At FES Iberia 2025, Carlos Píñar Celestino, Managing Director of Elmya, addressed the challenges facing the EPC sector in Ibero-America and Europe. He pointed out that regulatory unpredictability and abrupt policy changes directly impact costs and sector efficiency.
The lack of regulatory stability and long-term vision is currently the main obstacle to scaling up renewable energy in Europe and Ibero-America. This was the central message shared by Carlos Píñar Celestino, Managing Director of Elmya, during his participation in the FES Iberia 2025 panel.
The executive emphasized that achieving efficiency in the EPC sector requires a predictable and stable market. “Volume and predictability are fundamental. We have opened around 10 or 11 markets, and we have entered countries where we had to explain what a solar panel is, while in others there is already a trajectory,” says Píñar.
From Elmya’s perspective, the challenge is not technological capacity or construction ability, but the regulatory uncertainty and the stop-start cycles that characterize some countries. “We are very used to booms and busts. These accelerations and halts come at a cost—a cost that forces us to diversify markets and try to balance the boom and bust cycles,” the executive warns.
Píñar compared Spain’s reality with that of more mature markets, particularly the United States, highlighting differences in energy policy and planning. “In the United States, there is a clear long-term vision. However, in Spain, unfortunately, we accelerate, stop, accelerate, stop. And that ultimately has a significant impact on the entire value chain,” underlines Elmya’s Managing Director.
Grid infrastructure and industrial ambition: additional challenges for the energy transition
Beyond regulatory instability, the renewable sector faces a structural problem with electric grid infrastructure. Bottlenecks in the high-voltage transmission network delay project connections and increase costs.
“Right now, the grid connection queues are unreasonable. We have a magnificent transmission system, but at the very high-voltage distribution level, we are encountering a bottleneck,” Píñar points out.
The executive anticipates that major reforms and investments in the transmission grid will be necessary in the coming years, but he stresses the urgency of acting now. “We need reform and network investments. We understand that in the next few years there will be significant reforms and strong investment in high-voltage infrastructure,” he anticipates.
Another critical issue raised at the panel was Europe’s lack of industrial ambition in the face of the energy transition. Píñar believes the continent lacks a strategic vision to tackle climate and decarbonization challenges. “We lack ambition. And perhaps this lack of ambition comes from a lack of social awareness of where Spain and Europe are today and where we are heading in the next 5, 10, 15, or 20 years,” says the executive.
In his view, a structural shift and greater European industrial and energy integration are required to accelerate the transition. “We are absolutely dormant and do not see the serious danger we are facing. Much more European integration is needed, not only in energy but also industrially. We need to get moving,” emphasizes Píñar.
Elmya: international experience and new projects
Elmya is an international company specialized in EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) renewable energy projects, with operations in Spain, France, Italy, Greece, the United Kingdom, Australia, Uruguay, Mexico, and Brazil, as detailed on the company’s corporate blog.
Its construction model is standardized but adapted to each market with a blend of local talent and corporate resources. “Our construction model is the same wherever we go. We implement it with a mix of local talent and personnel we bring with us,” Píñar explains.
Through its corporate channels, Elmya highlights the execution of large-scale photovoltaic plants and transmission projects, while also promoting innovation in design and construction. The company is actively exploring new opportunities in Latin America, consolidating its position as a reference EPC provider in international markets.