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Opinion

European Power & Renewables: what to look for in 2026

Predictions for the year ahead

1 minute read

Peter Osbaldstone

Research Director, Europe Power

Peter is a research director with more than a decade’s experience in European power and renewables markets.

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Brian Gaylord

Principal Analyst, Integrated Research Team - Power & Renewables

Brian produces analysis across power and renewables technologies and regions.

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Oliver McHugh

Senior EV Charging Research Analyst

Oliver analyses the global EV charging market, with a focus on North America.

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Charles Coppins

Research Analyst, Global Wind O&M

Charles covers global onshore wind O&M and turbine end-of-life solutions.

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Sasha Bond-Smith

Research Analyst, EMEA Wind

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Juan Monge

Principal Analyst, Distributed Solar, Europe

Juan covers distributed solar market developments across Europe.

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Isabel Nieto

Storage Research Analyst | Energy transition & market intelligence

Isabel is a research analyst focused on the European, Middle East and African storage markets.

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Anna Darmani

Principal Analyst, Energy Storage EMEA

Anna is a principal analyst focused on the European, Middle East and African storage markets.

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Europe enters 2026 at a pivotal moment in its energy transition. With recent years marked by volatility, price shocks, and the fastpaced deployment of renewables, the power system is showing early signs of stabilising into a more mature – though still materially constrained – market environment. Structural reforms initiated in recent years begin to take effect in 2026, shaping how market participants invest, operate and compete across the value chain.

The central theme of 2026 is transition under pressure: the pressure to integrate unprecedented levels of renewables; the pressure to deliver secure, affordable power; and the pressure to reform regulatory frameworks fast enough to keep pace with the physical system.

In our recent report, European power and renewables: what to look for in 2026, our experts draw on analysis from Wood Mackenzie Lens Power & Renewables to explore and answer the following themes and questions: 

  • Will easing power prices undermine the pace and economics of electrification in Europe?
  • Is grid resilience becoming the defining constraint on Europe’s power transition?
  • Has flexibility moved from a market add-on to a core system requirement?
  • Are renewables entering an era of optimisation rather than pure capacity growth?
  • How will emerging electrification loads reshape Europe’s power markets and infrastructure priorities?

Fill in the form at the top of the page to access this complimentary report, which explores all of these themes and more.

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