EU Must Build Clean Firm Power Alongside Renewables to Ensure Grid Reliability

A new report by climate innovation think tank Future Cleantech Architects warns that Europe's rapid solar and wind expansion must be matched by investment in clean firm power and long-duration storage to deliver affordable, reliable, zero-carbon electricity. The report identifies next-generation geothermal, modernised hydropower, and nuclear as the three priority clean firm power technologies.

The report argues that variable renewables alone cannot cover prolonged periods of low generation known in the energy sector as Dunkelflaute — stretches of days or weeks when both wind and solar output are near zero. Batteries and short-duration storage can manage most short-term fluctuations but are insufficient for longer supply gaps. Europe's technical geothermal potential alone is equivalent to 35 times its current installed electricity generation capacity, according to the analysis.

A representative survey of more than 4,000 Germans conducted in May 2026 found that 65 per cent support more solar in their region and 45 per cent support additional geothermal projects, with geothermal showing relatively consistent cross-partisan support. Nuclear and onshore wind remain divided along political lines. The report broadly rejects carbon capture and bioenergy as priority pathways for Europe's future electricity system.

The authors call on EU policymakers to include clean firm power in decarbonisation strategies, reform electricity markets to compete on carbon intensity and reliability, and expand public guarantees and blended finance for first-of-a-kind projects. The report recommends faster permitting, expanded support through Horizon Europe and the EU Innovation Fund, and cross-member coordination to strengthen supply chains. The findings are relevant to India's own grid reliability challenges as solar and wind penetration increases without commensurate storage and firm power capacity.

Key figure — 35 times — Europe's geothermal potential versus current installed capacity