Only 15pc Of Spain’s Solar Self-Consumption Systems Have Backup Batteries In Place As Blackout Risks Grow

Despite a historic rise in photovoltaic self-consumption installations, most solar-equipped homes and businesses in Spain remain vulnerable to blackouts. Just 15% of solar self-consumption systems are currently backed by battery storage capable of keeping the lights on during grid failures, according to energy platform Imagina Energía.

Solar boom, but battery lag

Spain’s solar self-consumption sector has been booming in recent years, generating record-breaking expansion figures—2,507 MW of new capacity in 2022, 1,706 MW in 2023, and 1,182 MW so far in 2024. Yet, battery storage has failed to keep pace. Only 155 MWh of storage systems were installed nationwide this year, with most projects still hooked to the grid without any backup capability.

“Solar installation numbers are climbing, but the uptake of energy storage solutions remains sluggish,” cautioned the energy company, which manages over 8,200 active self-consumption systems in Spain. “The vast majority of users still lack the ability to isolate from the grid in case of emergency.”

April blackout sparks a surge in interest

Momentum is now building for change. Following the 28 April power failure that brought down part of the Iberian grid, requests for solar battery upgrades have skyrocketed. Quantica, an industrial self-consumption specialist, reports that demand for systems with backup functionality has increased tenfold since that event, while interest in battery solutions for new projects is up over 150%.

“The blackout exposed the false sense of energy security many users have,” said Javier Becerra, Director of Industrial Self-Consumption at Quantica. “Producing energy is no longer enough—you also have to store and manage it to ensure long-term stability and resilience.”

Industrial sector leads the charge

Not surprisingly, industry is leading the adoption curve. Of the new battery storage capacity installed in 2024, around 60% has come from the industrial sector. For factories, supply chain operators and data centres, battery-backed self-consumption is quickly becoming a strategic necessity—not just an efficiency upgrade.

This segment sees energy storage systems as a form of contingency insurance, enabling operations to continue through instability, grid disturbances, or outright blackouts.

True energy independence still a way off

Energy storage dramatically enhances solar self-consumption systems by allowing users to operate autonomously during outages or peak-demand pricing moments. Additionally, these systems reduce the carbon footprint by improving grid efficiency and cutting reliance on fossil-fuel-based backup power.

But with fewer than one in six solar installations equipped with batteries, Spain still has a long way to go before energy independence becomes a reality on a mass scale.

Conclusion: resilience is the next frontier

The message from April’s blackout was loud and clear: having solar panels won’t help you much if the grid goes dark and you can’t store what you generate.

For Spain’s renewable energy strategy to deliver real resilience, battery adoption will need to accelerate—and fast. Until then, sunny rooftops may power electricity bills, but not blackout-proof homes or businesses.