Hybrid Projects Could Accelerate Europe’s Energy Transition

Takeaways

• Hybrid projects could add up to 25GW of clean energy to Europe's electricity system without requiring major grid upgrades, according to Ember.
• Combining wind, solar, and hydropower through a shared grid connection can improve grid efficiency and speed up renewable energy deployment.
• Successful hybrid projects in Portugal demonstrate how this approach can strengthen grid stability while supporting Europe's clean energy goals.

Europe could significantly expand its renewable energy capacity without investing in new grid infrastructure by increasing the use of hybrid energy projects, according to new research from energy think tank Ember.

The study estimates that as much as 25GW of additional clean energy could be connected to Europe's electricity network using existing grid infrastructure. The findings come as many countries continue to face delays in renewable energy deployment due to limited grid capacity.

Europe's ageing electricity network has become one of the biggest barriers to the region's energy transition. While wind and solar installations have grown rapidly over the past decade, grid expansion has not kept pace. As a result, many renewable energy projects remain stuck in connection queues.

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Ember estimates that around 120GW of planned renewable energy projects across Europe are currently at risk because of grid constraints. Countries including Austria, Bulgaria, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovakia are among those facing the most severe capacity shortages.

Expanding the power grid is often an expensive and lengthy process, with projects frequently delayed by complex permitting requirements. Ember believes hybridization offers a faster and more practical alternative.

Hybrid projects combine multiple renewable technologies, such as wind, solar, and battery storage, under a single grid connection. The approach allows developers to maximize the use of existing infrastructure rather than waiting for new transmission capacity to become available.

The report highlights hydropower plants as particularly suitable for hybridization because their grid connections are often not fully utilized throughout the day. Adding solar or wind generation to these sites enables electricity infrastructure to be used more efficiently while staying within existing export limits.

Elisabeth Cremona, Energy Infrastructures Lead at Ember, said that ambitious clean energy targets cannot be achieved if renewable electricity remains delayed by connection bottlenecks. She noted that hybridization provides countries facing grid congestion with an immediate solution that does not require additional grid intervention. According to Ember, this approach can, on average, double the utilization of existing grid connections.

Several large-scale projects already demonstrate the potential of this model.

In January 2026, Portuguese utility EDP commissioned an 89MW hybrid renewable project at the Pracana dam. The facility combines a 48MW solar power plant, featuring around 90,000 solar panels, with an existing 41MW hydropower station that has operated since 1951. The company said the project improves system stability, supports the energy transition, and reduces land-use impacts while making better use of existing infrastructure.

More recently, Iberdrola launched the 195MW Tâmega Norte wind project, linked to the Tâmega Hydroelectric System with pumped storage. The company described it as the first wind-hydro hybrid project on the Iberian Peninsula. By combining wind generation with hydroelectric storage, the project is expected to increase renewable electricity production, strengthen grid reliability, and support wider electrification efforts.

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As Europe works to accelerate its clean energy transition, hybrid projects are emerging as a practical way to unlock additional renewable capacity while making better use of existing electricity networks.

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Source: Sustainability MAGAZINE