Renewable Energy Growth

This visual helps explain 3 concepts that A LOT of people forget about solar☀️   Solar energy’s fuel (sunshine) is free and delivered daily.   Therefore, electricity from solar does not include the cost of each marginal unit of fuel. That makes sense to people.   But the full implications of an energy system built upon a zero-cost, abundant fuel source are often still dramatically underestimated.   There are three other kinds of savings that solar provides:    Infrastructure Savings – As shown in the graphic, the world spends billions of dollars every year extracting oil, gas, and coal and transporting to the places it will be burned. The infrastructure to mine, refine, and move these fuels from point A to point B, whether by boat, rail, or pipeline, requires regular maintenance and TONS of investment. With solar, the sun does it all for us, delivering usable photons every morning.   Predictability Savings – When you’re relying on a globally traded commodity to produce electricity, the final cost of each gigawatt can fluctuate with the current price of oil and coal. Market uncertainty can send the price of these commodities (and the final price for electricity) soaring on a whim. But it doesn’t need to be this way. Once a solar farm is installed, the cost of each unit of electricity is basically fixed. This helps utilities better predict their costs and that’s a huge benefit to consumers.   Energy Independence Savings – Because oil, gas, and coal rely on complex international supply chains and lots of global infrastructure, there is a lot more that can go wrong. Geopolitical shocks, natural disasters, port congestion, and accidents (remember the Suez Canal blockage?) can all impact the predictability and reliability of coal and gas generation. No one can embargo the sun or interrupt its delivery to us, so solar energy is fundamentally more local and more independent.   I think it’s important to explain these hidden savings when talking to naysayers because, while they may understand that free sunshine = free fuel, they may not understand just how much they’re paying for the infrastructure, uncertainty, and volatility of fossil fuels.

The latest reporting from the Financial Times highlights a point that energy analysts have been making for years: geopolitical shocks consistently strengthen the case for renewables, electrification and storage. Microsoft’s global vice-president for energy notes that oil and gas price spikes linked to the Middle East conflict reinforce the value of wind, solar and batteries in providing price stability. Once installed, renewables offer predictable cost profiles and reduce exposure to volatile global fuel markets. We saw this dynamic after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Europe accelerated solar deployment, heat pump uptake increased in several countries, and governments revisited questions of energy security through the lens of diversification and electrification. The underlying issue remains unchanged. Fossil fuels must continuously flow through complex global supply chains. When those flows are disrupted, prices spike and economies are exposed. Renewables, by contrast, are capital intensive upfront but deliver long term domestic supply and insulation from commodity shocks. There are short term risks. Inflation, higher interest rates and supply chain constraints can slow clean energy investment. Some governments may also respond by doubling down on gas infrastructure. The policy challenge is to avoid locking in further structural vulnerability. Energy security and climate policy are not competing objectives. In a world of recurrent geopolitical instability, they are increasingly aligned.

Global renewable capacity is set to double by 2030 amid rising headwinds from supply chains, grid integration & financing. Solar PV dominates with 80% of growth. In addition to established markets, it also surges in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan & Southeast Asia. More in the International Energy Agency (IEA)’s Renewables 2025 → https://iea.li/48AJeSf Solar is leading the growth – but wind, hydropower, bioenergy & geothermal are all contributing too. Geothermal is on course to hit historic highs in key markets while pumped-storage hydro is growing strongly, helping integration of solar & wind. More in our full report → https://iea.li/3Ww4MYB The outlook for offshore wind stands apart, with the industry facing challenges due to policy changes, supply chain bottlenecks & rising costs. Our forecast for its global capacity growth to 2030 is about 25% lower than in last year's report. Major solar PV & wind manufacturers continue to face financial struggles despite strong deployment globally. In China, PV prices are down over 60% since 2023 due to a supply glut & fierce competition for market share. And wind manufacturers outside China are reporting losses. Despite these challenges, companies' confidence in renewables remains strong – with investors & buyers benefitting from low solar prices. Most major developers have maintained or raised their 2030 deployment targets from last year, reflecting resilience & optimism in the sector. As renewables take on a greater role, policymakers must play close attention to vulnerabilities. Global supply chains for solar PV & for rare earths used in wind turbines are highly concentrated in China and are set to only diversify slightly by 2030 under current policy settings. The rise of variable renewables is also placing growing pressures on electricity systems. Curtailment & negative prices are becoming more frequent, causing economic inefficiencies & deterring investment. This underscores the need for investment in grids, storage & flexible generation. Read more of the key findings in the press release → https://iea.li/48AJeSf Explore IEA’s full Renewables 2025 report, freely available on our website → https://iea.li/3Ww4MYB And to learn more, join the report's lead author Heymi Bahar & me for the LIVE launch event from 11:00 CEST → https://iea.li/48j7kR9

91% of new energy is now 75% cheaper than alternatives New data reveals a fundamental shift in the energy landscape, as per trends from the last years. Over the past decade, renewable energy costs have plummeted across all major technologies: • Solar PV costs dropped 75% • Onshore wind fell 62% • Offshore wind decreased 60% • Concentrated solar power declined 54% The strategic implications are clear: 81% of renewable capacity added in 2023 now delivers electricity at lower costs than alternatives, which can save a lot of resources of business. For businesses, this data underscores three critical considerations: →Financial optimisation: Renewable investments now offer superior long-term cost predictability compared to volatile fossil fuel markets. →Risk mitigation: Early movers in renewable adoption are positioning themselves ahead of inevitable regulatory and market shifts. →Stakeholder value: ESG-focused investors and customers increasingly expect measurable progress on clean energy transitions. Source: International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Our World in Data Visual Capitalist #renewableenergy #sustainability #cleanenergy #energytransition #ceo #csuite #esg #sustainablebusiness #climatetech #energyeconomics #leadership #futureofenergy #solarpower #windpower #cleantech #energyinnovation

Renewable energy projects can harm Indigenous lands when built without community consent, repeating colonial patterns through wind, solar, and hydro developments that disrupt ecosystems and cultural relationships ⚡🌱. A real energy transition must honor Indigenous sovereignty, centering community-led clean power that protects land and water 🌊✨. When Indigenous communities generate their own renewable energy, benefits stay local through true energy sovereignty rather than corporate profit. A just energy future depends on Indigenous leadership, ecological respect, and solutions rooted in cultural knowledge and lived experience 🌍💛. —Based on themes from Growing Papaya Trees: Nurturing Indigenous Roots During Climate Displacement by Dr. Jessica Hernandez (2026). Earth Daughters

🔴 The Spanish power system collapsed within seconds following a double contingency in its interconnection lines with France. First, a 400 kV line disconnected, and less than a second later, a second line also failed, suddenly isolating Spain while it was exporting 5 GW of power. The frequency rose abruptly, triggering the automatic disconnection of approximately 10 GW of renewable generation, programmed to shut down when exceeding 50.2 Hz. This led to a sudden energy shortfall, a sharp frequency drop, and within just nine seconds, a total system blackout. 🪕 The causes of the incident are attributed to low rotational inertia (only about 10 GW of synchronous generation online), identically configured renewable protections that reacted simultaneously, reserves that were inadequate for such a high share of renewables, and an under-dimensioned interconnection with France. Could this have been avoided? Several measures could help prevent similar situations in the future, such as requiring synthetic inertia in large power plants, reinforcing the interconnection with France, and establishing a fast frequency response market, among others. 💡 In this context, Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are more essential than ever. These systems can provide synthetic inertia, ultra-fast frequency response, and backup power in critical situations—capabilities that today’s renewable-dominated system cannot ensure on its own. By reacting in milliseconds, BESS help stabilize the grid during sudden frequency deviations, preventing massive disconnections and buying time for other reserves to activate. Their strategic deployment, combined with appropriate regulation, would make these systems a cornerstone of a more secure and resilient future power system. ... ✋️Please note that this post was written based on the information published on or before its release. Root cause analysis is still ongoing and updates will be released with the outcomes of the investigation. The goal is to show the features that can be provided by BESS within the wide portfolio of solutions applicable in these cases. All inisghts are highly welcome and appreciated in order to enrich our collective understanding. ... 📸 Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System (Nevada, USA) A real-world example of how BESS ensures grid stability by delivering synthetic inertia and fast frequency response—essential in a renewable-heavy energy mix.

Interesting graph from S&P Global Commodity Insights on the "Break-even estimates for 10-year PPAs starting in 2026". The average forecast price is for a pay-as-produced PPA 2026-2035 to recover new build, operating and financing costs. Unsurprisingly, we see quite large difference for solar, from 38 €/MWh in Spain to 115 €/MWh in Finland (some places are indeed sunnier). Wind is more stable and around 60 to 80 €/MWh. But how these prices compare with the capture prices? For solar, the capture prices were in 2024: 42 €/MWh in Spain, 47 €/MWh in Germany, and 39 €/MWh in France. So, for France and Germany, the capture prices are already quite well lower in 2024. The questions are: - Will the solar capture prices continue their downward trend? With the current expansion plan, it is likely that it will continue, in my opinion. - Or will consumption and storage compensate enough and offer some relief? - Will we still observe an appetite for more solar (both on corporate PPA and on government-back support such as Contract-for-difference)? Most probably, solar will increasingly be associated with storage in order to increase the capture rate. But how much storage compared to solar? This is certainly a dynamic question that will keep evolving with evolving costs and market prices. In any case, I believe that solar should also start providing power reserves in order to have another source of revenues. See here: https://lnkd.in/e22HPYUv And here for insights on capture rates in 2024:https://lnkd.in/eD3XdAWs

April 6th: A bright spring day in Germany, one that perfectly illustrates the need for battery storage systems. Like so many other sunny days, PV generation in Germany covered a large portion of the electricity demand for several hours in the middle of the day, thanks to the cloudless sky and millions of solar modules. But there is a darker side to the sunshine. Large amounts of daytime solar can overload the grid and cause severe electricity price fluctuations: on April 6th, intraday electricity prices dropped to -200€/MWh at their lowest point. In cases where more electricity is generated from solar energy than the grid can handle, grid operators regularly require solar installations to curtail their production. This means that energy that could otherwise be made available to consumers cannot be used. And when the sun goes down, most of the demand must quickly be met with flexible sources. This adds an extra layer of complexity: deciding which conventional power plants can be shut down during the day and switched on again in the evening is a careful balancing act. This is precisely the situation where battery energy storage systems (BESS) can bridge the gap, with several advantages: - By storing part of the solar energy at peak generation times and dispatching it later, BESS can help shift the curve to more closely align with evening demand. - Better management of volatile generation from renewables also helps keep prices stable. - Provided they are close to the overproducing solar systems, BESS contribute to grid stability by helping balance supply and demand. Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all technology. A secure and flexible energy system needs a diverse mix. But batteries are playing an increasing role, especially as they become more and more affordable. We at RWE are harnessing the benefits: we have 1.2 GW of installed BESS capacity worldwide, of which nine systems totalling 364 MW of capacity operate in Germany alone. We’re scaling fast, with new large-scale projects recently commissioned in Germany and the Netherlands. And we have just decided to build a BESS facility in Hamm with an installed capacity of 600 megawatts. So, let’s continue to make the most of those sunny days — by creating the right framework conditions to build up affordable and flexible support.

Africa was the world’s fastest-growing solar market in 2025, installing a record 4.5 GW of new capacity – up 54% year-on-year and the fastest growth on record. Africa has some of the highest solar irradiation in the world, yet it still accounts for just 1% of global installed capacity. That balance may now be shifting. The top countries in 2025 were: ✅ South Africa – 1.6 GW ✅ Nigeria – 803 MW ✅ Egypt – 500 MW But growth is also spreading beyond the largest economies, reflecting broader market adoption. And this isn't just a one-off spike. According to the Global Solar Council, Africa could install more than 33 GW of solar capacity by 2029, over six times 2025's additions. What makes this particularly interesting is that Africa is effectively pursuing two solar expansions at once: ➡️ Utility-scale projects backed by governments and development finance. ➡️ Rapid growth in distributed systems - rooftop, commercial and mini-grids adopted directly by homes and businesses. Across much of the continent, solar is not competing with large legacy power fleets. Instead, it is replacing expensive diesel generation and unreliable grid supply – often with payback periods measured in months rather than years. In many cases, it is also adding entirely new electricity supply, enabling demand growth rather than simply reshuffling the existing mix. Africa’s solar market is moving from emergence to sustained scale.

#HeideHub, #NordWestHub and #NordHub are the names of unique electricity hubs being created in our grid that will interconnect #HVDC systems in the future. They will strengthen the German electricity #grid and enable an even more efficient integration of #renewableenergy. Securing the sites is an important milestone for TenneT Germany on the road to the start of construction in 2026! The #NorthSea offers enormous potential for #windenergy generation. We reliably bring this electricity to the consumption centers in southern and western Germany. To do this, we rely on modern direct current (DC) technology, which is ideally suited for low-loss transmission over long distances. The catch so far: DC lines can only be implemented as point-to-point connections. #Multiterminal hubs are fundamentally changing this. They create the conditions for transporting large amounts of electricity flexibly and in line with demand over long distances. By linking DC lines, they enable a new grid level – the DC overlay grid. A DC integrated grid that complements and relieves the existing AC grid. In a future Europe-wide DC overlay grid, large amounts of electricity from renewable sources can be traded across borders and efficiently transported from the point of generation to where it is needed. A central building block for the energy supply of the future – independent, resilient, affordable and climate-neutral.   #LightingTheWayAheadTogether 50Hertz Transmission GmbH, Amprion GmbH