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  • 655 Million Left in the Dark: Why the 2026 Energy Progress Report Demands Urgent Action

    655 Million Left in the Dark: Why the 2026 Energy Progress Report Demands Urgent Action

    A staggering 655 million people globally still live without access to electricity, while two billion continue to rely on highly polluting fuels for cooking, putting their health and economic futures at risk.

    According to the latest edition of Tracking SDG 7: The Energy Progress Report, the international effort to achieve universal energy access by 2030 is drastically off pace. The findings underscore an urgent need for targeted subsidies, innovative international financing, and a rapid acceleration of domestic renewable energy deployment to prevent vulnerable populations from being left behind entirely.

    The Widening Energy Gap in Sub-Saharan Africa

    While most regions globally are nearing universal access, progress in Sub-Saharan Africa has slowed significantly. The region bears a heavily disproportionate share of the global energy deficit, home to over 560 million people living without power and 970 million lacking access to clean cooking solutions.

    The rural-urban divide also continues to expand. The rural electricity deficit in Sub-Saharan Africa grew from 376 million in 2010 to 447 million in 2024. To achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7 targets by 2030, the global pace of electrification must now triple to an annual growth rate of 1.3%.

    Key Findings From the 2026 SDG 7 Report

    The report, jointly published by global custodian agencies—including the IEA, IRENA, World Bank, WHO, and UN DESA—highlights critical structural gaps alongside record milestones in clean energy:

    • The Clean Cooking Crisis: Two billion people—roughly a quarter of the world’s population—still lack clean cooking technologies. The split between urban and rural areas remains stark (89% urban access vs. 56% rural). This crisis carries severe health consequences, with household air pollution responsible for an estimated 3 million deaths per year.
    • Record Renewable Capacity vs. Distribution Disparities: On a positive note, renewable energy now accounts for over 30% of global electricity consumption, hitting a record generating capacity of 544 watts per person. However, stark disparities persist: low-income countries stand at just 33.6 watts per person, compared to 1,224 watts per person in high-income nations.
    • Dwindling Financial Flows to Poor Nations: International public financial flows supporting clean energy in developing countries hovered at US$24.6 billion. Alarmingly, funding directly targeting the least developed countries dropped by 11% to $3.7 billion. Furthermore, debt-based financing makes up 80% of these flows, placing a severe economic strain on developing economies.
    • Stalling Energy Efficiency: Global progress in energy intensity fell from 2.4% in 2022 to 1.5% in 2023, widening the gap between political ambition and real-world execution.

    Overcoming Obstacles: Affordability and Decentralized Renewables

    Expanding global electricity access requires confronting the barrier of affordability. Even where physical infrastructure exists, millions of households cannot afford upfront connection fees, wiring costs, or basic energy services.

    To bridge this divide, the report champions distributed renewable energy solutions, such as off-grid solar and mini-grids. These technologies offer a highly cost-effective path forward and are already serving hundreds of millions of people. Accelerating localized renewables also helps diversify national energy mixes, shielding developing nations from volatile global supply chains and fossil fuel import costs.

    “Recent global energy shocks have made one thing clear: countries with strong renewable energy capacity are better positioned to withstand economic and supply disruptions,” noted Francesco La Camera, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

    What’s Next?

    The complete findings of the report will be formally presented to international policymakers at a special launch event on July 8, 2026, following an in-depth review of SDG 7 at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York.

    As the global energy crisis continues to impact broader economies, world leaders are facing an urgent call to action. Complacency is no longer an option; hitting the 2030 target will require an unprecedented scale-up of targeted international grants, private sector investments, and strong political leadership.

  • ACME to Invest USD 4.2 Billion in Expansion of Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project in Oman

    ACME to Invest USD 4.2 Billion in Expansion of Green Hydrogen and Ammonia Project in Oman

    ACME Group has announced plans to invest approximately USD 4.2 billion in the expansion of its green hydrogen and green ammonia project in Duqm, Oman, reinforcing its commitment to large-scale clean fuel production and supporting Oman’s ambition to become a global green hydrogen hub.

    The investment will fund the second and third phases of the project, following the signing of an investment agreement with Oman’s Public Authority for Special Economic Zones and Free Zones (OPAZ). The expansion forms part of a broader renewable energy development program being advanced within the Special Economic Zone at Duqm.

    Under the expansion plan, each phase is expected to produce around 71,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 400,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually. Once both phases are operational, the project’s cumulative production capacity is projected to reach 142,000 tonnes of green hydrogen and 800,000 tonnes of green ammonia per year. Commercial operations for Phase 2 and Phase 3 are targeted to commence in 2030 and 2033, respectively.

    The project builds upon ACME’s first phase in Duqm, which is currently under development and is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes of green ammonia annually. The overall development is set to play a significant role in advancing Oman’s national green hydrogen strategy and expanding the country’s renewable energy value chain.

    According to industry estimates, the investment further strengthens Oman’s position as an emerging destination for green hydrogen investments, while supporting global efforts to decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors through the production of sustainable fuels and green ammonia for domestic and export markets.

    The expansion marks another major milestone for ACME’s international clean energy portfolio and underscores the growing momentum of large-scale green hydrogen and ammonia projects across the Middle East.

  • Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy), a leader in clean energy and transmission infrastructure, announced that SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history is fully operational. The SunZia project can generate and deliver more power than the Hoover Dam and supply affordable, reliable energy to the western United States.

    “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We did this the right way, we did it on time and on budget – in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves, and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too big and too complex to finish.”

    The approximately 3,650-megawatt (MW) wind project and 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that comprise SunZia are generating and delivering affordable, American-made energy from New Mexico to Arizona and to customers across the western grid. At full capacity, the project can deliver enough energy to power approximately one million American homes annually.

    “SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.”

    SunZia is meeting surging energy demand with new interregional transmission infrastructure that can deliver reliable, affordable energy. The project helps solve one of the central challenges facing the energy sector: not only building energy generation, but also the grid infrastructure needed to deliver that power.

    At the center of that solution is SunZia’s HVDC transmission system, which moves large amounts of electricity efficiently across long distances. With major converter stations at each end of the line converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers power at scale.

    “Large-scale transmission is essential to meeting the West’s growing energy needs and strengthening reliability across the grid,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO). “Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support a more resilient, flexible and affordable electric system. SunZia represents the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today and prepare the grid for the future.”

    Construction on SunZia began in September 2023 and more than 2,000 quality jobs were supported at peak construction. The project will also create more than 100 permanent operations jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. The facility will invest over $20 billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over the first 30 years of operations.

    “The benefits of this project will be felt in our communities for years to come,” said Barbara Sultemeier, Board Member for the Corona Landowner’s Association through the Lincoln County Community Foundation. “SunZia is supporting local jobs, strengthening the local tax base and creating long-term investment that can help support schools, public services, landowners and families across the region. For communities like ours, that kind of sustained economic impact matters.”

    SunZia also demonstrates what private industry can deliver when it takes on complex infrastructure challenges with discipline and responsibility. The fully contracted project advanced through years of development, permitting, financing, construction and community engagement, requiring close coordination among private companies, local governments, state and federal agencies, landowners and energy customers.

    “The result is historic energy infrastructure that will power millions of American homes and businesses for decades to come. This project sets a new standard for what is possible — and we intend to keep building on it,” said Hunter Armistead.

  • Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy), a leader in clean energy and transmission infrastructure, announced that SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history is fully operational. The SunZia project can generate and deliver more power than the Hoover Dam and supply affordable, reliable energy to the western United States.

    “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We did this the right way, we did it on time and on budget – in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves, and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too big and too complex to finish.”

    The approximately 3,650-megawatt (MW) wind project and 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that comprise SunZia are generating and delivering affordable, American-made energy from New Mexico to Arizona and to customers across the western grid. At full capacity, the project can deliver enough energy to power approximately one million American homes annually.

    “SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.”

    SunZia is meeting surging energy demand with new interregional transmission infrastructure that can deliver reliable, affordable energy. The project helps solve one of the central challenges facing the energy sector: not only building energy generation, but also the grid infrastructure needed to deliver that power.

    At the center of that solution is SunZia’s HVDC transmission system, which moves large amounts of electricity efficiently across long distances. With major converter stations at each end of the line converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers power at scale.

    “Large-scale transmission is essential to meeting the West’s growing energy needs and strengthening reliability across the grid,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO). “Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support a more resilient, flexible and affordable electric system. SunZia represents the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today and prepare the grid for the future.”

    Construction on SunZia began in September 2023 and more than 2,000 quality jobs were supported at peak construction. The project will also create more than 100 permanent operations jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. The facility will invest over $20 billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over the first 30 years of operations.

    “The benefits of this project will be felt in our communities for years to come,” said Barbara Sultemeier, Board Member for the Corona Landowner’s Association through the Lincoln County Community Foundation. “SunZia is supporting local jobs, strengthening the local tax base and creating long-term investment that can help support schools, public services, landowners and families across the region. For communities like ours, that kind of sustained economic impact matters.”

    SunZia also demonstrates what private industry can deliver when it takes on complex infrastructure challenges with discipline and responsibility. The fully contracted project advanced through years of development, permitting, financing, construction and community engagement, requiring close coordination among private companies, local governments, state and federal agencies, landowners and energy customers.

    “The result is historic energy infrastructure that will power millions of American homes and businesses for decades to come. This project sets a new standard for what is possible — and we intend to keep building on it,” said Hunter Armistead.

  • Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy), a leader in clean energy and transmission infrastructure, announced that SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history is fully operational. The SunZia project can generate and deliver more power than the Hoover Dam and supply affordable, reliable energy to the western United States.

    “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We did this the right way, we did it on time and on budget – in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves, and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too big and too complex to finish.”

    The approximately 3,650-megawatt (MW) wind project and 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that comprise SunZia are generating and delivering affordable, American-made energy from New Mexico to Arizona and to customers across the western grid. At full capacity, the project can deliver enough energy to power approximately one million American homes annually.

    “SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.”

    SunZia is meeting surging energy demand with new interregional transmission infrastructure that can deliver reliable, affordable energy. The project helps solve one of the central challenges facing the energy sector: not only building energy generation, but also the grid infrastructure needed to deliver that power.

    At the center of that solution is SunZia’s HVDC transmission system, which moves large amounts of electricity efficiently across long distances. With major converter stations at each end of the line converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers power at scale.

    “Large-scale transmission is essential to meeting the West’s growing energy needs and strengthening reliability across the grid,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO). “Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support a more resilient, flexible and affordable electric system. SunZia represents the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today and prepare the grid for the future.”

    Construction on SunZia began in September 2023 and more than 2,000 quality jobs were supported at peak construction. The project will also create more than 100 permanent operations jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. The facility will invest over $20 billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over the first 30 years of operations.

    “The benefits of this project will be felt in our communities for years to come,” said Barbara Sultemeier, Board Member for the Corona Landowner’s Association through the Lincoln County Community Foundation. “SunZia is supporting local jobs, strengthening the local tax base and creating long-term investment that can help support schools, public services, landowners and families across the region. For communities like ours, that kind of sustained economic impact matters.”

    SunZia also demonstrates what private industry can deliver when it takes on complex infrastructure challenges with discipline and responsibility. The fully contracted project advanced through years of development, permitting, financing, construction and community engagement, requiring close coordination among private companies, local governments, state and federal agencies, landowners and energy customers.

    “The result is historic energy infrastructure that will power millions of American homes and businesses for decades to come. This project sets a new standard for what is possible — and we intend to keep building on it,” said Hunter Armistead.

  • Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy), a leader in clean energy and transmission infrastructure, announced that SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history is fully operational. The SunZia project can generate and deliver more power than the Hoover Dam and supply affordable, reliable energy to the western United States.

    “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We did this the right way, we did it on time and on budget – in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves, and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too big and too complex to finish.”

    The approximately 3,650-megawatt (MW) wind project and 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that comprise SunZia are generating and delivering affordable, American-made energy from New Mexico to Arizona and to customers across the western grid. At full capacity, the project can deliver enough energy to power approximately one million American homes annually.

    “SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.”

    SunZia is meeting surging energy demand with new interregional transmission infrastructure that can deliver reliable, affordable energy. The project helps solve one of the central challenges facing the energy sector: not only building energy generation, but also the grid infrastructure needed to deliver that power.

    At the center of that solution is SunZia’s HVDC transmission system, which moves large amounts of electricity efficiently across long distances. With major converter stations at each end of the line converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers power at scale.

    “Large-scale transmission is essential to meeting the West’s growing energy needs and strengthening reliability across the grid,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO). “Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support a more resilient, flexible and affordable electric system. SunZia represents the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today and prepare the grid for the future.”

    Construction on SunZia began in September 2023 and more than 2,000 quality jobs were supported at peak construction. The project will also create more than 100 permanent operations jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. The facility will invest over $20 billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over the first 30 years of operations.

    “The benefits of this project will be felt in our communities for years to come,” said Barbara Sultemeier, Board Member for the Corona Landowner’s Association through the Lincoln County Community Foundation. “SunZia is supporting local jobs, strengthening the local tax base and creating long-term investment that can help support schools, public services, landowners and families across the region. For communities like ours, that kind of sustained economic impact matters.”

    SunZia also demonstrates what private industry can deliver when it takes on complex infrastructure challenges with discipline and responsibility. The fully contracted project advanced through years of development, permitting, financing, construction and community engagement, requiring close coordination among private companies, local governments, state and federal agencies, landowners and energy customers.

    “The result is historic energy infrastructure that will power millions of American homes and businesses for decades to come. This project sets a new standard for what is possible — and we intend to keep building on it,” said Hunter Armistead.

  • Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy’s SunZia Project Becomes Fully Operational as Largest RE Infrastructure Project in US History

    Pattern Energy Group (Pattern Energy), a leader in clean energy and transmission infrastructure, today announced that SunZia, the largest renewable energy infrastructure project in U.S. history is fully operational. The SunZia project can generate and deliver more power than the Hoover Dam and supply affordable, reliable energy to the western United States.

    “SunZia proves that we can still build the consequential infrastructure this country needs,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy. “We did this the right way, we did it on time and on budget – in genuine partnership with the local communities and landowners who trusted us, with the environmental stewardship this unique landscape deserves, and with the determination to see something through that many thought was too big and too complex to finish.”

    The approximately 3,650-megawatt (MW) wind project and 550-mile high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line that comprise SunZia are generating and delivering affordable, American-made energy from New Mexico to Arizona and to customers across the western grid. At full capacity, the project can deliver enough energy to power approximately one million American homes annually.

    “SunZia becoming fully operational is a milestone more than 18 years in the making and one that I’ve been fighting for since I first came to Congress,” said U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich of New Mexico. “Through a whole series of obstacles spanning over a decade and a half, we kept working to move it forward because we knew what it could mean for America’s energy future and New Mexico’s role in leading it. Now, New Mexico is home to one of the largest energy infrastructure projects in the Western Hemisphere.”

    SunZia is meeting surging energy demand with new interregional transmission infrastructure that can deliver reliable, affordable energy. The project helps solve one of the central challenges facing the energy sector: not only building energy generation, but also the grid infrastructure needed to deliver that power.

    At the center of that solution is SunZia’s HVDC transmission system, which moves large amounts of electricity efficiently across long distances. With major converter stations at each end of the line converting power for delivery and then back for use on the grid, SunZia is deploying one of the first major HVDC systems built in the United States in a generation — advanced infrastructure that can help define how America delivers power at scale.

    “Large-scale transmission is essential to meeting the West’s growing energy needs and strengthening reliability across the grid,” said Elliot Mainzer, President and CEO of the California Independent System Operator (ISO). “Projects of this scale help deliver energy reliably to areas of rising demand, improve the movement of power across states and support a more resilient, flexible and affordable electric system. SunZia represents the kind of long-term infrastructure investment needed to serve customers today and prepare the grid for the future.”

    Construction on SunZia began in September 2023 and more than 2,000 quality jobs were supported at peak construction. The project will also create more than 100 permanent operations jobs in New Mexico and Arizona. The facility will invest over $20 billion in New Mexico and Arizona communities including $1.3 billion in direct payments to local governments, schools, counties and private landowners over the first 30 years of operations.

    “The benefits of this project will be felt in our communities for years to come,” said Barbara Sultemeier, Board Member for the Corona Landowner’s Association through the Lincoln County Community Foundation. “SunZia is supporting local jobs, strengthening the local tax base and creating long-term investment that can help support schools, public services, landowners and families across the region. For communities like ours, that kind of sustained economic impact matters.”

    SunZia also demonstrates what private industry can deliver when it takes on complex infrastructure challenges with discipline and responsibility. The fully contracted project advanced through years of development, permitting, financing, construction and community engagement, requiring close coordination among private companies, local governments, state and federal agencies, landowners and energy customers.

    “The result is historic energy infrastructure that will power millions of American homes and businesses for decades to come. This project sets a new standard for what is possible — and we intend to keep building on it,” said Hunter Armistead.

  • Onshore Wind Remains Backbone of Global Energy Transition as Capacity Additions Surge Worldwide

    Onshore Wind Remains Backbone of Global Energy Transition as Capacity Additions Surge Worldwide

    Onshore wind energy continues to dominate global wind power development, accounting for the vast majority of new installations worldwide and reinforcing its position as one of the most cost-effective sources of renewable electricity.

    According to the latest Global Wind Report, the world added 165 GW of new wind power capacity in the previous year, of which 155.3 GW came from onshore wind projects, while offshore installations contributed 9.3 GW. The trend is largely driven by economic factors, with onshore wind recognized as the second-cheapest source of electricity globally after large-scale solar photovoltaic plants.

    A study by Fraunhofer ISE highlights that the construction, operation, and maintenance of onshore wind turbines are significantly more cost-efficient than offshore wind projects, making onshore deployment increasingly attractive for countries seeking affordable and scalable clean energy solutions.

    “Onshore wind energy is the foundation of the global energy transition,” said Andreas Arnheim, Director of WindEnergy Hamburg. At WindEnergy Hamburg, scheduled from September 22–25, more than 1,600 exhibitors will showcase their latest innovations. While many technologies serve both offshore and onshore applications, approximately 60 percent of exhibitors are focused on the onshore wind segment.

    Industry Growth Continues Despite Market Challenges

    Although the wind sector continues to face supply chain constraints, rising costs, and permitting delays, industry growth remains strong.

    The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that global wind power capacity will nearly double to more than 2,000 GW by 2030 as advanced and developing economies work to overcome these challenges.

    The IEA further estimates that around 85 percent of all future wind capacity additions will come from onshore projects, underlining the segment’s critical role in achieving global renewable energy targets.

    Energy Security Strengthens the Case for Wind Power

    Beyond climate goals, energy security is becoming a major driver for renewable energy adoption.

    Recent geopolitical tensions, including disruptions affecting global oil and gas supply routes, have reinforced the importance of reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels. Industry leaders believe renewable energy, particularly wind power, will play a central role in strengthening national energy resilience.

    “The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and the resulting steep increase in oil and gas prices have once more impressed on all policy-makers the urgent need to boost resilience,” said Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions at Hamburg Messe und Congress.

    China’s leadership in wind energy deployment is largely attributed to its strong domestic market. Meanwhile, European manufacturers continue to rely on technological expertise and innovation to remain competitive globally.

    Dr. Dennis Rendschmidt, Managing Director of VDMA Power Systems, emphasized the importance of strengthening Europe’s wind industry supply chain, stating that maintaining a strong regional value chain is essential for preserving know-how and improving technological and political resilience.

    José Luis Blanco, CEO of Nordex Group, echoed similar concerns, noting that the European wind industry requires greater scale to maintain global relevance. Nordex was the leading supplier in Germany’s onshore wind market for the second consecutive year in 2025, accounting for 31.5 percent of all newly connected turbines. The company operates manufacturing facilities in Germany, Spain, Brazil, India, and the United States and focuses on onshore turbine platforms in the 4 MW to 7+ MW range.

    Repowering Emerges as a Key Growth Strategy

    As land availability and grid limitations become increasingly important considerations, repowering is gaining momentum across key wind markets.

    Repowering involves replacing older turbines with newer, larger, and more efficient models capable of generating significantly higher outputs.

    According to market research firm Mordor Intelligence, approximately 37 percent of Germany’s onshore capacity growth in 2024 came from replacing first-generation 2 MW turbines with modern 6 MW machines.

    Enercon, another major industry player and exhibitor at WindEnergy Hamburg, is benefiting from this trend. The company’s flagship E-175 EP5 E2 turbine features a rated capacity of 7 MW and a rotor diameter of 175 meters, making it one of the most powerful onshore wind turbines currently available.

    “The E-175 EP5 E2 is the leading turbine type among new approvals in Germany, and a growing number of international customers view it as a key solution for maximizing energy output,” said Enercon CEO Udo Bauer.

    The company has secured orders for projects across Turkey, Canada, the Netherlands, Austria, Lithuania, and Portugal. Enercon attributes part of its success to continuous performance upgrades that optimize turbine operations throughout their lifecycle.

    Expanding Project Pipelines and Future Outlook

    Wind farm developer and operator wpd is also expanding its presence across Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The company currently maintains an onshore project pipeline exceeding 38 GW of installed capacity.

    In Germany alone, nearly 1 GW of projects are under construction, while the company has recently secured additional contracts through public tenders.

    However, industry leaders continue to caution against market uncertainties.

    “At the same time, however, we are facing an extremely challenging market environment marked by falling prices and rising costs. The federal government’s so-called Grid Package along with the overhaul of the Renewable Energies Act risk undesirable developments that could slow the expansion of wind energy,” warned Dr. Hartmut Brösamle, CEO of wpd.

    WindEnergy Hamburg 2026 to Focus on Industry Transformation

    WindEnergy Hamburg 2026 will bring together industry stakeholders, policymakers, researchers, and technology providers to discuss the future of wind energy and the broader energy transition.

    Key themes will include smart grids, digitalization, energy storage integration, supply chain resilience, and next-generation wind technologies.

    “Networking is the key to the continued successful development of wind energy, and our global flagship fair provides an ideal platform for it,” said Andreas Arnheim. “All that in the interest of a secure, future-ready energy supply and effective climate protection worldwide.”

    With onshore wind continuing to account for the majority of global installations and expected future growth, industry stakeholders increasingly view the sector as a cornerstone of both climate action and long-term energy security.

  • Siemens Energy and NSORe Secure 50Hertz Contract for Offshore Wind Grid Connection in Germany

    Siemens Energy and NSORe Secure 50Hertz Contract for Offshore Wind Grid Connection in Germany

    Siemens Energy and Neptun Smulders Offshore Renewables (NSORe) have been awarded a contract to deliver a new grid connection system for offshore wind farms in the North Sea for German transmission system operator, 50Hertz.

    The connection, known as North Sea Connector 2, will enable up to 2 gigawatts of wind power to be transmitted from offshore to onshore in the future. The offshore converter platform will be fabricated by NSORe, a joint venture between Neptun Werft – part of the German Meyer Werft Group – and the Belgian construction company Smulders, primarily at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde.

    Siemens Energy will equip the platform with electrical transmission technologies, which will largely be manufactured at the company’s German factories. Siemens Energy has also been awarded a long-term service contract to cover maintenance, IT services, and on-call support. The company expects to fully book the order in the next fiscal year, starting on October 1, 2026.

    Tim Holt, Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy, said: “Expanding offshore grid connections is currently one of the most demanding tasks of the energy transition, especially at the pace now required. To help this, we have specifically expanded our capacities in Germany. Technology is only one piece of the puzzle, to ensure that our technologies can be deployed, we rely on strong partners in the maritime sector. We welcome the additional, much-needed capacity being created by Neptun Werft.”

    Stefan Kapferer, CEO of 50Hertz, said: “As the transmission system operator for eastern Germany, Berlin and Hamburg, we are pleased that, in a transparent and open tendering process, a consortium was able to prevail both in terms of price and technology, and will manufacture key components at a shipyard within our grid area. This demonstrates that domestic shipyards are now capable of offering competitive bids for the construction of offshore platforms.”

    Around 95 percent of Siemens Energy’s project scope for North Sea Connector 2 will be delivered in Germany: Transformers and converters will come from Nuremberg, while SF₆-free gas-insulated switchgear will be supplied from Berlin. Siemens Energy is currently investing several hundred million euros in expanding these sites to meet growing demand for energy transition technologies.

    To efficiently transmit electricity from offshore wind farms located far from shore, the power is converted from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) at sea. This is done on an offshore converter platform, which consists of two main components: A jacket foundation and a topside structure roughly the height of a building. The topside for the North Sea Connector 2 project will be built by Meyer Werft in Rostock-Warnemünde and subsequently equipped with the necessary power transmission technology by Siemens Energy. At the same time, Smulders will manufacture the jacket in the Netherlands, on which the topside will later be installed approximately 200 kilometers west of the island of Sylt in the North Sea.

    Once commissioned, the platform will convert the alternating current generated by the wind turbines into direct current and transmit it to shore via subsea cables. At an onshore converter station, the electricity will then be converted back into alternating current and fed into the grid.

  • Siemens Energy to Build 2 GW Converter Platform with German Shipyard for First Time

    Siemens Energy to Build 2 GW Converter Platform with German Shipyard for First Time

    Siemens Energy and Neptun Smulders Offshore Renewables (NSORe) have been awarded a contract to deliver a new grid connection system for offshore wind farms in the North Sea for German transmission system operator, 50Hertz.

    The connection, known as North Sea Connector 2, will enable up to 2 gigawatts of wind power to be transmitted from offshore to onshore in the future. The offshore converter platform will be fabricated by NSORe, a joint venture between Neptun Werft – part of the German Meyer Werft Group – and the Belgian construction company Smulders, primarily at the Neptun Werft shipyard in Rostock-Warnemünde.

    Siemens Energy will equip the platform with electrical transmission technologies, which will largely be manufactured at the company’s German factories. Siemens Energy has also been awarded a long-term service contract to cover maintenance, IT services, and on-call support. The company expects to fully book the order in the next fiscal year, starting on October 1, 2026.

    Tim Holt, Member of the Executive Board of Siemens Energy, said: “Expanding offshore grid connections is currently one of the most demanding tasks of the energy transition, especially at the pace now required. To help this, we have specifically expanded our capacities in Germany. Technology is only one piece of the puzzle, to ensure that our technologies can be deployed, we rely on strong partners in the maritime sector. We welcome the additional, much-needed capacity being created by Neptun Werft.”

    Stefan Kapferer, CEO of 50Hertz, said: “As the transmission system operator for eastern Germany, Berlin and Hamburg, we are pleased that, in a transparent and open tendering process, a consortium was able to prevail both in terms of price and technology, and will manufacture key components at a shipyard within our grid area. This demonstrates that domestic shipyards are now capable of offering competitive bids for the construction of offshore platforms.”

    Around 95 percent of Siemens Energy’s project scope for North Sea Connector 2 will be delivered in Germany: Transformers and converters will come from Nuremberg, while SF₆-free gas-insulated switchgear will be supplied from Berlin. Siemens Energy is currently investing several hundred million euros in expanding these sites to meet growing demand for energy transition technologies.

    To efficiently transmit electricity from offshore wind farms located far from shore, the power is converted from alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC) at sea. This is done on an offshore converter platform, which consists of two main components: A jacket foundation and a topside structure roughly the height of a building. The topside for the North Sea Connector 2 project will be built by Meyer Werft in Rostock-Warnemünde and subsequently equipped with the necessary power transmission technology by Siemens Energy. At the same time, Smulders will manufacture the jacket in the Netherlands, on which the topside will later be installed approximately 200 kilometers west of the island of Sylt in the North Sea.

    Once commissioned, the platform will convert the alternating current generated by the wind turbines into direct current and transmit it to shore via subsea cables. At an onshore converter station, the electricity will then be converted back into alternating current and fed into the grid.