Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has set out the priorities for his government under a plan to accelerate the country’s energy transition in response to the conflict in Iran.
Sánchez told delegates at WindEurope 2026 that Spain has “chosen to break (the) chains” of the “geopolitical chaos” that is holding some countries “hostage” to high energy prices by doubling down on the energy transition “with greater determination”.
Speaking during the opening ceremony at the Madrid event, which is expected to attract around 16,000 visitors over three days, Sánchez said that Spain had made “great progress” in renewables, with almost 60% of its electricity produced from clean sources. “But we want more,” he said. “We aim to double installed capacity by the end of the decade.”
To achieve this, the government will boost the uptake of renewable energy by removing permitting barriers, Sánchez said. “We need less bureaucracy and more investment, while listening to the needs of local communities.
“We will prioritize projects that bring real and tangible benefits to their territories. We will introduce a new milestone system to speed up licensing.”
He added that the government will also prioritise repowering projects.
Sánchez also pledged to boost investment in the grid network to enable the uptake of renewables. “I give you my word: grid connection will not be the obstacle that stops your projects from becoming a reality,” he told delegates. “We will expand system capacity in two ways: a €13.6bn Grid Planning Proposal for 2030, and a 62% increase in grid investment.
“This will be complemented by over €1.3bn from the Recovery Plan and €2.3bn for storage projects.”
He added that cross-border interconnection projects need to be sped up “so our successful model can serve all member states”.
Sánchez also said that supporting innovation was a key priority under the country’s energy policy, which is being revamped in the wake of the Crisis in the Middle East. “Spain has leading renewable energy companies,” he said. “We are the fifth-largest exporter of wind turbines in the world, with annual revenues of close to €2bn.
“We also lead global innovation in offshore wind. This know-how has already built the first platforms in places like the North Sea. Soon, we will do it here.”
Sánchez noted that the returns of Spain’s 30-year renewable energy drive was evident through the creation of jobs, economic growth and low electricity prices, which in March 2026 were 20% lower than in March 2025.
He noted that Italy uses twice as much gas as Spain, and as a result, the electricity price difference between the two countries has exceeded €100 during the first month of the war.