ECAICO Renewable Energy Newsroom – September 2025
In this September 2025 edition of the renewable energy newsroom, we highlight the latest renewable energy breakthroughs driving the global transition. Wind capacity growth, solar power milestones, large hydrogen investments in 2025, and record energy storage projects dominate this month’s headlines.
Global wind energy updates reveal offshore installations adding momentum, while solar power breakthroughs continue as prices drop and new utility projects accelerate. Together, these trends redefine energy resilience, pushing hybrid models into the mainstream.
This newsroom also explores wind–solar hybrid systems, hydrogen deployment, and smart grid integration. Each section provides actionable insight for professionals and engineers tracking how policy, technology, and market signals converge.
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| September 2025 milestones across wind, solar, hydrogen, and storage — ECAICO Renewable Newsroom |
At ECAICO, we translate milestones into context for engineers, researchers, and energy leaders. Our newsroom delivers clarity in a crowded information space, combining data, analysis, and forward-looking perspectives.
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Solar Tech & Innovation — September 2025
September brought significant developments for solar energy, ranging from record-setting installations to legal debates over rooftop PV economics. New capacity is reshaping power markets while technical issues like grid congestion and storage pairing dominate project planning. These updates highlight where solar technology is advancing and where risks are emerging.1. EU power mix: solar leads in Q2 2025
Solar generated about 20% of EU electricity in Q2 (22% in June), the first time it surpassed other sources. This milestone underscores the importance of flexible markets, storage, and digital controls to stabilize a grid increasingly driven by variable PV across diverse geographies and demand profiles.
2. Global solar additions accelerate 64%
Global PV installations reached roughly 380 GW in the first half of 2025, up 64% year over year. China drove most of the growth, pushing module prices down while straining grids. Developers must explicitly model curtailment exposure and storage pairing to preserve returns as interconnection constraints tighten.
3. China’s PV momentum softens
After record first-half growth, China’s August PV additions dipped to a 2025 low. Softening demand and grid congestion reveal risks: cheaper modules help CAPEX, but curtailment, dispatch limits, and emerging storage mandates can reshape OPEX and revenue. Project models should stress-test sensitivity to grid availability and policy shifts.
U.S. community solar slows 36%
Following a record 2024, U.S. community solar installations fell 36% in the first half of 2025. Shifting federal incentives and uneven state policies forced developers to rework financing stacks. Analysts still expect recovery as new programs launch and interconnection processes adapt to distributed energy growth.
California’s NEM 3.0 back in court
Judicial review of California’s export compensation rules could reset rooftop PV economics. Any revision that rewards storage-paired self-consumption would shorten payback periods and influence copycat policies nationally. Residential integrators should emphasize inverter-battery orchestration, time-of-use optimization, and demand flexibility in homeowner proposals.
4. U.S. solar poised to surpass wind
Regulatory and market data indicate solar will overtake wind in U.S. generation in 2025 as PV dominates new capacity additions. The decisive bottlenecks now are interconnection queues and firming capacity. Bankable projects increasingly hinge on storage integration, congestion impacts, and locational marginal pricing volatility.
Wind Energy Updates — September 2025
Wind energy faced a month of contrasts: offshore mega-projects restructured their financing while onshore orders in Europe surged ahead. Policy turbulence in the U.S. and curtailment in Asia added pressure, yet new projects in MENA proved momentum remains strong. Engineering realities continue to drive outcomes across wind markets.1. Ørsted explores Hornsea 3 stake sale
Ørsted is considering selling 50% of the 2.9 GW Hornsea 3 offshore project. Beyond balance-sheet optics, the engineering implication is pacing: deferred procurement and buildout can raise O&M risk, exposure to curtailment, and interface costs across turbines, export cables, and substations.
2. U.S. offshore wind policy turbulence
Federal moves to reduce clean-energy funding and reshape offshore wind rules add delay risk to the pipeline. Planners should assume longer permitting, higher contingencies, and tighter lender requirements. Engineering schedules need buffers for marine logistics, foundation selection, and grid-connection approvals.
3. Japan offshore wind seeks revenue stability
Developers urge fixed-revenue support to de-risk projects facing curtailment and grid limits. Without clearer price floors, turbine orders and balance-of-plant commitments may slip. Expect policy attention to interconnection upgrades, storage incentives, and auction design to stabilize capital costs.
4. Vestas racks up European orders
Multiple Q3 onshore orders in Germany and neighboring markets signal steady demand for proven platforms. Expect incremental efficiency via larger rotors, improved converters, and upgraded power electronics. Grid-code compliance and reactive-power support remain decisive in congested nodes and weak grid areas.
5. Japan renewable curtailments hit records
Rising nuclear output combined with transmission limits is driving record curtailments. For wind fleets, increased stop-start cycles elevate mechanical stress on drivetrains and yaw/pitch systems. Financial models must incorporate utilization reductions, storage add-ons, and ancillary-service participation to protect revenue.
6. Egypt wind build-out gains financing
EBRD and partners mobilized financing for a 200 MW Ras Ghareb project. Beyond CAPEX, the plan emphasizes modern SCADA, condition monitoring, and grid-friendly controls aligned with Egypt’s water-food-energy strategy. Regional supply chains and O&M ecosystems continue to mature.
Other Renewables — September 2025
Beyond wind and solar, hydrogen, geothermal, and biomass each advanced with notable headlines. From European hydrogen auctions to geothermal powering AI data centers, September underscored how diverse renewables are maturing. These stories reveal how complementary technologies could broaden the clean-energy mix while confronting technical, financial, and policy challenges.1. RWE exits Namibia hydrogen offtake
RWE withdrew from a non-binding ammonia offtake with Hyphen Energy. The takeaway for engineers: electrolyser efficiency and scale matter, but offtake certainty and logistics dictate bankability. Contract structures and transport pathways remain the pivotal risks for mega-hydrogen hubs.
2. EU Hydrogen Bank: new auction confirmed
The EU confirmed a third Hydrogen Bank auction in late 2025 and ruled out changes to the green-hydrogen definition before 2028. Developers should plan efficiency gains and renewable sourcing within current rules, delaying expectations for looser standards or blended-color allowances.
3. Spain builds hydrogen mobility network
CEF funding supports six 1,000 kg/day hydrogen refueling stations along national corridors. The sites will test reliability, compression, and storage density for both heavy-duty and light-duty vehicles, informing safety cases, maintenance cycles, and commercial uptime assumptions.
4. Geothermal powers data centers
Baker Hughes and CTR advanced plans at the Salton Sea to deliver baseload geothermal power suitable for AI-driven data centers. Closed-loop designs plus lithium extraction improve project economics, offering firm, low-carbon electricity for round-the-clock digital loads.
5. Geothermal innovation spreads globally
Closed-loop and super-hot rock concepts are attracting interest far beyond volcanic belts. The engineering hurdles remain drilling costs, well integrity, and heat-exchange reliability. If solved, these methods could unlock firm renewable capacity in new geographies.
6. Biomass scrutiny sharpens
Regulatory pressure on air emissions and sustainability tightened after recent enforcement actions in California. Only high-efficiency plants with credible CCS readiness are likely to retain subsidies. Developers must validate feedstock chains, lifecycle accounting, and capture options early.
Policy & Market Shifts — September 2025
Policy adjustments in September shaped the pace and cost of renewable deployment worldwide. New U.S. tax rules, EU planning reforms, and MENA investment targets all influence project pipelines. For engineers, these shifts matter because they directly affect financing conditions, interconnection approvals, and long-term operational risk.1. EU: State of the Energy Union 2025
Brussels emphasized security and sovereignty alongside decarbonisation. Implementation details on permitting and grid investment will determine whether member states can absorb rising renewable shares without escalating curtailment or congestion costs across interconnectors.
2. U.S.: IRS rules tighten construction starts
From September 2, most new wind and solar projects lose the 5% safe harbor, requiring continuous construction to maintain eligibility. Schedules, procurement, and interconnection milestones must be re-sequenced to minimize tax-credit risk and financing penalties.
3. U.S.: clean-energy funding clawbacks
Plans to reclaim major federal clean-energy funds add volatility, especially for offshore wind. Expect revised BOEM/BSEE requirements to increase costs and timelines, pushing developers toward stronger contingency buffers and alternative financing structures.
4. Japan: policy response to curtailment
Japan is signaling storage incentives and interconnection reforms to address record curtailments. Project models should explicitly price P50/P90 curtailment risk, while OEMs optimize control strategies for grid services participation.
5. China: 2035 wind+solar ambition
China’s 2035 target envisions 3,600 GW of combined wind and solar. The binding constraint now is integration, not capacity—storage, flexible loads, and transmission will determine actual decarbonisation progress and curtailment exposure.
6. MENA: clean-energy targets expand
Egypt and Saudi Arabia reiterated 2030+ renewables targets with financing packages for wind and solar. Policy tweaks include quicker permitting for hybrid projects and stronger protections for foreign investors, aiming to pull more capital into grid-stressed regions.
Energy Storage & Smart Grids — September 2025
Energy storage and grid digitalization dominated September’s headlines, with breakthroughs in long-duration batteries, new auctions, and AI-enabled virtual power plants. These advances show how storage capacity is no longer optional—it is becoming the backbone of renewable integration, stabilizing grids, and enabling higher penetration of variable resources.1. Italy’s first battery auction awarded
Italy awarded 10 GWh of capacity in its inaugural storage tender, with competitive clearing prices and strong participation. Long-term contracts de-risk investment and accelerate grid-balancing capacity deployment to support rising renewable penetration.
2. UK approves roughly 2.5 GWh of BESS
Planning approvals across the UK totaled about 2.5 GWh in September. Despite grid bottlenecks, developer appetite remains high, indicating confidence in ancillary-service revenues, capacity markets, and merchant opportunities around congestion management.
3. Australia’s eight-hour battery launches
The Limondale 50 MW/8 h battery entered service to shift midday solar into evening peaks. The project illustrates how long-duration storage can mitigate dunkelflaute exposure faster than large pumped-hydro schemes.
4. U.S. virtual power plants expand
Aggregated home batteries, EVs, and smart devices now provide an estimated 37.5 GW of flexible capacity. AI-enabled forecasting and optimization improve dispatch accuracy, reducing imbalance penalties and strengthening value across demand response and time-of-use programs.
5. Australia’s multi-GWh BESS momentum
AGL’s 1,000 MWh Liddell and Stanwell’s 1,200 MWh projects advanced toward commissioning, with synchronous-condenser capabilities improving inertia and frequency stability. Utility-scale storage is becoming foundational to coal retirement pathways.
6. U.S. storage outlook moderates
Forecasts suggest annual storage installations may not surpass 2025 highs until 2029. Supply-chain risks, interconnection delays, and evolving market rules remain the main bottlenecks. Developers should diversify revenue stacks and hedge component sourcing.
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| Key September 2025 data: wind capacity >1.1 TW, solar additions 520 GW YTD, storage 20 GW, hydrogen investments $15B. |
Summary
September 2025 saw global wind capacity rise beyond 1.1 TW, while solar installations crossed 520 GW YTD this year. Energy storage projects added over 20 GW, and hydrogen investments in 2025 exceeded $15B, reshaping market signals worldwide.
Policy frameworks in the U.S. and EU strengthened clean transition goals, driving wind–solar hybrid systems and grid innovation. Renewables are no longer incremental; they are setting new baselines for cost, reliability, and integration across industries.
Frequently Asked Questions
To make this edition more practical, we’ve gathered common questions about renewable energy developments from September 2025. These answers highlight wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen data shaping the transition.
Q1: What was the global wind energy capacity in September 2025?
Global wind power capacity surpassed 1.1 terawatts (TW) in September 2025, driven mainly by offshore projects in Europe and Asia.
Q2: How much solar energy was installed globally in 2025?
By September 2025, global solar installations reached 520 gigawatts (GW) YTD for the year, supported by falling PV module prices and robust incentives.
Q3: What role did energy storage play in September 2025?
Energy storage grew with over 20 GW of new battery projects announced, stabilizing output and boosting hybrid performance.
Q4: How is hydrogen investment shaping the renewable market?
Hydrogen investment in September 2025 exceeded $15 billion, led by major electrolyzer projects in the Middle East and Europe.
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