The transition towards an energy system with more renewables does not only depend on generating more solar or wind electricity. It is also necessary to be able to store this energy and use it when needed. It is in this area that Catalonia wants to position itself at the forefront. In fact, Minister Sílvia Paneque assures that the country is already “pioneer and leader” in storage, with 2,400 MW of power in processed projects.
To this figure are added more than 1,800 MW of new projects currently being processed, according to data released by Paneque this Tuesday during a visit to the first edition of the Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe, Fira de Barcelona's new congress dedicated to batteries and energy storage. The event began this Tuesday at the Gran Via venue and will last until Wednesday. In this first edition, it brings together more than a hundred companies, institutions and associations and more than 70 international experts linked to the sector.
Batteries, key to harnessing renewables
Paneque has argued that storage will be fundamental to better harness the growth of renewable energies. Batteries allow electricity to be accumulated when production is high and used later, when generation decreases or demand increases. They therefore allow for "a safer, more resilient system and cheaper energy for our social and economic sectors," said the minister.
In this sense, Paneque has argued that batteries must become “a first-rate industrial infrastructure in Catalonia”, also to reduce energy dependence. As she explained, Catalans annually pay about 10,000 million euros for this dependence.
The minister has acknowledged, however, that Catalonia still has “a certain delay” in the implementation of renewables. At the same time, she highlighted that the first half of 2026 has marked a turning point in photovoltaics: according to data provided by the Government, photovoltaic power in service has increased from 214 to 521 MW during these six months.
Constantí Serrallonga: “This is a totally strategic and key sector for the technological sovereignty of Catalonia, Spain and Europe”
Barcelona premieres a congress on batteries
The minister's visit took place within the framework of the first edition of the Battery & Energy Storage Tech Europe, a new event that places Barcelona at the center of the debate on an industry that is gaining weight with the electrification of the economy and the deployment of renewable energies. The congress will address issues such as battery storage systems, new technologies and chemistries, recycling and the second life of batteries, as well as regulation and financing.
More than 50 companies and entities participate in the exhibition area, with representatives from across the sector's value chain. Among the participants are energy companies such as Acciona, Endesa, Naturgy, EDP Renewables or Neoen, and centers and organizations such as Eurecat, IREC, CDTI and ACCIÓ. The objective of the new congress is to connect companies, research centers and administrations and address some of the challenges that will determine the development of energy storage in Europe.
"This is a totally strategic and key sector for the technological sovereignty of Catalonia, Spain and Europe," said the general director of Fira de Barcelona, Constantí Serrallonga, who defined this first edition as "a future commitment of Fira de Barcelona" and highlighted the response of the exhibitors and participating experts. Fira's will is for the fair to continue growing in the coming years.
In parallel, Catalonia is advancing in the processing of new storage projects, a technology that should allow better use of new renewable capacity and provide more flexibility and security to the electrical system.