Key facts
- Hybrid renewable energy projects at existing hydropower sites offer significant potential for increased clean energy output.
- A report by Ember Energy estimates 25 GW of wind and solar can be integrated with hydropower in seven EU countries.
- This hybridization could enable the integration of 18% of new renewables by 2030 without additional grid capacity.
- The approach may nearly double the utilization of existing grid connections, reducing the need for costly expansions.
- Currently, only Spain and Portugal have regulatory frameworks for hybrid projects.
A new report from the think tank Ember Energy suggests that Europe could unlock a significant renewable energy boom by developing hybrid projects that combine wind and solar power with existing hydropower facilities. The report identifies potential to add 25 GW of wind and solar capacity across seven EU countries—Austria, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Portugal, Romania, and Spain—without requiring additional grid infrastructure.
This hybridization strategy could enable these countries to integrate approximately 18% of the new renewables anticipated by 2030, effectively doubling the utilization of existing grid connections and reducing the need for costly expansion projects. Currently, hydropower plants eligible for such integration achieve only about 19% of their maximum output on average, a figure that could rise to 31-36% with the addition of wind and solar resources.
The report highlights that regulatory frameworks for hybrid projects are lacking in most of the assessed countries, with only Spain and Portugal having established rules. Creating such legislation could significantly encourage investment in this sector.
Globally, hydropower is a substantial energy source, producing 14% of the world's electricity in 2024, according to the International Energy Agency. However, the expansion of renewable energy projects worldwide is being hampered by a critical bottleneck: a lack of transmission infrastructure. Over 2,500 GW of renewable projects are currently stalled globally due to grid connection queues. The IEA estimates that annual grid investment needs to increase by 50% by 2030 to meet electricity demand, and Europe faces a shortfall of at least 120 GW in grid capacity by the same year.
Examples of successful hybrid projects include Portugal's Tâmega wind farm, which is being developed in conjunction with the Tâmega hydroelectric complex, and France's Lazer floating solar project, which has doubled the renewable energy capacity at the Lazer dam hydropower facility. Ember recommends this hybridization approach to leverage existing transmission networks and minimize the need for new development sites.