The Spanish government forwarded a letter to the European Commission outlining an upcoming plan to speed up sustainable energy projects, with a clear emphasis on hydrogen produced within Spain and funded through Community resources. The document, dated 6 May and signed by the Vice President for Ecological Transformation, emphasizes a coordinated approach that aligns with Brussels’ broader climate and energy priorities. In a report later picked up by El País and available to EFE, the author explains that the Commission should consider these projects as part of a broader strategy to curb dependence on Russian gas in the near term, while also keeping sight of the long-term goal of climate neutrality.
The letter underscores a priority for Spain to push renewable hydrogen shipping and trade from competitive production hubs in Southern Europe, notably Spain, toward the rest of the European Union. It calls for optimizing existing infrastructure and capacities, including regasification facilities, to ensure a streamlined transition. The project selections should be consistent with reducing energy dependence and with the European Green Deal and international climate commitments. The document reminds Brussels that adequate funding from the EU is essential to bring these plans to fruition, especially under current market conditions that demand swift action.
A second key point is a push to strengthen the ongoing development of renewable energy sources within the Union and to conceive a meaningful role for energy storage technologies in the future energy system. This involves creating a framework that supports scalable energy storage solutions, which are seen as critical enablers in achieving a decarbonized economy. The intention is to ensure that energy storage is not an afterthought but an integral part of the European energy strategy. This framework would help smooth out volatility and provide resilience as the continent scales up solar, wind, and other renewables.
Prioritize shipping from Spain
The essence of the strategy is to place priority on the transport and commercial distribution of renewable hydrogen from its most competitive locations, such as Spain in southern Europe, to customers across the EU. This approach would leverage the current gas and energy infrastructure, with a focus on optimizing regasification plants and related facilities to support a rapid transition away from fossil fuels where possible. The aim is to ensure that hydrogen trade aligns with broader climate targets and energy security objectives in the near term while continuing to advance the European energy transition.
The Spanish proposal calls for a consistent project selection process that not only reduces energy dependence but also synchronizes with the Green Deal and international climate obligations. It argues for a proactive EU funding mechanism to back these initiatives, especially given the present geopolitical and market complexities. The emphasis is on practical investment that can deliver measurable energy security benefits and emissions reductions in a relatively short timeframe.
A further emphasis is placed on strengthening the development of renewable energy sources and identifying a decisive role for storage technologies within the EU. The goal is to ensure that storage capabilities grow in tandem with generation capacity, enabling a more reliable and flexible grid. The letter highlights the importance of research, development, and innovation in energy storage, encouraging investments in new materials and storage technologies that can enhance efficiency and reduce costs across the value chain.
Accelerating renewable energy potential
There is a strong assertion that unlocking the full potential of renewables is essential for lowering greenhouse gas emissions and reducing dependence on external energy supplies. This approach is also seen as a driver for job creation in key industrial sectors and a catalyst for new technologies and business models that can thrive in a decarbonized economy. Making room for more research in solar panels, materials science, and grid integration is a recurrent theme, aimed at strengthening Europe’s supply chain and exportable capabilities.
The Spanish position stresses the need for a supportive regulatory framework to encourage energy storage deployment and to provide a clear path for the commercialization of innovative storage solutions. The letter notes that storage technologies are functional enablers that can help stabilize the grid, absorb excess renewable energy, and improve market liquidity as interconnections expand. It also proposes a special framework to accelerate energy storage project approvals and to streamline permitting so that deployment can keep pace with generation capacity.
A final point invites the European Commission to use the next meeting of the Energy Managers to consider potential changes in the design of the European electricity market. This follows the insights from a recent ACER report, which the letter suggests does not fully address how the current market design will perform under future conditions. While the biography of the report reviews the existing EU electrical system, it is suggested that it falls short of proposing concrete steps to strengthen responses to the system’s limits and to connect interconnections with market liquidity. The Spanish view remains that interconnections must be improved to enhance liquidity and resilience across the Union, and that future market design should reflect those needs. The letter closes by urging the Commission to consider how better cross-border connections could support a more integrated and robust European energy market, ready to meet climate and security goals.