The Unión Española Fotovoltaica (UNEF) hosted a forum on the electrification of demand at Genera in Madrid. The event was opened by Víctor Marcos, Director‑General for Energy Planning and Coordination at Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition, and José Donoso, Director‑General of UNEF. Both emphasised that electrification is not a vision of the future but an urgent necessity that must keep pace with the expansion of renewable energy.
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Donoso: “We have made great progress in decarbonising electricity, but we still face the challenge of decarbonising energy end‑uses.” Marcos added, “Spain is the fastest‑growing economy in the European Union, and our commitment to renewables has been decisive in achieving that. We must make it easier for companies to invest in renewable energy.”
Flexibility, more storage and new business models
Niels H. Petersen
Speakers illustrated how electrification in the residential sector is advancing through self‑consumption, energy storage, e‑mobility and efficient climate technologies. Joan Herrera, partner at Samso, said, “Just as self‑consumption took off in 2019, distributed storage must become the driving force of Spain’s energy transition by 2025.”
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The forum demonstrated that electrification is far more than a technological shift: it demands economic, social and cultural transformation, along with close cooperation between public authorities and private enterprise. Borja Pallás, operations manager at Senda Green, underlined, “Electrification is socially viable only if it is accessible, and energy communities are the tool to make that happen.” Javier Barajas, consultant at EHS Techniques, stressed, “We need to put people at the centre and adapt projects to communities, not the other way round.”
Industry needs flexible grids and storage
Niels H. Petersen
Industry was also a focal point. Álvaro Cámara, business development director at Quinto Armónico, emphasised that industrial energy demand requires efficient, reliable and scalable solutions. “There is interest in electrification,” he said. “But the reality is that the grid is already saturated. The answer lies in flexibility and storage.”
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Mar Martín, sales director at storage manufacturer Ampere, presented solutions for smart industrial storage systems designed to reduce operational costs in commercial and industrial facilities. “Industrial storage systems must be able to think, predict and respond to deliver optimised energy supply in line with market dynamics,” Martín said.
Sergio Adán from Engie, concluded, “To electrify industrial demand, we need process adaptations, investment in new technologies and equipment, sufficient renewable electricity, and active demand‑side management.” He added that it is now essential to assess the current situation and define a technical and economic roadmap for transformation. (nhp)
