Renewable Energy Weekly — 2026-04-20
Global solar and wind capacity additions hit a record 814 GW in 2025 according to Ember, with wind deployment surging 47% year-over-year, while China's Envision Energy brought online what is being called the world's largest hybrid wind-plus-solar plant at 6 GW. In India, the solar powerhouse state of Rajasthan faces a critical bottleneck with approximately 60 GW of clean energy projects stranded without transmission links, even as the CEA issued sweeping new 2026 technical standards for BESS, solar, and wind. The U.S. EIA's latest short-term outlook projects a 17% rise in solar generation this summer, underscoring renewables' growing share of grid supply.
Renewable Energy Weekly — 2026-04-20
Top Stories
World's Largest Wind-Plus-Solar Plant Now Operational in China
- What happened: Envision Energy has commissioned a 6 GW hybrid wind-and-solar mega-plant in remote mountainous northwest China, described by Recharge News as the "world's largest" wind plus solar installation.
- Why it matters: The sheer scale of this project signals how China continues to push the frontier of renewable energy deployment. A single hybrid plant at 6 GW is a landmark in the integration of variable renewables at scale, potentially offering lessons in grid balancing and co-location economics for the rest of the world.
- Scale: 6 GW combined wind and solar capacity, operational now.
814 GW of New Solar and Wind Installed Globally in 2025 — Wind Surges 47%
- What happened: A new report from global energy think tank Ember shows 814 GWdc in new solar and wind capacity was installed in 2025. While solar still led overall additions, wind deployment grew 47% year-over-year compared to just 11% for solar.
- Why it matters: The dramatic acceleration in wind deployment is a major shift, suggesting the industry has worked through supply chain and permitting bottlenecks that held back growth in prior years. The combined 814 GW figure represents the largest single-year addition of clean power generation in history.
- Scale: 814 GW new solar + wind globally in 2025; wind growth rate of 47% YoY.
India's Rajasthan Has 60 GW of Renewables Stranded Without Transmission
- What happened: India's top solar energy-generating state, Rajasthan, has approximately 60 GW of clean energy projects awaiting transmission links, according to a regulatory filing reported by Reuters. Grid planners are struggling to keep pace with the rapid build-out.
- Why it matters: This bottleneck highlights a systemic challenge facing the world's fastest-growing large renewable market: physical infrastructure is not keeping up with generation capacity investment. Without transmission, projects cannot deliver power to consumers, undermining both investment returns and India's 500 GW renewables-by-2030 target.
- Scale: ~60 GW stranded capacity in Rajasthan alone.
U.S. Solar Generation Forecast to Rise 17% This Summer
- What happened: The U.S. Energy Information Administration's (EIA) most recent short-term energy outlook, published this week, forecasts a 17% increase in U.S. solar generation this summer compared to the prior year, highlighting growing grid penetration of renewables.
- Why it matters: As summer peak demand approaches, solar's expanding share will be put to the test. The EIA projection underscores the structural shift in the U.S. power mix, with solar, battery storage, and wind combined accounting for 93% of projected new capacity deployed in 2026.
- Scale: 17% year-on-year increase in U.S. summer solar generation expected.
Project Tracker
| Project | Type | Capacity | Location | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envision Energy Hybrid Mega-Plant | Wind + Solar | 6 GW | Northwest China | Operational | Link |
| Rajasthan Renewables Pipeline | Solar + Wind | ~60 GW | Rajasthan, India | Awaiting transmission links |
Policy & Regulation
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India (Central Electricity Authority): The CEA issued its 2026 Amendment, establishing new technical standards for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), solar, and wind projects nationwide, aimed at improving grid stability, safety, and efficiency across India's rapidly expanding clean power fleet.
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India (Bihar State): Bihar's Renewable Energy Development Agency released the draft Bihar Green Hydrogen Policy 2026, signalling a strong push toward building a state-level green hydrogen ecosystem. The policy outlines support for green hydrogen production and associated industries within the state.
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EU: The European Union launched the critical minerals section of its energy and materials procurement platform on April 13, designed to aggregate purchasing power among regional buyers and reduce dependence on China for minerals critical to solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries.
Investment & Finance
- India Green Hydrogen Startups: India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy hosted a hydrogen startup exhibition showcasing 18 startups across the green hydrogen value chain, backed by a ₹100 crore (~$12M USD) funding scheme to promote innovation in electrolysis, storage, and distribution.
Technology Spotlight
Australia: ICE Advances Modular Green Hydrogen Production System
Integrated Clean Energy (ICE) — the company behind two of Australia's largest renewable energy projects — announced key milestones for the modular system architecture that will serve as the backbone for its proposed giga-scale green hydrogen projects. The company's modular approach is designed to allow incremental scaling of electrolysis capacity, reducing upfront capital risk while enabling continuous expansion as demand and financing allow. The milestone marks a step toward commercial deployment of large-scale green hydrogen production in Australia, one of the world's most resource-rich regions for cheap renewable electricity.
What to Watch Next Week
- India transmission policy response: Following Reuters' reporting on 60 GW of stranded Rajasthan renewables, watch for announcements from India's Power Ministry or grid operator POSOCO on accelerated transmission corridor approvals or funding commitments.
- IEA mid-year outlook: IEA Chief Fatih Birol, newly named to TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People list for 2026, may use the platform to preview updated global clean energy deployment forecasts — watch for any IEA publications due in late April.
- Australia giga-scale hydrogen FID: Following ICE's modular architecture milestone, watch for any final investment decision (FID) signals or offtake agreement announcements tied to its large-scale Australian green hydrogen projects.
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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