The capacity of the connections of small and medium-scale photovoltaic energy producers and self-consumption in the e-distribución network, Endesa’s network subsidiary, has increased by 53% since 2020.
The power of self-consumption facilities reaches 3.9 GW, while that of producer facilities exceeds 26.8 GW.
As of November, 3.8 GW of new capacity has been connected to the network, which makes it possible to avoid the emission of 3 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
The figures show the growing importance of the distribution network as an access route for renewable generation to the electricity grid. Eurelectric data indicate that 70% of the green generation capacity that is connected to the electricity system by 2030 will do so through the distribution network.
Endesa, through its network subsidiary, e-distribución, has surpassed the figure of 30 GW of distributed renewable capacity connected through its distribution network, a power that can supply the consumption of almost 20 million homes and avoid the emission of nearly 30 million tons of CO2. These are installations of small and medium-scale renewable energy producers and self-consumption that, in recent years, are increasing their weight on the map of renewable generation in Spain as a complement to industrial-scale generation. Their connection through the distribution network demonstrates the growing importance of the network in the energy transition process.
Since 2020, almost 11 GW of distributed renewable capacity has been connected to the Endesa network with an increasing progression in each of the years that highlights the need to have a regulatory framework that promotes investment in networks and agility in the granting of permits to meet the increase in access requests.
“Networks are the backbone of the energy transition, that element that is in the background, but without which nothing works. It is vital that investment in networks is promoted both to meet the connection requests of renewable energy producers, as well as the demand, from industries to data centers, desalination plants or green hydrogen plants. If this is not done, the decarbonization objectives of the economy will not be achieved,” says Endesa’s general manager of Networks, José Manuel Revuelta.
The figures show the growing importance of the distribution network as an access route for renewable generation to the electricity grid. Eurelectric data indicate that 70% of the green generation capacity that is connected to the electricity system by 2030 will do so through the distribution network and the evolution of recent years confirms this trend.
In the case of the network managed by Endesa, at the end of November there were more than 18,600 medium-sized renewable energy production facilities connected, mostly photovoltaic installations. For its part, the number of self-consumption installations active in the e-distribution network is already close to 305,000 (associated with 327,000 supplies), which means multiplying by 37 the figure with which it closed 2020.
In these four years, the power associated with all these distributed generation installations has increased by almost 53%, going from 20.1 to 30.7 GW. Of the total, 24.7 GW correspond to high voltage connections and 6.0 GW to connections made through the medium and low voltage networks.
Until November, the renewable generation power connected through Endesa’s distribution network has grown by 14%, adding an additional 3.8 GW that cover the consumption of 1.9 million homes and avoid the emission of 3 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Endesa is a leading electricity company in Spain and the second in Portugal. In addition, it is the second gas operator in the Spanish market. Endesa is an integrated electricity generation, distribution and marketing business. It also offers electric mobility services, where it is one of the main operators of charging points in Spain, and other value-added services aimed at the electrification of energy uses in homes, businesses, industries and public administrations. Endesa is firmly committed to the United Nations SDGs and, as such, decisively promotes the development of renewable energies through Enel Green Power Spain, the digitalisation of networks through e-distribution and corporate social responsibility. In this last area, we also act through the Endesa Foundation. Our human team totals around 9,000 employees. Endesa is part of Enel, the largest electricity group in Europe.
