Industrial self-consumption is the energy model in which a company generates part of the electricity it uses, typically with rooftop or canopy photovoltaic panels, to cover its own demand, cut its power bill and reduce exposure to electricity-market volatility. The plant stays connected to the grid and imports whatever the panels do not cover.
How industrial self-consumption works
The installation generates electricity on site and feeds it into the factory’s internal grid: solar output is consumed on the spot by plant loads, and only the difference is imported. In Spain, the regulatory framework (RD 244/2019) distinguishes installations without export and with export, where surplus energy can be compensated on the bill or sold. Correct sizing starts from the plant’s real load curve: profitability comes from generation matching consumption, not from maximum installed power.
Why it matters for industrial SMEs
For an SME with daytime consumption and a large, well-oriented roof, self-consumption lowers cost per kWh and stabilises a historically volatile expense. It also cuts scope-2 emissions and can satisfy customers auditing their supply chain’s carbon footprint. Value grows when generation and consumption are monitored together, allowing flexible loads to shift into solar hours.
Related terms
Self-consumption is one lever within energy efficiency and industrial decarbonisation. It combines with BESS storage, peak shaving and a corporate PPA when the roof cannot cover the target consumption.