“She’s electric, can I be electric too?” – Oasis
This question, posed by Oasis in their iconic 1995 song, resonates today more than ever in the Spanish industrial landscape. If electricity were a muse, our industrial sector would have already dedicated sonnets to it: it consumes more than a third of the country’s energy. But can we aspire to an even more intense and sustainable relationship?
Spanish Industry: The Main Electricity Consumer
As revealed by data published by Opina 360 for Foro Industria y Energía, the Spanish industry has established itself as the main consumer of electricity in the country, accounting for an impressive 35.4% of the total energy distributed and billed through the electrical grid in 2024. This represents 78,771 GW/hour, a figure comparable to the total energy consumption of countries like Belgium or Finland.
These figures allow us to conduct a detailed analysis of Spain’s industrial energy landscape. Consumption is neither homogeneous in time nor space. Over time, we observe significant peaks in the winter months (December and January) and especially in summer (July and August). As Albert Concepción, director of Foro Industria y Energía, points out, these peaks “may be due to the specific needs of industrial processes: in summer, there is higher demand for cooling, while in winter, demand for heating and lighting increases, especially in processes that require maintaining a constant temperature or eliminating humidity.”
Geographically, there are also notable differences. Catalonia and the Basque Country concentrate more than a quarter of the country’s industrial electricity consumption, while regions such as Asturias, the Basque Country, and Navarra allocate more than 59% of their total energy consumption to industry.
Self-Consumption: How Much Does It Contribute to Decarbonization?
An important consideration emerges when analyzing these figures: the data presented only accounts for energy distributed and billed through the electrical grid. However, self-consumption through photovoltaic installations, cogeneration, and other technologies is not included in this analysis.
This raises a fundamental question: what is the real contribution of self-consumption to the decarbonization of the industrial sector? To gain a complete understanding of industrial energy consumption and its environmental impact, it is essential to accurately calculate and quantify the contribution of self-consumption. Only then can we properly assess its role in the energy transition of Spanish industry.
Beyond Consumption: The Importance of Renewable Sources
Beyond how much energy is consumed, we must consider its origin. According to the latest Renewable Energy Observatory report on capacity and generation in 2024, prepared by Opina 360, although the share of renewable sources has increased significantly, there is still ample room for improvement.
As shown in the graph, Spain’s electricity generation in 2024 has a diverse composition where renewables are gaining ground: wind power represents 23.5%, solar photovoltaic 12.0%, and hydroelectric 13.3%. However, non-renewable sources such as nuclear (19.6%), combined cycle (13.6%), and other technologies still hold a significant share.
This reality highlights that while the process of industrial electrification is progressing, we must simultaneously intensify the development of renewable generation. It is not just about consuming more electricity but ensuring that this electricity comes predominantly from clean sources. Therefore, we need to accelerate the transition to a predominantly renewable electricity mix so that industrial electrification can fully achieve its decarbonization potential.
The Seasonality vs. Renewable Generation Dilemma
Another aspect worthy of attention is the alignment (or lack thereof) between industrial consumption peaks and renewable generation peaks. As we have seen, industrial consumption increases during the summer and winter months.
In summer, this peak favorably coincides with higher solar generation, which could represent an opportunity to maximize the use of this renewable source. However, in winter, when solar generation decreases, industrial consumption also rises, which could pose a challenge for renewable integration.
This raises a strategic question: should our industry adapt its consumption patterns to the availability of renewable energy? Or should we develop large-scale energy storage systems to align renewable generation with industrial needs?
Electric Regions: Towards Energy Specialization
The regional diversity in industrial electricity consumption is no coincidence. As Eduardo Álvarez, technical director of the FIE and professor at the University of Oviedo, points out, this disparity is partly explained by “the different nature of the predominant industries in each region.”
Final product industries, more prevalent in Catalonia, tend to have lower electricity needs than intermediate product industries, which dominate in regions like Asturias. This raises an interesting reflection on the possible energy specialization of our regions.
Should we promote the concentration of electro-intensive industries in regions with greater renewable generation capacity? Or should we adapt renewable energy policies to the industrial realities of each territory?
The territorial planning of industry and energy is an ongoing debate that should be addressed from an integrated perspective, considering both industrial needs and the energy potential of each region.
She’s Electric, She Has a Family Full of Eccentrics
Returning to the initial question posed by Oasis, “Can the Spanish industry be (more) electric?”, the answer is yes—but contingent on overcoming several challenges.
These challenges include: quantifying the real impact of self-consumption on decarbonization; increasing renewable generation so that electrification truly reduces emissions; effectively managing seasonality; developing strategic territorial planning that aligns industry with renewable potential; and modernizing electrical grids to ensure sufficient capacity in the face of increasing distributed generation and industrial consumption.
The path toward a more electric industry is also the path toward a more sustainable and potentially more competitive industry. However, this path is not without obstacles and will require a firm commitment from all involved actors: public administrations, companies, research centers, and civil society. Because yes, our industry can (and must) be more electric—but only if we work together to overcome challenges and seize the opportunities this process presents.
And as Oasis would say: “She’s electric, she has a family full of eccentrics.” Our industry is also electric and part of a diverse and complex family. Managing this complexity well is how we can build a decarbonized and competitive industry.