The Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO), through the Institute for the Diversification and Saving of Energy (IDAE), has approved the second call of the programme Circular Repowering (REPOTEN 2), a strategic initiative aimed at modernising existing renewable energy installations in Spain. This call is part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR)and is funded by European funds NextGenerationEU.
With a budget of 292 million euros, REPOTEN 2 aims to address one of the major challenges of the current energy system: optimising existing renewable infrastructure, improving its efficiency, reducing its environmental impact and adapting it to current technological and regulatory needs.
What is repowering and why is it so important?
Repowering involves replacing or modernising components of a renewable energy installation with more advanced technology, without the need to occupy new land or build from scratch. con tecnología más avanzada, sin necesidad de ocupar nuevos terrenos ni construir desde cero.
In Spain, many wind and hydroelectric installations have been operating for over 15 or 20 years. Although they are still operational, their performance is inferior compared to current technologies. REPOTEN 2 is based on a key idea: Producing more clean energy with less environmental impact, using existing infrastructure.
This allows for:
- Increasing energy production without significantly increasing the territorial footprint.
- Reducing indirect emissions associated with new construction.
- Improving the integration of renewables into the electricity system.
- Extend the useful life of facilities.
Eligible actions in REPOTEN 2
The second call for proposals expands and specifies the scope of the programme, focusing on two main areas:
Repowering of wind farms
REPOTEN 2 finances repowering projects for onshore wind farms that began operating before 2010. These actions may include:
- Replacing old wind turbines with more efficient ones with greater generation capacity.
- Reducing the number of wind turbines, but increasing the total installed power.
- Improving control, digitalization and operation systems.
- Incorporating energy storage systems, favoring hybrid models.
This approach allows more energy to be produced with fewer machines, reducing the visual and environmental impact and optimising the use of wind resources.
Technological renovation of mini hydroelectric power plants
Another important new feature of REPOTEN 2 is the support for the renovation of mini hydroelectric power plants of up to 50 MW, extending the range compared to previous calls.
The aim is to maintain the role of hydroelectric power as a reliable and manageable renewable technology, which is key to the stability of the electricity system.
Budget, aid intensity and European funding
The call has a total budget of 292 million euros, from funds NextGenerationEU, which reinforces its strategic nature within European energy policy.
The aids are granted competitively and their intensity will depend on:
- Type of action.
- Size of the beneficiary.
- Energy and environmental impact of the project.
All projects must comply with the European principle of “Do no significant harm” (DNSH), as well as the technical and administrative requirements established by the IDAE.
Deadlines and application procedure
- Application submission period: 15 January 2026 to 24 February 2026, at 12:00 (peninsular time).
- Applications must be submitted exclusively through the IDAE's electronic headquarters, along with the required technical, financial and administrative documentation.
Expected impact of REPOTEN 2
With this second call, the IDAE aims to:
- Increase the effective renewable capacity without increasing land use.
- Modernise the key infrastructure of the Spanish electricity system.
- Promote the integration of storage solutions and hybrid models.
- Contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the PNIEC 2023-2030.
REPOTEN 2 is not just a grant programme, but also a strategic tool to accelerate a more efficient, sustainable and competitive energy transition, focused on the optimisation of existing renewable resources.