Europe built 16,400MW of wind energy, 13,000MW in the EU, less than half of what the EU needs to deliver on its energy security targets, according to WindEurope’s 2024 Statistics out today.
Poor permitting, slow grid build-out and insufficient electrification are holding back the expansion of wind, the representative body said.
Also published today, Outlook for 2025-30 shows that the annual build-out should double by the end of this decade.
If we can sustain that level, then wind can deliver the bulk of the clean electricity required to deliver on the EU’s Clean Industrial Deal, WindEurope said.
Of the 16.4GW built in Europe in 2024, 84% of that was onshore wind.
Germany installed the most new wind capacity, more than 4GW.
The UK, France, Finland, Türkiye, Spain and Sweden all built more than 1GW.
The share of wind in Europe’s electricity consumption was 20%. In Denmark it was 56%.
Eight other countries got at least a quarter of their electricity from wind – among them Germany, the UK and the Netherlands.
€32bn of investments were finalised in new wind farms that will be built in the coming, totalling 20GW of new capacity.
Europe awarded more new wind capacity in Government auctions than ever before.
The 37GW awarded (29GW in the EU) are in theory good news for the future pipeline and build-out.
WindEurope expects Europe to install 186GW of new wind power between 2025-2030, 139GW in the EU.
But unless Governments deliver on accelerating permitting and expanding the grid, many of these projects will get delayed, it said.
WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson said: “Europe’s wind energy continues to grow but only at half the rate we need.
“That’s a huge missed opportunity. Every wind turbine built in Europe helps bring down electricity prices for businesses and households.
“Three things are holding us back: cumbersome permitting, slow grid build-out and insufficient electrification.”