Article
Electrification of heating in Spain: towards decarbonisation
Spain has made significant progress in transforming its electricity system. The development of renewable energy has led to an increasingly clean energy mix and puts the country in a favourable position to continue making progress towards decarbonisation. However, there is one key aspect of our energy consumption that has not kept pace: heating.
Managing Director of ATuAire
40% of Spain's energy consumption goes towards heating: why the electrification of heating is urgent
Approximately 40% of Spain's final energy demand is for heating. For this reason, decarbonising heating is essential to continue moving towards a more sustainable energy system and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.
Over recent decades, Spain has made a significant effort to transform its electricity system. By the end of 2025, installed capacity had reached 142,558 megawatts, of which 95.6 gigawatts came from renewable sources. Furthermore, 75.5% of the electricity generated that year was emission-free.
The next step is to capitalise on these advances to progressively electrify final energy consumption. While electricity generation has been decarbonising, a large proportion of the heating needs of households, buildings and industries continues to rely on fossil fuels such as gas, diesel and coal.
Electrifying heating makes it possible to capitalise on the growing share of renewable energy and improve energy efficiency in Spain.
Heating, domestic hot water and industrial heat: the three pillars of heat electrification in Spain
Heat electrification covers three main areas: heating buildings, producing domestic hot water and industrial thermal processes. Although their requirements differ, all three can benefit from electric technologies that improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions.
Why the electrification of heating in Spain has lagged in the decarbonisation of the thermal sector
For years the transformation of the electricity sector has benefited from significant technological, investment and regulatory impetus. The development of wind and solar power is one of the most visible examples. However, thermal applications have not evolved at the same pace.
For years, the energy debate has focused primarily on electricity generation while the decarbonisation of heating has received less attention. It is therefore necessary to also direct efforts towards the way in which we consume energy.
Boilers and other combustion-based systems are still in use in many buildings and industrial processes. Replacing them requires investment, appropriate regulatory frameworks and technologies capable of delivering efficiency and reliability to consumers.
Mature technology for the electrification of heating: aerothermal energy and electric heat pumps
The electric heat pump is one of the most mature and efficient technological solutions for advancing the electrification of heating. With over half a century of development, it can be used in homes, blocks of flats, commercial buildings and certain industrial processes.
Among its applications, air-source heat pumps stand out; this solution harnesses the energy available in the outside air to meet the heating needs of buildings.
How aerothermal energy contributes to the electrification of heating: operating principle and applications
Aerothermal heating uses a heat pump to capture energy from the outside air and transfer it into buildings. Thanks to this process, it can provide heating in winter, cooling in summer and domestic hot water all year round.
Installing it does not necessarily require replacing all components of the existing heating and cooling system. Depending on the building's characteristics, it can be integrated with underfloor heating, fan coils or certain types of radiators. This makes it easy to incorporate into both existing buildings and new builds and contributes to the electrification of homes and buildings.
Electric heat pump
- Technology that uses electricity to capture and transfer thermal energy from the environment.
- It can harness energy from the air, water or the ground.
- It provides heating, cooling and, depending on the system, domestic hot water.
Aerothermal energy
Heat pump efficiency in the electrification of heating: four times higher than fossil fuels
One of the main advantages of heat pumps is their high energy efficiency. Under the right conditions, these systems can achieve an efficiency up to four times higher than that of fossil fuel-based heating solutions.
For every kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed they produce between 3 to 4 kilowatt-hours of thermal energy. By way of comparison a traditional gas boiler generates 0.95 kilowatt-hours of thermal energy for every kilowatt-hour of gas consumed.
This difference is because heat pumps harness the energy available in the environment rather than generating all the heat from the electricity they consume. They therefore provide the same heating output with lower energy consumption and help to reduce emissions.
Electrification of industrial heating in Spain: challenges and opportunities
Industry represents one of the major areas of opportunity for the electrification of heating. A significant proportion of its energy consumption is linked to thermal processes that still rely on fossil fuels.
In processes where it is technically feasible, electric heat pumps can replace combustion-based systems and reduce energy consumption thanks to their high efficiency.
The decarbonisation of industrial heating is also linked to the competitiveness of businesses. To capitalise on the benefits of electrification in Spain it is essential to have the necessary infrastructure and conditions in place to integrate these technologies into production processes.
To make progress with this transformation, it is essential to guarantee access to the electricity network, boost investment in infrastructure and promote tax measures and financial support that facilitate the roll-out of more efficient electric technologies.
Data and outlook on the electrification of heating in Spain
Spain has the necessary conditions to continue making progress in the decarbonisation of heating, as it has an electricity system with a growing share of renewable energy and mature, efficient technologies, such as heat pumps, which enable the electrification of numerous heating applications.
The challenge now is to extend electrification to energy consumption; making better use of the available renewable electricity will help reduce emissions and improve energy efficiency.
