Policies

Royal Decree 900/2015 on self-consumption

Source: JOIN IEA/IRENA Policy and Measures Database
Last updated: 10 May 2017

Royal Decree 900/2015 adopted on 9th of October 2015 regulates administrative, technical and economic modalities for electricity supply and generation with self-consumption. The Decree was published in State Journal on 10th of October 2015.

The regulations of the Decree apply to any renewable generation facility that produces electricity for self-consumption and is connected to the national grid. Installations that are not connected to the grid are not regulated by this Royal Decree.  

The Decree establishes two self-consumption models:

TYPE 1: Supply with self-consumption. This type of self-consumption model applies to facilities no larger than 100 kW. The electricity is only generated for self-consumption. Surplus of the electricity can be exported to the grid but it is not remunerated with economic compensation. Only one type of the Third Party Access Contract (TPA).

TYPE 2: Generation with self-consumption. This refers to a consumer in a single facility or supply point which is associated to one or several production facilities connected within its grid, or which share connection infrastructure with it or is connected to it. The surplus of the generated electricity can be exported to the grid and is remunerated with the economic compensation.

Consumers covered by any self-consumption modality will be subjected to distribution and transport grid access fees charges in order to ensure technical and economic sustainability of the grid. These charges are divided into fixed and variable charges. Following exceptions are exempted from paying fees:

  • Consumers covered by the TYPE 1 self-consumption model with an installation equal or less than 10 kW. Those customers are exempted from transitory variable charges.
  • Electricity system outside of the mainland (i.e: all island installations).
  • Cogeneration facilities that are registered with Electricity Production Facilities Administrative Register with the requirements set by Royal Decree 661/2007. Those installations are exempted from payment charges until 31st of December 2019.

The failure to register as a self-consumer or noncompliance with the rules will be subjected to the financial penalty between EUR 6.000.001 and EUR 60.000.000. 

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