Europe Wastes Renewable Energy Due to Grid Limitations

Energy think tank Ember reports Europe’s outdated electricity grid is hindering its renewable energy transition, leaving over 120GW of potential projects stalled due to bottlenecks. The continent’s grid, originally designed for centralized coal plants, struggles with the fluctuating nature of wind and solar power.

While long-term solutions like grid upgrades and battery storage are planned, Ember proposes “hybridisation”, combining wind, solar, and existing hydropower at single grid connection points, as an immediate fix. This approach could integrate 25GW of additional wind and solar capacity across seven EU countries without requiring new grid infrastructure.

Currently, only Portugal and Spain have regulations supporting hybrid projects, and Ember urges other nations to create clear regulatory frameworks and prioritize these initiatives. The lack of modern grid infrastructure risks undermining Europe’s climate goals, as clean energy is effectively wasted while awaiting transmission. Ember believes swift implementation of hybridization could unlock existing capacity and accelerate renewable energy deployment.