Catalonia’s decree unifies and simplifies permitting to accelerate renewable and storage projects across the Spanish region
Distributed generation projects between 100 kW and 500 kW will not require prior administrative or construction approval
Solar pergolas and clear storage siting rules support wider urban PV adoption and stronger grid reliability
Catalonia’s Parliament has approved a new decree to speed up permitting for renewable energy and energy storage projects. The move, it says, is aimed at strengthening the region’s electricity supply and resilience.
The Decree-Law 22/2025 highlights the need to better align energy generation with local demand and spread renewable projects more evenly across urban and industrial areas. The focus is on wind and solar PV projects as these can be installed quicker, are efficient, clean energy sources, and promote energy self-sufficiency.
The decree simplifies and unifies administrative procedures to expedite the permitting process under a single phase.
It also promotes distributed generation, eliminating the need for any prior administrative and construction authorization for installations between 100 kW and 500 kW. This will especially be beneficial for small- and medium-sized businesses, promoting self-consumption.
The decree paves the way for the installation of solar pergolas 4 meters above the ground. This measure will boost PV installations in the parking lots of hospitals, universities, shopping centers, and other urban and public spaces.
For battery storage projects, it provides clear siting and safety requirements to accelerate their processing, considering it ‘of prime significance’ since storage can provide grid resiliency.
With this decree, the government has updated the legal framework to keep Catalonia’s energy system competitive, sustainable, and secure, with all future actions aligned with these priorities, especially in the wake of the April 28, 2025, blackout in the Iberian Peninsula.
Commenting on the new decree, Catalonia Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition Sílvia Paneque i Sureda said, “We present the new Decree on Renewables: more self-consumption, more municipal participation and a cleaner, safer and more democratic energy model. Decarbonisation is not just a global need, it is an opportunity to strengthen the country, protect the territory and ensure a sustainable future for all.”
