PNIEC (Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan)

The PNIEC (Plan Nacional Integrado de Energía y Clima, or Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan) is Spain's central strategy for tackling its energy and climate challenges. Drawn up under European Union rules, the plan sets out the targets and measures the country will use to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, raise energy efficiency and expand renewable energy. It is one of the main instruments for meeting Spain's commitments under the Paris Agreement and moving toward climate neutrality by 2050, and it gives companies a reference framework for aligning their own decarbonisation plans.

What is the PNIEC?

The PNIEC is a strategic document produced by the Government of Spain within the EU's climate and energy framework. National plans of this kind are a requirement of the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2018/1999), which obliges member states to set out how they will meet the 2030 climate and energy targets.

Spain submitted its first PNIEC for 2021-2030 in 2020. Following the EU's higher climate ambition under the European Green Deal and the Fit for 55 package, the Government approved an updated PNIEC 2023-2030 in September 2024, raising most of its targets. The plan is structured around five dimensions of energy and climate policy: decarbonisation, energy efficiency, energy security, the internal energy market, and research, innovation and competitiveness.

The PNIEC 2023-2030 targets for 2030

The updated plan sets the following headline goals for 2030, all measured against the relevant baselines:

• Emissions: reduce GHG emissions by 32% compared with 1990 levels (up from 23% in the original plan).
• Renewables in electricity: reach 81% renewable generation in the power mix (up from 74%).
• Renewables in final energy: achieve 48% of renewable energy in final energy consumption (up from 42%).
• Energy efficiency: improve energy efficiency by 43% (up from 39.5%).
• Energy dependence: cut dependence on imported energy to around 50%.

To deliver these goals the plan sets out capacity targets for 2030, including roughly 62 GW of wind power, 76 GW of solar photovoltaic, 12 GW of renewable hydrogen and 22.5 GW of energy storage.

The PNIEC as a climate planning tool

The PNIEC is not only a policy statement but a roadmap for shifting Spain to a more sustainable energy model. It includes concrete measures such as promoting electric mobility, supporting local energy communities and improving energy efficiency in buildings and industry. It also creates a framework for cooperation between public administrations, businesses and citizens.

The PNIEC and the carbon footprint

The carbon footprint quantifies the GHG emissions generated directly or indirectly by an activity, and it is a key indicator for tracking progress against the plan. The PNIEC sets sector-specific reduction targets, in industry, transport, agriculture and power generation, and encourages the use of measurement and analysis tools that help organizations identify their main emission sources and design reduction strategies.

For companies, this means working across all emission scopes defined by the GHG Protocol: direct emissions (Scope 1) and indirect emissions (Scope 2 and Scope 3), to obtain a complete view of their footprint.

What the PNIEC means for businesses

The plan has significant implications for companies, which must adapt to new regulation and adopt more sustainable practices. Measures it promotes include:

• Transitioning to renewable energy sources.
• Improving energy efficiency in production processes.
• Implementing emissions management and monitoring systems.

Beyond the environmental benefits, the PNIEC is expected to create jobs in the renewables and efficiency sectors, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, and improve air quality and public health.

PNIEC objectives and the Paris Agreement

The PNIEC is designed to deliver Spain's share of the Paris Agreement, which aims to hold the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. It also operates within Spain's domestic legal framework, in particular the Climate Change and Energy Transition Law 7/2021, which enshrines the 2050 climate neutrality objective.

How Manglai helps you align with the PNIEC

As measuring and reducing the carbon footprint becomes increasingly important, the PNIEC provides a clear roadmap toward a more sustainable economy. The official document is published by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition (MITECO). At Manglai we help companies measure their emissions, model decarbonisation scenarios and prepare their sustainability reporting in line with national objectives. Discover how Manglai can help you.