WindEurope published its annual report in February 2026, featuring the latest data for 2025 and its strategic outlook for 2026-2030
A Record Year for Integration
In 2025, wind energy solidified its position as a cornerstone of the European power system, supplying 19% of all electricity consumed in the EU-27. Several nations achieved even higher penetrations, led by Denmark at 50%, followed by Lithuania and Ireland at 33%.
Europe installed a total of 19.1 GW of new capacity last year, with the EU-27 accounting for 15.1 GW. Onshore wind remains the dominant driver, representing 90% of all new builds in 2025. Germany led the continent in new installations, followed by Türkiye and Sweden.
Investment and Policy Momentum
Confidence in the sector remains high, with investments in new wind farms reaching €45bn in 2025. Final Investment Decisions (FIDs) were secured for 20.9 GW of future capacity. Additionally, governments awarded 29.4 GW in new auctions across 10 countries. While the total awarded volume was slightly lower than in 2024, the market was bolstered by the UK’s record-breaking Allocation Round 7, which awarded 9.7 GW in early 2026.
The 2030 Outlook: A Call for Delivery
Looking ahead, Europe is projected to install an average of 30 GW per year between 2026 and 2030, bringing total capacity to 439 GW. However, at the current pace, the EU is expected to reach 343 GW by 2030—still significantly below its target of 425 GW.
To bridge this gap and strengthen Europe’s industrial competitiveness, focus must shift to three critical areas:
- Grid Modernization: Overcoming bottlenecks to integrate new capacity.
- Permitting Reform: Fully implementing new EU rules to accelerate deployment.
- Policy Stability: Preserving investment certainty within the EU Emissions Trading System and electricity market design.
Accelerating electrification is not just a climate goal; it is an economic imperative to reduce fossil fuel imports and secure hundreds of thousands of European jobs.
>> Read the full report Wind energy in Europe 2025: Statistics and the outlook for 2026-2030
