38.5 MW Battery in Badajoz: Authorization for Hybrid Solar Integration Castilblanco

Key data

Enel Green Power España Solar 1, SLU achieves the first administrative milestone to expand its presence in Extremadura with energy storage. The Resolution of May 20, 2026 from the General Directorate of Energy Policy and Mines grants preliminary administrative authorization for the «Castilblanco Battery» module, 38.5 MW, which will be hybridized with the already operational photovoltaic park «Castilblanco Solar», 42.299 MW. The result will be a hybrid installation with an installed capacity of 50 MW.

Processing began in October 2022 and has required more than three years of coordination between regional and state bodies before reaching this first formal approval.

What does this regulation establish?

The resolution grants exclusively the preliminary administrative authorization, which is the first step in the authorization process for energy installations in Spain. It does not authorize the start of works or commissioning: those steps require subsequent procedures.

The bodies that issued favorable reports during processing were:

• Guadiana River Basin Authority
• Regional Government of Extremadura (competent regional bodies)
• Municipality of Casas de Don Pedro

A relevant fact: no environmental impact assessment was necessary, as the thresholds established by the Law 21/2013, on environmental assessment were not exceeded. This simplified and accelerated the process.

However, the promoter remains subject to the following technical conditions that must be met in subsequent phases:

• Civil protection condition
• Cultural heritage condition
• Visual impact condition
• Obtaining municipal urban planning license before start of works

Economic and operational impact

From the energy sector perspective, this authorization has relevant implications:

• Hybridization as a business model: combining photovoltaic generation with battery storage allows optimizing energy sales, shifting production to hours of higher prices in the wholesale market.
• Power limited to 50 MW at the connection point: although the arithmetic sum of solar (42.299 MW) and battery (38.5 MW) exceeds 50 MW, the hybrid installation is limited to 50 MW of installed power in the evacuation infrastructure. This implies active management of battery charging and discharging.
• Processing timeline: from October 2022 to June 2026, approximately 44 months have elapsed to obtain only preliminary authorization. Promoters of similar projects must incorporate this time horizon into their financial models.
• Pending conditions: civil protection, cultural heritage, and visual impact requirements may generate additional adaptation costs before obtaining construction authorization.

Who does it affect?

• Enel Green Power España Solar 1, SLU: direct promoter, responsible for meeting all conditions and obtaining subsequent authorizations.
• Municipality of Casas de Don Pedro (Badajoz): must process and grant municipal urban planning license before start of works.
• Regional Administration of Extremadura: monitoring compliance with imposed technical conditions.
• Promoters of energy storage projects in Spain: this case serves as a reference for timelines, consulted bodies, and typical conditions in solar + battery hybridization projects.
• Electricity market operators: the entry into operation of an additional 38.5 MW of storage in Extremadura will affect grid management in that area.

Practical example

A promoter who today initiates processing of a solar + battery hybridization project with characteristics similar to «Castilblanco Battery» can use this case as a reference:

• Start of processing: October 2022.
• Obtaining preliminary administrative authorization: May 2026 (resolution) / June 2026 (BOE publication).
• Estimated timeline to preliminary authorization: approximately 44 months from application.
• Steps still pending after this authorization: construction authorization + municipal urban planning license + commissioning authorization.

In operational terms: if «Castilblanco Solar» generates energy during off-peak hours and the 38.5 MW battery stores it to inject during peak hours, the operator can capture price differentials in the daily market. With evacuation power limited to 50 MW, battery charging and discharging management becomes the critical element for optimizing revenue.

What should companies do now?

1. Enel Green Power España Solar 1: begin preparing the file for construction authorization, incorporating compliance with civil protection, cultural heritage, and visual impact conditions already imposed.
2. Request urban planning license from the Municipality of Casas de Don Pedro before the start of any work, as required by the resolution.
3. Other storage promoters: review the technical conditions of this case as a reference to anticipate requirements in their own solar + battery hybridization projects in Spain.
4. Energy advisors and consultants: update project planning models with a minimum horizon of 44 months to preliminary authorization in projects of this type.
5. Local administrations in Extremadura: prepare urban planning license procedures for energy storage projects, which are likely to increase in the coming years.

Official source

Consult complete regulation at official source (BOE-A-2026-12862)

Notice: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific decisions, consult a qualified professional. Source: https://www.boe.es/diario_boe/txt.php?id=BOE-A-2026-12862