7 100% Renewables Countries Hit Q1 Milestone, Fuel €120B EU Surge

Key Takeaways

• 7 countries generated 100% renewable electricity in Q1 2026, per Ember data.
• EU green tech investments hit EUR 120 billion in 2025, up 25% YoY (EIB).
• Albania's hydropower hit 102% excess output, exporting to EU grids.

Seven 100% renewable electricity countries achieved 100% renewable electricity in Q1 2026. Ember released the data on April 13, 2026.

Iceland, Norway, Albania, Paraguay, Uruguay, Kenya, and Bhutan led. They relied fully on hydro, wind, solar, and geothermal. European Commission officials hailed these models for the EU energy transition.

100% Renewable Electricity Countries Pioneer Renewables

Iceland hit 100.3% renewable electricity from 72% geothermal and 28% hydro (IRENA). Norway reached 100% with 98.7% hydro and wind filling gaps.

Dave Jones, Ember's Head of Data, noted Norway exported 15 TWh surplus to EU neighbors in Q1. EEA members like these supply green power to Germany and Denmark. Exports cut EU import reliance by 8%.

Albania became Europe's third 100% achiever. Hydropower generated 102% of demand, per Albania's Energy Ministry via BloombergNEF.

Albania's Hydropower Excess Fuels EU Grids

Albania's 3.5 GW hydro capacity overproduced 2 TWh in Q1 2026. Exports to Italy and Montenegro rose 22% (BloombergNEF, April 13).

Flows stabilize Balkan grids during EU enlargement talks. IRENA Director-General Francesco La Camera praised Albania at a Vienna conference. He forecast EUR 5 billion in regional hydro investments by 2028.

EU candidate status speeds funding. The European Commission allocated EUR 1.2 billion via IPA III for grid upgrades (European Commission).

Global 100% Renewable Electricity Countries Inspire EU Scaling

Paraguay reached 100% with 90% hydro from Itaipu Dam. Uruguay hit the mark with 45% wind and 10% solar since 2023.

Kenya's geothermal covered 92% baseload, plus wind and solar. Bhutan exported 70% of its 100% hydro to India.

BloombergNEF's Liam McLaughlin compared them to EU laggards. Germany's 2025 renewable share stood at 52%, Spain's at 61% (Eurostat).

EU Green Investments Surge on Renewable Milestones

EU green tech financing reached EUR 120 billion in 2025, up 25% from 2024 (European Investment Bank). Q1 2026 venture capital targeted solar PV and offshore wind.

Denmark's Orsted secured EUR 2.5 billion for North Sea farms. Portugal's EDP Renovaveis raised EUR 1.8 billion for Iberian solar.

ING's Global Head of Macro Research Carsten Brzeski tied milestones to confidence. "Leaders narrow the gap to EU average via tech transfers," he wrote April 13.

Battery storage drew EUR 15 billion (EIB). Sweden's Northvolt boosted gigafactory output 50% for wind support.

Cross-Country Divergences Shape EU Financing

EIB data shows Germany invested EUR 28 billion in renewables, emphasizing grid tech amid Energiewende. Spain directed EUR 22 billion to solar, adding 15 GW capacity (REE). Greece trailed at EUR 8 billion due to debt rules.

Lower ECB rates since 2025 eased borrowing.

AI grid optimization attracted EUR 3.2 billion (BloombergNEF). Siemens Energy rolled out AI forecasting in 12 member states, cutting curtailment 18%.

VC firms funded green hydrogen. Plug Power's EU arm raised EUR 1.1 billion for Dutch electrolyzers.

Tech Innovations Bridge EU Supply Gaps

Perovskites lifted solar efficiency to 28% in labs (Fraunhofer ISE). The European Commission funded EUR 500 million commercialization via Horizon Europe.

Baltic floating offshore wind scales up. Denmark-Poland ventures target 10 GW by 2030.

AI digital twins manage hybrids. Vestas added machine learning to 5 GW turbines.

EU exports equipment to Albania and Kenya worth EUR 4.5 billion (Eurostat).

ECB Policy Backs EU Transition Economics

ECB Governing Council held rates at 3.25% on April 12, signaling green bond buys (ECB). Eurozone green issuance hit EUR 450 billion in 2025 (ECB).

Inflation fell to 2.1% (ECB) with energy savings. Renewables slashed import bills by EUR 60 billion vs. 2022 peaks (EIB).

Brzeski projects 3% GDP growth from transition by 2030. Spain's green sector unemployment dropped to 5.2% (Eurostat).

These 100% renewable electricity countries inspire EU scaling. Ember's next report on July 13, 2026, tracks if eight exceed their milestones.