Barcelona, Nov 23 (IANS): Spain's solar power is on track to overtake wind power as the leading source in the country's expanding renewable energy sector, which now accounts for more than half of the total energy mix, industry.
Renewable energy sources have supplied 57.5 per cent of Spain's electricity production this year, according to the association of renewable energy companies. Wind power remains the largest contributor with 22.4 per cent, followed by photovoltaic solar energy at 18.3 per cent.
Red Electrica de Espana (REE), the national grid operator, reported that large photovoltaic plants will soon surpass wind farms as the energy source with the highest installed capacity in Spain.
Ground-based photovoltaic installations, excluding self-consumption systems on rooftops of homes and businesses, now have a combined capacity of over 29,600 megawatts - nearly double the 15,300 megawatts recorded in 2021, according to REE.
Alvaro Luna, a renewable energy expert at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), described Spain's solar power capacity as "healthy," citing the country's strong resource availability and growing production.
"Spain is among the European Union countries doing their homework in terms of renewable energy penetration and the energy mix," Luna said in an interview with Xinhua news agency.
However, Luna emphasised the need to address gaps in energy sharing, noting that not all households and businesses have access to rooftops for solar panel installations.
He also called for greater innovation in solar technology, describing it as a "European problem." "Photovoltaic energy has immense potential as the alternative energy source Europe needs, but we're not fully utilising the technology," he said.
Luna stressed the importance of developing energy storage solutions to store surplus energy for later use, as solar energy production is concentrated during specific parts of the day.
He also highlighted the need for diversification of renewable energy sources to improve system flexibility, citing solar thermal energy - using the sun's heat - as a promising area for future investment.