On March 25, 2025 , the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge ( MITECO ) opened a period of public hearing and information on the draft Ministerial Order and Resolution of the IDAE, which establishes the regulatory bases and anticipates a future call for aid for innovative energy storage projects, with the possibility of co-financing from European ERDF funds .

The deadline for submitting comments is extended until April 8, 2025 .

From the private sector, the publication was received as a positive sign of rapid progress, suggesting that, in the face of capacity market development, participating projects will do so at a more attractive price for consumers.

“This is something that was long awaited and we celebrated when it was published,” said Andrés Pinilla Antón, Head of BESS Sales Iberia at Mars Renewable Iberia, in conversation with Strategic Energy Europe .

According to the draft, the aid line would be endowed with 699 million euros , a figure that almost doubles the funds from previous calls, such as the PERTE for stand-alone storage and hybridization.

Eligible technologies and territorial distribution

The draft classifies technologies into four broad categories:

• reversible pumped storage;

• thermal storage;

• stand-alone battery systems;

• batteries hybridized with renewables .

The regulatory proposal contemplates aid intensities based on the ERDF (European Regional Development Fund) co-financing criterion .

Regions are classified into three categories according to their relative level of economic development (GDP per capita compared to the EU average), which determines the maximum percentage of a project’s eligible cost that can receive public funding (in this case, through a non-repayable grant).

This differentiation seeks to correct regional imbalances and foster economic and social cohesion within the European Union, giving greater support to areas with less economic development, where it may be more difficult to attract private investment on their own.

Some energy sector leaders question this territorial criterion, arguing that it is necessary to be technical and take into account the grid’s hot spots.

“I understand that it’s a valid criterion like any other, but it doesn’t make as much sense in electricity. I would like to see more support for those nodes that constantly face technical restrictions,” Pinilla Antón suggests .

In this way, we demonstrate that the main goal is to support the network, regardless of the autonomous community in which it is located.

The risk of immature projects

Although the scale of the program is welcomed, Mars Renewable warns of a possible repetition of past mistakes.

“What’s missing is an incentive for projects that are already mature. Those who already have building permits and are Ready to Build should be the ones receiving aid,” notes the firm’s consultant.

The executive branch notes that in previous cases, such as the PERTE call for proposals , only “a very small percentage of the beneficiaries will be implemented in the correct manner and on time,” due to the fact that funds were allocated to proposals that were not ready for implementation.

The draft establishes that the projects must be implemented within a maximum period of 36 months from the final favorable resolution, which would place their implementation by the end of 2029 .

However, one of the aspects most highly valued by the sector is the introduction of a mandatory guarantee of 2% of the requested aid amount, as a condition for accessing the subsidies.

“It’s a very positive thing because it removes speculators from the mix,” Pinilla emphasizes, anticipating that this requirement could lead to changes between the provisional and final resolution: “When people are asked for that endorsement, they’ll think about it.”

The regulatory proposal comes amid falling costs for battery technologies, which could improve project profitability.

According to Pinilla, a year ago, aid of up to 70% was required in regions such as the Balearic and Canary Islands to make investments viable.

Today, “with the drop in battery prices, if a project requires that amount, it’s not financially viable and shouldn’t be undertaken,” he says.

Sector expectations regarding the final resolution

Although this is only a draft regulation in the consultation phase, the movement has already begun in the sector.

“This is a wake-up call. Anyone with a project with an approved access point and connection will be preparing to apply,” Pinilla anticipates.

The tentative schedule under discussion suggests that the final order and resolution could be published in June or July, with the call for proposals and applications being opened shortly thereafter.

The estimated time to resolve would be six months, and the program will be managed through the IDAE electronic headquarters .

Strategic framework and European alignment

This program is part of the implementation of the Spanish Multiregional Operational Program (ERDF) 2021-2027 (POPE) and aims to meet Specific Objective OE RSO2.3, which focuses on the development of smart storage systems outside the trans-European energy grid (TEN-E). 

It is also aligned with the update of the National Integrated Energy and Climate Plan (PNIEC) and the Energy Storage Strategy, published by the Government in 2021.

If implemented, the call will be a key instrument for improving the flexibility of the electrical system, facilitating renewable integration, and providing operational resilience to electrical grids, especially in areas with high penetration of renewables or technical restrictions .