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August 20, 2026

Rewire. #232 — Thursday, 20 Aug 2026

Rewire. — Morning Briefing
Thursday   20 Aug 2026 · Nº 232
Signal
Germany's dual push to shift offshore wind to CfDs and reform its grids package is drawing coordinated pushback from both industry (offshore wind body) and labor (IG Metall), signaling that policy design risks—not capital—are now the binding constraint on deployment and jobs. Meanwhile, hydrogen bifurcates sharply ahead of RFNBO mandates: Plug Power's abandoned 100MW Belgian project and Sunfire's BASF pilot show speculative capacity retreating while demand-anchored, industrial-offtake plays advance.
AI-generated illustration: steel cable under tension, viewed lengthwise close, fraying at a point of stress where it begins to separate.
Industrial Policy · DE · Wind Power Monthly
German offshore wind body warns of 'substantial risk' in shift to CfDs
The German offshore wind association BWO has proposed adjustments to the country's planned transition to contracts for difference (CfDs), warning of what it describes as substantial risk in the current design. The proposals concern how the CfD mechanism would be structured for future offshore tenders.
Grids Package Source ↗
Grids Package · DE · Wind Power Monthly
IG Metall warns German wind and grid proposals put jobs at risk
Germany's largest trade union, IG Metall, has warned that current proposals affecting wind power and grid expansion could threaten industrial employment. The union's intervention concerns planned changes to the policy framework for network build-out and wind deployment.
Industrial Policy Source ↗
Industrial Policy · ES · Wind Power Monthly
Spain's Repoten 2 scheme directs ~€500m to wind repowering with storage
Spain has launched Repoten 2, a state subsidy programme reported to allocate close to €500 million to accelerate wind repowering, with an added focus on co-located battery storage. The scheme targets the country's ageing onshore wind fleet.
Batteries Source ↗
Hydrogen · DE · Hydrogen Insight
Tyczka acquires German green hydrogen production and refuelling site ahead of RFNBO mandates
German industrial gas firm Tyczka has purchased a green hydrogen production and refuelling site in Germany, citing anticipated domestic RFNBO mandates. The acquisition is positioned in relation to upcoming national consumption requirements for renewable fuels of non-biological origin.
RFNBO Source ↗
Hydrogen · EU · Hydrogen Insight
Plug Power abandons planned 100MW green hydrogen project in Belgium
Plug Power has dropped plans for a 100MW green hydrogen production project in Belgium, according to Hydrogen Insight. The report describes the cancellation of a previously announced European electrolysis project.
RFNBO Source ↗
Hydrogen · DE · Hydrogen Insight
Sunfire begins construction of solid-oxide electrolyser pilot for BASF
German manufacturer Sunfire has started construction of a solid-oxide electrolyser (SOEC) pilot project for BASF. The high-temperature system is intended to demonstrate electrolysis integrated with industrial process heat at a chemical site.
Industrial Policy Source ↗
Batteries · EU · Charged EVs
Molicel unveils INR-21700-P70X cell targeting Li-ion/supercapacitor gap
Molicel has introduced its INR-21700-P70X cylindrical cell, marketed as bridging the performance gap between lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors — implying a focus on very high power density and discharge rate (C-rate). This is a manufacturer product announcement; independently verified performance figures were not provided in the source.
Source ↗
The morning board
Ammonia · unabated fossil
Conventional SMR · $/t NWE
688.25
Ammonia · low-carbon
SMR + CCS · $/t NWE
738.92
Ammonia · RFNBO
Renewable electrolysis · $/t NWE
839.16
EUA
EU Allowance · €/tCO₂
82.17
DE Baseload
Day-ahead · €/MWh
148.22
TTF Natural Gas
Front-month · €/MWh
60.80
Sources: Argus · SMARD.de · ICE/EEX · Full board →
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Rewire.   Markets · Politics · RFNBO
AI-assisted briefing for informational purposes only. Not investment, legal, or regulatory advice. No liability assumed. Views are the author's own.
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Older → Rewire. #231 — Wednesday, 19 Aug 2026
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