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Tuesday April 28 marked the one-year anniversary of the blackout, when the lights went out across Spain for twelve hours, leaving millions of people and businesses suddenly aware of just how fragile the energy supply they'd always taken for granted really was.

 

Twelve months on, the Region of Murcia is responding in the most practical way possible, by generating more of its own.

 

There are now around 40,000 registered solar self-consumption installations across the Region, with a combined capacity of 540 MW, enough to rival more than half the output of a nuclear power plant. In the past year alone, 7,140 new installations were added, representing growth of around 7% on the previous year, according to figures from the Directorate General of Energy.

 

Murcia now has more solar self-consumption capacity per person than anywhere else in Spain, accounting for 6% of the entire national total.

 

Miguel Ángel Sola, dean of the Official College of Industrial Technical Engineers of the Region of Murcia, said the blackout was a real wake-up call for a lot of people.

 

"Something that previously seemed unthinkable truly marked a turning point," he explained.

 

"We have really noticed a development, especially among companies, which have acquired backup power systems such as battery storage and generators."

 

Battery storage, in particular, has seen extraordinary growth, with installations more than doubling in the last year. Batteries allow homeowners and businesses to store energy during off-peak hours, including times when electricity prices turn negative, and use it when they need it most, cutting bills significantly in the process.

 

Francisco Espín, president of the Murcia Business Association for Renewable Energies and Energy Saving, noted that while the spike in interest following the blackout was slightly lower than peaks seen during the Ukraine war or the post-Covid incentive period, the outlook remains firmly positive.

 

"The technology is affordable and inexpensive today, with very short return on investment rates," he pointed out.

 

There's also meaningful financial support available. The regional government has channelled €47 million in European Next Generation funds into self-consumption and storage since 2022 and has just launched a further €3.5 million programme aimed at SMEs.

 

Tax incentives announced by President López Miras include self-consumption subsidies of up to €7,000, recoverable through income tax returns.

 

 

 

Image: Freepik