Wind energy provided 14% of the EU’s electricity last year, up from 12% in 2017, despite an over 30% fall in deployment rates in 2018, according to data produced by WindEurope.
Europe’s wind power capacity rose by 11.3GW in 2018, comprising 8.6GW onshore and 2.65GW offshore.
At the end of last year, Europe had 189GW of wind power capacity, based on 171GW onshore and 18GW offshore and accounted for 49% of all the new power generation capacity in the continent in 2018.
Continued growth in capacity plus more powerful turbines have helped drive up wind’s share in the electricity mix, WindEurope said.
The representative group’s analysis found that Denmark had the highest share of wind in its electricity mix in 2018, at 41%, followed by Ireland at 28%, Portugal at 24% and Germany at 21%.
However, the amount of new wind capacity installed in 2018 was down a third on 2017, which was a record year, according to the study. Wind energy won 9GW of new capacity in auctions last year, compared to 13GW in 2017.
According to the analysis, the number of new onshore wind farms dried up in the UK.
Last year was a record year for new wind capacity financed, with 17GW of future projects reaching final investment decision, comprised of 13GW onshore and 4.2GW offshore, a 45% rise on 2017, but only 20% more in terms of euros invested, showing that costs are continuing to fall, said the trade body.
According to WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson while wind energy now provides 14% of the EU’s electricity, there are still issues. “Last year was the worst year for new wind energy installations since 2011.
“Growth in onshore wind fell by over half in Germany and collapsed in the UK. And 12 EU countries didn’t install a single wind turbine last year,” he said.
Dickson said that despite the level of investment in future capacity, there continues to be structural problems in permitting, especially in Germany and France.
“And with the noble exception of Lithuania and despite improvements in Poland, there’s a lack of ambition in Central and Eastern Europe,” said Dickson.
According to Dickson the 2030 National Energy and Climate Plans are a chance to address challenges facing the sector.
He said: “But the draft Plans are badly lacking in detail: on policy measures, auction volumes, how to ease permitting and remove other barriers to wind investments, and how to expand the grid.
“Governments need to sort this out before they finalise the plans this year.”