A new national report reveals that despite Spain’s record-breaking year for green energy, Catalonia, the Basque Country, and the Valencian Country generate the lowest proportion of electricity from renewable sources. Published by Spain’s state-owned grid operator, Red Eléctrica de España, this data highlights a significant regional disparity in the country’s otherwise successful clean energy transition.
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According to the annual Spanish Electricity System Report 2025, just 18 per cent of the electricity produced in Catalonia came from renewable sources. In the Basque Country, the figure was even lower at 17 per cent, while the Valencian Country registered a slightly higher 20 per cent. These figures starkly contrast with other autonomous communities. For instance, Castile and León generated an impressive 94 per cent of its electricity from renewables, while Aragon (83 per cent) and Galicia (82 per cent) also demonstrated strong performances.
Nationally, renewable sources accounted for a record 55.5 per cent of Spain’s total electricity generation in 2025, positioning the country as a European leader, second only to Germany in both renewable generation and installed capacity.
Catalonia’s Energy Paradox
The figures for Catalonia, however, require careful context. While its renewable generation share is low, the region produces a vast amount of green energy in absolute terms, totalling 6,935 GWh. This is more than ten times the renewable output of Madrid (625 GWh), a region where renewables make up 50 per cent of its much smaller total production.
Furthermore, Catalonia has the highest electricity demand in Spain, consuming 44,638 GWh in 2025, a 1.3 per cent increase on the previous year. The region’s powerful nuclear plants largely meet this high demand. Indeed, the Red Eléctrica report shows nuclear power dominated Catalonia’s energy mix, providing 56.5 per cent of its electricity. This reliance on nuclear energy is a long-standing feature of the Catalan power grid, as detailed in a previous analysis showing that Catalonia’s nuclear plants provided nearly 60% of its energy.
Following nuclear, the generation mix consisted of combined-cycle gas (13.9 per cent), hydropower (9.5 per cent), and smaller shares from wind (5.8 per cent) and solar photovoltaic (5.2 per cent). This breakdown explains the gap between installed capacity and actual generation: while renewable technologies make up 40.2 per cent of Catalonia’s total installed capacity, their variable output is overshadowed by the constant, high-volume production from nuclear facilities.
A Leader in Self-Consumption
Catalonia truly excels in self-consumption. The region has become a leader in decentralised power generation, as homes and businesses produced 2,588 GWh from their own installations in 2025. This achievement places Catalonia second in Spain, only behind Andalusia. The growth in this area is significant, boasting a total of 2 GW of installed self-consumption capacity, with 1.5 GW from solar photovoltaic.
Solar panels are the primary driver of this trend, accounting for 62.6 per cent of self-generated power, with cogeneration making up another 20.8 per cent. This bottom-up energy movement suggests a strong public and commercial appetite for renewables, even as large-scale projects lag.
The National Drive for Independence
During the report’s presentation, officials emphasised the strategic importance of renewables for national sovereignty. Beatriz Corredor, president of Red Eléctrica’s parent company Redeia, and Joan Groizard, Secretary of State for Energy, highlighted the role of green energy in insulating Spain from global crises.
“The more we can replace imported gas and oil with native renewables, the more resilient we will be,” Groizard remarked, as reported by Ara Cat. “It cannot be that the ability of a Spanish SME or family to make ends meet depends on a decision made in Tehran, Washington, or Moscow.”
National data reflects this push. Solar PV generation grew by 12.5 per cent, hitting a new all-time high, while coal power fell by 50 per cent to its lowest historical level, contributing just 0.6 per cent to the national mix. While the Catalan government has its own strategy, PROENCAT 2050, outlining a complete energy transition roadmap, the latest figures indicate a long way to go before aligning its generation profile with the country’s top performers.
