In the first half of 2023, 331 onshore wind turbines with a cumulative capacity of 1565MW were installed in Germany.
Deutsche WindGuard on behalf of BWE and VDMA Power Systems has gathered the data.
Gross additions in the first half of 2023 are already 65% of the additions for 2022 as a whole.
Despite the existing challenges, the upper range of the association forecast of 2.7GW to 3.2GW is expected to be achieved.
The associations are positive about the measures taken by the federal government to date and the current dynamics in terms of expansion and approvals but stated they are “still far from sufficient” to meet the expansion path of 10GW per year from 2025.
Bärbel Heidebroek, President of the German Wind Energy Association BWE, said: “The current expansion is mainly based on the permits of previous years. Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia lead the expansion ranking at a subdued level and benefit from the weakness of other federal states in terms of expansion.
“In southern Germany in particular, expansion continues to falter, but there is also considerable room for improvement in the leading countries.
“The sharp increase in permits is based on North Rhine-Westphalia, Schleswig-Holstein, Lower Saxony and, to a lesser extent, Brandenburg.
“These are too few countries! Significantly more speed is now needed in all countries.
“In order to achieve the targeted annual expansion of 10GW, at least 12GW must be newly approved.”