In a recent interview, Antonio Delgado Rigal, founder and CEO of AleaSoft Energy Forecasting, addressed the challenges and opportunities in the field of energy storage and green hydrogen production in Spain. Delgado, who holds a PhD in Artificial Intelligence, emphasized the urgency of establishing a regulatory framework that promotes investment in storage technologies, which are currently hindered by the lack of incentives and a strong regulatory framework.
While Spain already has a regulatory base in this sector, Delgado Rigal stressed the need for significant improvements to encourage the large-scale development of renewable energy storage systems. One of his main proposals is to create a framework that unifies project assessments and adapts as the sector gains more experience and faces new challenges. In this sense, he emphasized the importance of granting greater flexibility to hybrid plants that integrate storage, so that they do not lose priority in energy dispatch.
From his perspective, Delgado Rigal expressed optimism about the progress in the profitability of storage projects, as battery prices have decreased by around 50% in the last year. This has allowed hybrid models, combining renewable energy sources with storage, to become more profitable, contributing not only to avoid spills, but also to maximize generated energy.
Regarding green hydrogen, which is currently in the experimental phase in Spain, AleaSoft’s CEO highlighted the need for significant structural changes in infrastructure and policies to develop a competitive market. He emphasized the importance of implementing specific aids and proposed the use of hydrogen in sectors that are difficult to electrify, such as long-distance transportation and aviation.
Delgado Rigal also raised the need to address the issue of price cannibalization through an increase in energy demand. He suggested that incentivizing electrification in key sectors and establishing long-term power purchase agreements could help stabilize prices and ensure income for producers.
Finally, in the context of the transition to a decarbonized and digitized economy, Antonio Delgado Rigal reaffirmed AleaSoft’s commitment to continue supporting its clients in planning and optimizing operations, including sustained investment in research and development. These actions are seen as crucial to adapting to the expected changes in the energy sector in the coming years.
Source: MiMub in Spanish