18% Of Planned EU Wind, Solar Can Avoid New Grid Capacity: Ember

Ember, a research organization, has explored the hybridisation potential of hydropower plants across seven EU countries. Together, these plants account for 93 GW of the bloc’s 131 GW of hydropower capacity, according to a recent report by Ember.

After a detailed assessment, an Ember report recently identified the wind and solar capacity that could be added behind the meter at existing hydropower assets, bypassing grid constraints without affecting the dispatch behaviour of existing plants or impacting sites located near protected areas.

The report examines the hybridisation approach, which involves adding wind and solar generation to the same grid connection as existing power plants. It identifies this as a near-term solution for renewable energy projects to bypass grid constraints while reducing network build-out costs.

The report highlights Europe as a case study, noting that hydropower assets are particularly well suited to hybridisation because they typically leave substantial grid capacity unused for much of the day.

Seven EU Hydropower Markets Account for 131 GW of hydropower

By adding wind and solar generation behind the same grid connection point, operators can maximise the utilisation of existing grid infrastructure while remaining within grid injection limits. The opportunity is concentrated in seven major EU hydropower markets—Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Spain—which together account for 93 GW of the EU’s 131 GW of hydropower capacity.

Making the case for hybridisation, the report presents it as a solution to the challenges associated with costly network expansion. It notes that hybridisation can almost double the utilisation of existing grid connections, reducing the need for expensive network upgrades.

Using hydropower plants as an example, the report states that projects eligible for hybridisation currently operate at just 19% of their maximum output on average, leaving significant capacity available for wind and solar generation. As a result, grid utilisation could increase to 36% and 31%, respectively. Although the impact varies by site and country, the study’s assessment found that, in some cases, wind and solar generation could even triple the utilisation of the same grid connection.

The report also emphasises the need for regulatory frameworks similar to those in Portugal and Spain, which have dedicated rules for hybrid projects, while regulatory support remains absent in many other countries. Establishing national legislation, alongside streamlining and prioritising hybrid project applications, would help unblock renewable energy deployment and maximise the use of existing infrastructure.

18% of Planned Wind and Solar Across Seven Major EU Hydropower Markets Require No Additional Grid Capacity

According to scenarios developed by grid operators, the seven focus countries are expected to deploy approximately 138 GW of wind and solar capacity between 2026 and 2030. This represents an increase of more than 50% over their existing wind and solar capacity of 235 GW in 2025, all of which must be connected to the grid within just five years.

This presents a significant challenge, particularly as many of these countries face limited—or even zero—available grid capacity. For example, transmission networks in Austria and Bulgaria currently have no available capacity for new generation, while in Portugal and Romania, the available grid capacity is negligible compared with their renewable energy ambitions.