Ember: How Hybrid Power Projects Can Unlock 25GW in Europe
Europeâs net zero ambitions depend, of course, on the generation of renewable energy, but they rely equally upon the upkeep of power grids.
While the adoption of wind and solar has skyrocketed across the continent, the infrastructure needed to connect new generation has failed to keep pace.
As a result, developers are facing mounting delays as grid connections become one of the biggest barriers to expanding renewable capacity.
New analysis from Ember suggests there is a way to unlock more renewable electricity without waiting years for costly network upgrades. The think tank estimates that as much as 25GW of additional clean energy capacity could be connected by making better use of existing grid infrastructure through hybrid energy projects.
One of the biggest challenges for Europe's energy transition is the limited capacity of ageing transmission networks.
The rapid expansion of renewable generation, coupled with the slower retirement of fossil fuel assets, has placed increasing pressure on electricity grids that were not designed for today's mix of generation.
According to Ember, around 120GW of planned renewable energy projects across Europe are currently at risk because of grid constraints.
“Half of countries reporting grid data lack the grid capacity needed to connect new power generation. The biggest constraints are in Austria, Bulgaria, Latvia, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia,” Ember’s research found.
Expanding grid infrastructure remains essential in the long term, but those projects are often expensive, slow to deliver and delayed by complex planning and permitting processes.
New findings from Ember indicate that hybridisation could provide a practical way of adding 25GW of clean electricity capacity without requiring additional grid upgrades.
Hybrid projects combine technologies such as wind, solar and battery storage behind a shared grid connection, allowing developers to maximise existing infrastructure rather than build new connections.
The think tank identifies hydropower sites as particularly promising locations for hybrid developments because much of their grid capacity is unused during daylight hours.
“Political ambitions mean nothing if clean electrons are stranded in connection queues,” says Elisabeth Cremona, Energy Infrastructures Lead at Ember.
“For countries facing gridlock, hybridisation offers an immediate, zero-intervention solution.
“By adding wind or solar at the same connection point as a hydropower plant, developers can get online faster, and operators can use grid infrastructure more efficiently – on average doubling utilisation – while staying within export limits."
Portugal shows how hybrid energy can work
Although Ember's analysis highlights substantial untapped potential, hybrid renewable projects are already moving from concept to commercial reality.
In January 2026, Portuguese utility EDP commissioned its Pracana hybrid complex, combining a 48MW solar installation featuring 90,000 panels with the existing 41MW Pracana hydropower plant on the Ocreza River.
Originally inaugurated in 1951, the hydro facility now shares its grid connection with the new solar array, increasing renewable output without requiring additional transmission capacity.
âPracana is another milestone in our strategy: by combining hydropower and onshore solar, we reinforce system stability, accelerate the energy transition, and reduce territorial impact. It is EDPâs first project of this kind globally and proves that innovation and efficiency can go hand in hand,â explained Pedro Vasconcelos, who was CEO of EDPâs business in the Iberian Peninsula at the time of the inauguration, though he has since joined ENGIE.
Momentum continued in May when Iberdrola commissioned the 195MW Tâmega Norte wind project, integrated with the company's pumped-storage Tâmega Hydroelectric System.
Iberdrola describes the development as the first wind-hydro hybrid project on the Iberian Peninsula, illustrating how existing hydro assets can support greater renewable generation while strengthening electricity system flexibility.
“By integrating wind farms with a large hydroelectric storage system, Tâmega will not only increase renewable capacity, but also strengthen grid stability and accelerate electrification,” said Pedro Azagra Blázquez, CEO of the Iberdrola Group.
