Energy self-consumption grows by 30% in the Basque Country, driven by industry

• Self-consumption capacity has grown by 30% since the launch of the Basque Government’s Self-Consumption Aid Programme.
• The 44 MW approved under this aid programme represents a deployment comparable to the capacity of the future Labraza Wind Farm. 
• The 55% of new energy self-consumption power corresponds to solar installations in industrial buildings.
• In total, the Basque Government’s aid has mobilised an investment of nearly EUR 100 million in energy self-consumption.
• This programme includes aid for energy storage which, in this period, has reached 30 MWh, doubling the current capacity.
• For residential use, the subsidies reach 50% of the total investment.
• In the case of industry, direct aid depends on size and ranges from 25% for large companies to 45% for small businesses. To this is added a tax deduction of 35%.

Energy self-consumption in the Basque Country has grown by 30% since the launch of the Basque Government’s Self-Consumption Aid Programme last May. This strong momentum in just eight months is due, to a large extent, to the increase in self-consumption photovoltaic installations in the industry, which account for 55% of the new installed power in the Basque Country.

The Basque Government’s Self-Consumption Aid Program, managed by the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), consolidates the Basque Country as one of the most dynamic territories in distributed renewable generation. The milestone of the 44 MW of power approved within this aid program, configure a deployment comparable to the power of the future Wind Farm of Labraza. This fact, together with the boost to energy storage with 30 MWh subsidised, accelerates the energy competitiveness of the industry.

In total, the Basque Government’s aid has mobilised an investment of nearly EUR 100 million in energy self-consumption. The aid amounts to 50% of the total investment for residential use. In the case of industry, direct aid for investment in self-consumption electrical installations depends on the size of companies, ranging from an average of 25% for large companies to 45% for small ones. To this is added a tax deduction of 35%.

The approved power will generate clean electricity equivalent to the consumption of about 17,000 homes, with an associated reduction of 14,000 tons of CO₂ each year. This deployment is integrated into the Industry Plan – Euskadi 2030 and its transformative project for the Development of Renewable Energies, which marks an additional 550 MW target of new renewable capacity in the year 2028.

The traction of demand is clear. From the 7 MW of self-consumption recorded at the end of 2020 to 192 MW by the end of 2025, a figure that already represents 28% of the total renewable electric power installed in the CAPV (679 MW) and a growth of 30% compared to 2024. Currently, more than 8,000 self-consumption facilities operate in the Basque Country.

55% of the approved power is placed on the roofs of industrial buildings, confirming the tractor role of the productive sector. For companies, self-consumption offers a triple effect: non-refundable subsidies of investment in photovoltaic installations of up to 45%, tax deductions of 35%, in addition to the reduction of the bill for the elimination of charges and tolls on self-consumed energy.

Having reached the milestone of 44MW, companies now have an unquestionable opportunity to take advantage of this opportunity and move towards a change in the energy model in the form of EVE aid for self-consumption.

Storage is a strategic axis of the programme and one of the areas with the greatest potential for growth. Starting from a limited initial implementation, the Basque Country has experienced an exponential increase in both domestic and industrial facilities. The subsidised capacity of 30 MWh, doubling the current capacity, constitutes a solid basis for integrating renewable energies and managing more efficiently distributed consumption.