Hybrid plants (PV and wind) in Spain. Grid access made easy!

published on 24th November 2022

Despite all efforts of the legislator, grid access is still the bottleneck for new project developments in Spain. For quite some time, auctions of grid access capacities have been announced and also the framework conditions have been published, only the auctions have not taken place so far. Furthermore, the economic guarantees to participate in the auctions are so high (ca. 150 €/kwp) that small and medium sized developers will shy away from the risk. That's where the alternative of a hybrid plant comes in handy.

Hybrid plants are those where a PV or wind plant (or another renewable technology or also storage medium) with grid connection point has already been built and now a second plant with the respective other technology or battery is connected to the same grid connection point, according to Article 33 No.12 Law 24/2013. The grid operator now assumes that the two technologies will not feed in at the same time and also requires a corresponding technical device that never more than the original promised power output is fed into the grid (Article 27.4. of the Real Decree 1183/2020). Furthermore, the existing technology must continue to have an installed capacity of 40% of the grid access capacity.

The biggest obstacle, however, is the requirement that the two plants must be located no further than 10km from each other (Article Annex II of RD 1955/2000). However, if these conditions are met, at least grid access can be granted without inspection (and after depositing an economic security of 20€/kwp). The further approval process can be shortened if the relevant authorities play along. Especially the environmental impact assessment could be done much faster if the same land is used. It remains to be seen whether this will happen in practice.

However, a legal challenge is still posed by the requirement of Article 27.1. RD 1183/2020, which requires that the existing facility and the new facility to be applied for have the same "titular". By "titular" is meant not the legal owner of the installation, but the holder of the rights of use of the installation. We will be happy to draw up the corresponding user agreements and, above all, the agreement regarding the priority of the electricity fed into the grid.