Renewable Energy Weekly — 2026-04-22
Renewable energy met all new electricity demand globally in 2025, with 814 GW of new solar and wind capacity installed, according to a new Ember report — while Indonesia marked a milestone with 1.3 GW of rooftop solar deployed this year. The UK announced a policy shift to lock older wind and solar generators into fixed-price contracts to shield consumers from gas price volatility. India's Evren secured ~$600 million for a 1 GW hybrid project, backed by NTPC under a long-term power purchase agreement.
Renewable Energy Weekly — 2026-04-22
Top Stories
Renewables Met 100% of New Global Electricity Demand in 2025
- What happened: A new report from global energy think tank Ember found that renewable energy absorbed all new electricity demand in 2025, preventing any additional fossil fuel combustion for power generation. Wind deployment surged 47% year-over-year, while solar grew 11%, for a combined 814 GWdc of new capacity installed globally.
- Why it matters: This is a landmark milestone for the energy transition — renewables are no longer just adding to the grid, they are now displacing fossil growth entirely. However, the CBC analysis highlights that Canada is lagging significantly behind the global pace, with renewable buildout insufficient to meet growing demand.
- Scale: 814 GW of new solar and wind added globally in 2025; wind grew 47% YoY vs. 11% for solar.
UK Moves to Shield Households From Gas Price Volatility With Fixed Renewables Contracts
- What happened: The British government announced plans to move older wind and solar generators onto fixed-price contracts, weakening the link between electricity prices and volatile natural gas markets. The policy is designed to reduce household energy bills and insulate the economy from fossil fuel price shocks.
- Why it matters: The UK's electricity market has long been criticized for tying consumer bills to marginal gas prices, even when cheaper renewables are generating power. This reform could accelerate the financial case for transitioning away from gas-indexed pricing across Europe.
- Scale: Applies to existing wind and solar generators across the UK; part of a broader clean energy acceleration plan announced April 20, 2026.
Indonesia Reaches 1.3 GW Rooftop Solar Milestone in 2026
- What happened: Indonesia's rooftop solar capacity has grown nearly tenfold to 1.3 GW in 2026, marking a major milestone in the country's national energy transition under the IndoSolar 2026 initiative.
- Why it matters: Indonesia is one of Southeast Asia's largest energy consumers and historically dependent on coal. The near-tenfold growth in rooftop solar signals a significant acceleration in distributed generation, reducing grid reliance and lowering emissions in one of the world's most populous nations.
- Scale: 1.3 GW rooftop solar capacity, approximately 10x growth; part of the IndoSolar 2026 national program.
Statkraft Completes Wind Repowering in Spain With 98% Waste Recovery
- What happened: Statkraft, Europe's largest renewable energy producer, successfully completed the first phase of repowering at its Montes de Cierzo wind facility in Spain. The project achieved 98% material waste recovery, setting a new benchmark for circular-economy wind repowering.
- Why it matters: As Europe's aging wind fleet approaches end-of-life, the question of how to repower sustainably — and what to do with decommissioned turbine components — is increasingly critical. A 98% waste recovery rate demonstrates that large-scale repowering can be done with minimal environmental impact.
- Scale: First phase of Montes de Cierzo wind repowering completed; 98% waste recovery rate achieved.
Project Tracker
| Project | Type | Capacity | Location | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indonesia Rooftop Solar (IndoSolar 2026) | Solar (rooftop) | 1.3 GW | Indonesia | Operational | |
| ReNew Energy FY2026 Commissions | Solar + Wind + BESS | 2.4 GW (1.75 GW solar, 0.62 GW wind, 25 MW/100 MWh BESS) | India | Operational (total portfolio: 12.6 GW) | Link |
| Evren FDRE Hybrid Project | Solar + Wind hybrid | 1 GW | Andhra Pradesh & Rajasthan, India | Funded (~$600M secured) | |
| Montes de Cierzo Repowering (Statkraft) | Wind (repowering) | N/A (phase 1) | Spain | Phase 1 complete | |
| Envision Energy Wind+Solar Mega-Plant | Wind + Solar | 6 GW | Northwest China | Operational | Link |
Policy & Regulation
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United Kingdom: The government announced plans to move older wind and solar generators onto fixed-price contracts (Contracts for Difference) to decouple electricity bills from volatile gas prices. The reform is framed as a way to protect households and businesses from fossil fuel price shocks and accelerate the clean energy transition.
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European Union: The European Commission is increasingly likely to ease strict RFNBO (Renewable Fuels of Non-Biological Origin) green hydrogen regulations. Businesses have long complained that additionality and time-matching rules drive up the cost of renewable hydrogen production. The EU appears to be responding to industry pressure, with potential reforms that could significantly lower compliance costs for green H₂ producers.
Investment & Finance
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Evren (India Hybrid Project): Evren secured approximately $600 million in funding for a 1 GW FDRE (Firm and Dispatchable Renewable Energy) hybrid project across Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan, backed by state-owned NTPC under a long-term power purchase agreement. The project combines solar, wind, and storage to deliver firm power.
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ReNew Energy Global (India): ReNew commissioned 2.4 GW of renewable capacity in FY2026, bringing its total operating portfolio to 12.6 GW — making it India's second-largest renewable energy company. The commissioned capacity includes 1.75 GW solar, 0.62 GW wind, and 25 MW/100 MWh of battery energy storage systems. An additional 450 MW is fully constructed and pending commissioning.
Technology Spotlight
World's Largest Wind + Solar Plant Now Operating in China
Envision Energy's 6 GW wind-plus-solar mega-plant in remote mountainous northwest China is now generating power, according to Recharge News. The plant combines wind farms and solar farms at a scale never before achieved at a single hybrid site, representing a landmark deployment of integrated clean energy infrastructure. At 6 GW, it surpasses any previously reported combined wind-solar installation and demonstrates the feasibility of utility-scale hybrid plants at extraordinary scale.
What to Watch Next Week
- EU Green Hydrogen Rules: Watch for further signals from the European Commission on whether it will formally propose relaxing RFNBO additionality and time-matching requirements — a move that could unlock billions in stalled green hydrogen investment across Europe.
- India Renewable Commissioning Pipeline: ReNew Energy has ~450 MW of fully constructed capacity awaiting commissioning. Track whether this capacity comes online, which would push ReNew's operating portfolio close to 13 GW.
- World Hydrogen Summit (May, Rotterdam): Europe's energy policy community is positioning hydrogen as a core resilience tool ahead of this summit. Watch for country-level hydrogen strategy announcements and auction results in the run-up to the event.
This content was collected, curated, and summarized entirely by AI — including how and what to gather. It may contain inaccuracies. Crew does not guarantee the accuracy of any information presented here. Always verify facts on your own before acting on them. Crew assumes no legal liability for any consequences arising from reliance on this content.
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