Business & Finance
Businesses in Spain and Portugal expand battery storage following power outages
Industrial and commercial firms are investing in local battery systems to safeguard operations and capitalize on renewable power integration.
The short version
- Commercial and industrial companies across Spain and Portugal are accelerating investments in battery backup systems following a major blackout last April and severe winter storms.
- Spain's battery storage capacity expanded from 28 MW before the April blackout to 193 MW by April 2026, with an additional 2,400 MW in storage projects awarded €827m in EU funding in December.
- Beyond emergency power backup, firms are utilizing expanded storage to capture solar energy and resell surplus electricity back to the grid.
Key facts
- A widespread power failure struck Portugal and Spain on April 28 of last year, disrupting industrial operations across the region.[BBC News]
- Spanish grid operator Red Eléctrica recorded an increase in battery storage capacity from 28 MW before last April's blackout to 193 MW in April 2026.[BBC News]
- Spain's Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy allocated €827 million in EU funds to 133 energy storage projects totaling 2,400 MW in December, with roughly 80% designated for batteries.[BBC News]
- Spanish meat processor Fribin incurred hundreds of thousands of euros in losses during the outage and subsequently ordered two 5 MWh battery modules for about €1.5 million.[BBC News]
- Storm Kristin in late January damaged infrastructure in central Portugal, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity and telecom services.[BBC News]
Sources
- Firms scramble for battery power in Spain and PortugalBBC News - Science & Environment