deployment.