Energy communities consolidate their presence in Spain with 837 active initiatives

Energy communities continue to gain traction in Spain as a key tool to democratise the energy transition and generate social and regional impact. The Third Indicators Report on Energy Communities, which was presented this morning at the Infinito Delicias venue in Madrid by the Energía Común Observatory, is an initiative led by the Fundación Ecología y Desarrollo (ECODES) together with Redeia, with the support of the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. It has identified 837 active initiatives in 2025, 182 more than the previous year. This growth confirms the expansion and maturity of a citizen-led model that is increasingly widespread and focused on local and community impact.

In this context, the Community Transformation Offices (CTOs) have played an important role in promoting this model. In fact, half of the energy communities in Spain were established in the last two years, coinciding with the rollout of these regional support and facilitation offices.

Redeia’s head of Sustainable Development, Laura Quintana, highlighted the positive evolution of energy communities and their contribution to the energy transition: ‘The report’s data confirms that energy communities are gaining traction as a real and positive tool for transformation, accelerating the energy transition thanks to active citizen participation, with direct benefits for their surroundings. At Redeia, we are committed to promoting these key projects to build a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient energy model capable of generating opportunities and cohesion across different regions.’

The data presented during the event shows that one in ten municipalities in Spain now has at least one energy community. By volume, Cataluña, Comunitat Valenciana, País Vasco and Navarra remain the autonomous regions with the highest number of initiatives. A particularly notable increase has been observed in Asturias, Canarias and Extremadura. 

The report also focuses on the actual development stage of the projects driven by these communities. According to the analysis of the observatory’s control group (made up of energy communities that have provided comprehensive information on their activities), 27% currently have operational collective self-consumption installations, while a large portion of the initiatives are in the development, permitting, or deployment phases.

Self-consumption remains the main area of activity, although the study identifies growing momentum in projects related to sustainable mobility, energy storage and housing renovation.

‘Energy communities are demonstrating that the energy transition can be built from the different regions up, with citizens at the centre. The consolidation reflected in this report confirms that there is a clear social demand to participate in a more democratic, fair and accessible energy model. These initiatives not only promote renewable energies, they also generate social cohesion and new opportunities for municipalities and neighbourhoods. The challenge now is to consolidate this progress by removing administrative and regulatory barriers so that more projects can move from planning to implementation,’ noted Juan Ortiz, Director General of ECODES.

A model with social and regional impact

One of the most significant findings of the report is the social impact generated by these organisations. 51% of the analysed communities are already implementing, or plan to implement, direct actions to tackle energy poverty, reinforcing their role as a tool for social cohesion.

Miguel Rodrigo, Director of the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), emphasises that ‘In a context where the energy transition requires accelerating renewable deployment that benefits people and regions, strengthening system resilience and ensuring that no one is left behind, energy communities represent a strategic instrument. Because the energy transition is not only a technological or regulatory process; it is, above all, a collective project that we have supported at IDAE through the CE Implementa and CE Offices programmes, which have benefited 262 energy communities with €108.4 million and have enabled the creation of 74 CTOs with an additional €18.4 million.’

The study also highlights progress in gender equality within governance structures. In 2025, one in three people serving on energy community boards or governing councils are women. Although female participation in leadership positions remains limited, the data points to a positive trend towards more balanced representation.

Energy communities are thus gaining traction as one of the most innovative and transformative actors in Spain’s energy ecosystem, combining renewable generation, citizen participation and social impact at regional level.