Spain’s shift to renewable power is under greater scrutiny than ever
But here’s where the controversy begins: a major investment surge and a landmark factory project in Figueruelas are being used to illustrate Spain’s bold green transition, even as critics question whether the country can sustain its ambitious renewable goals amid recent outages and energy-market tensions.
On the outskirts of Figueruelas, a single colossal wind turbine turns steadily, its shadow stretching over nearby homes and streets. This image underscores how central wind and solar energy have become to Aragón’s landscape—an area famed for its expansive plains that host a multitude of Spain’s wind and solar farms.
The town’s growing symbolic role in the energy transition has been reinforced by a nearby announcement: a new battery factory for electric vehicles, a collaboration between CATL (China) and Stellantis (Netherlands). The project carries combined investments of about €4 billion ($4.7 billion; £3.5 billion). Yao Jing, China’s ambassador to Spain, called it “one of the biggest Chinese investments Europe has ever seen.”
Figueruelas’ mayor, Luis Bertol Moreno, frames the site as a logical choice.
"We’re in Aragón, where wind is abundant year-round, there’s plenty of sunshine, and we’re surrounded by wind turbines and solar panels. Those energy sources will be crucial to powering the new factory, and that’s the key reason for locating the project here in Figueruelas," he explains.
Viewed in this light, the factory appears to validate Spain’s energy strategy, which prioritizes renewable sources. In 2017, renewables accounted for about one-third of Spain’s electricity output; by the latest year, renewables contributed around 57%, marking a significant shift. The government’s target for 2030 is to reach 81% renewable electricity.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez framed his government’s approach during a rebuttal to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s pro-fossil-fuel stance with a concise slogan: “Green, baby, green.” He highlighted the benefits of renewable energy as a national priority.
Yet the unwavering pledge to renewables has come under closer examination after a large blackout on April 28 that darkened homes, businesses, public buildings, transit systems, schools, and universities across Spain and neighboring Portugal for several hours.
Opposition leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo and other conservative voices seized on the outage, arguing that excessive reliance on renewables could destabilize the energy system and calling for a rethink of the country’s energy model. The timing of the blackout, occurring a week after solar generation in mainland Spain hit a record high of 61.5% of the electricity mix, fed fuel to these arguments.
But the government and Red Eléctrica de España (the grid operator) deny that the outage was caused by renewables. Concha Sánchez, head of operations at Red Eléctrica, states, “We have operated the system with high renewable rates before without compromising system security. It’s not a matter of the share of renewables at that moment.”
Officials described the outage as the result of multiple factors, including an “unknown event” that produced voltage oscillations just before the incident. While a cyberattack has been ruled out, investigations continue, with reports expected to determine the exact cause.
Since April, Spain’s electricity mix has shifted somewhat toward natural gas, reinforcing the sense that the country stands at an energy crossroads. The nuclear sector—responsible for roughly 20% of Spain’s electricity—has become particularly vocal, pushing back against plans to shutter its five reactors between 2027 and 2035. In the southwest, the Almaraz plant has even sought a three-year extension to operate until 2030, a request currently under review.
Ignacio Araluce, president of Foro Nuclear, argues that Spain is the only country planning to retire operating nuclear plants, and he views nuclear energy as a stable, CO2-free complement to renewables. “A prudent energy mix of renewables and nuclear is sensible,” he says, noting that renewables depend on wind and sun and cannot run around the clock.
Opponents, including the far-right Vox party, have criticized the government’s handling of the blackout and remain skeptical of a rapid nuclear phaseout, framing nuclear power as essential for stability.
Concha Sánchez also points to storage as an area needing improvement. Spain’s geographic isolation on the Iberian peninsula, with less interconnection to the broader European grid, presents unique challenges. She emphasizes the need to expand energy storage capacity to balance fluctuations in wind and solar output.
Beyond technical questions, Spain’s political volatility adds uncertainty for the energy outlook. A Socialist-led coalition has faced corruption scandals, and a collapse of its parliamentary majority could trigger a snap election. A right-leaning government, should it emerge, might deprioritize aggressive renewable expansion in favor of more traditional energy sources.
In the meantime, Spain’s renewable transition presses ahead. For Figueruelas, the payoff is tangible: a boost in local investment and jobs. The town, home to about 1,000 residents, is expected to see up to 2,000 Chinese workers come for the construction phase of the battery plant, with the facility anticipated to generate as many as 35,000 indirect jobs once operational.
Local residents see the economic ripple effects clearly. Manuel Martín, a resident, notes that these investments “revitalize the area—construction, hospitality, and more,” while adding that the energy itself will rely on the sun and wind—renewable, free, and abundant where the local climate provides it.
