Europe accelerates wind energy deployment, but additional efforts are needed to meet 2030 targets

Europe installed 12.9 GW of new wind capacity in 2024, but further efforts are required to meet its climate commitments, with 140 GW of investments expected between 2025 and 2030.

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The European Union registered the installation of 12.9 GW of new wind energy capacity in 2024, consisting of 10.3 GW of onshore wind and 2.6 GW of offshore wind. This allowed wind to account for approximately 19% of electricity production in Europe. However, to meet the EU’s energy transition goals, this pace must intensify. According to Wind Europe forecasts, approximately 140 GW of new capacity needs to be installed between 2025 and 2030, with an annual target of 23 GW. The EU aims to increase its total capacity to 351 GW by 2030, though this remains insufficient when considering the full decarbonisation target by 2050.

Wind Energy Capacity and Production

Wind energy has become a central pillar of electricity production in Europe. In 2024, it contributed to covering about 19% of Europe’s energy demand. This share must increase significantly for the EU to achieve its goal of 42.5% renewable energy in its gross final energy consumption by 2030, with a strengthened target of 45%. The implementation of incentivising measures and creating a conducive investment environment is crucial to maintaining this momentum, especially as clean energy demand grows rapidly.

EU Offshore Wind Targets

The EU has also made strong commitments regarding offshore wind. The revision of the Regulation on Trans-European Networks for Energy (RTE-E) introduces offshore capacity targets for member states, setting interim goals for 2030 and 2040, with a global target of 86 to 89 GW by 2030. Deploying such offshore capacity is seen as essential for ensuring Europe’s energy transition while strengthening grid resilience.

European Initiatives Supporting the Wind Sector

The REPowerEU plan, adopted in 2022, focuses on accelerating renewable energy investments to reduce Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. This plan has led to a significant increase in installed wind and solar capacities, reaching 78 GW of new capacity in 2024. EU funding programmes, such as Horizon Europe and LIFE, have supported numerous projects in wind energy, particularly in cross-border infrastructure. Furthermore, in 2023, the European Commission introduced the “Wind Power Package” to accelerate wind energy deployment by simplifying permitting procedures, facilitating access to finance, and improving auction designs for renewables.

Impact on Employment and Competitiveness

The renewable energy sector, including wind, has experienced notable employment growth in Europe. In 2020, approximately 1.3 million people were employed in the renewable energy sector. This figure reached 1.8 million in 2023 and is expected to continue growing. Wind energy alone could generate up to 936,000 new jobs by 2030. Moreover, recent technological advancements, such as more efficient wind turbines, have helped make wind energy more competitive compared to other energy sources, providing further growth potential for the European economy.

German group wpd takes over the teams and a portfolio of 17 wind projects from Calycé, consolidating its position in the French market and expanding its regional presence, particularly in the Grand Est, with the support of Envinergy.
SPIE Wind Connect partners with Van Oord to connect and test 21 high-voltage cables for the Windanker offshore wind farm, marking a key milestone in the development of Germany’s offshore wind sector.
Envision Energy and FERA Australia announce an agreement to develop up to 1 GW of wind and 1.5 GWh of storage on the Australian market, laying the foundation for a new hybrid power plant model.
German group RWE has completed installation of all 100 monopile foundations at Sofia, a 1.4 GW offshore wind farm located 195 kilometres from the British coast, marking a major step in the construction of the project.
Greece’s wind sector reaches a new milestone with 5.5 GW installed, driven by 37 new turbines and €180 mn in investments during the first half of 2025, according to ELETAEN.
Nomura Real Estate has signed a power purchase agreement for its new Tokyo headquarters with wpd and GPSS Group, supplying the Higashi Izu Furusato wind project with a capacity of 7.48 MW.
Energiequelle completes the commissioning of two Enercon E-160 turbines in Raßlitz, replacing previous models and increasing the installed capacity of the Saxony site more than fivefold.
Ørsted has completed a $2.75bn project financing with 25 banks and five export credit agencies for the 632 MW Greater Changhua 2 offshore wind farm in Taiwan, strengthening its industrial partnership strategy. —
Masdar and Iberdrola announce a joint investment of €5.2 billion in the East Anglia THREE offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom and full commissioning of the German Baltic Eagle project (476 MW).
Energiekontor AG has secured contracts for four wind projects with a total capacity of 125 megawatts, following the Federal Network Agency's May 2025 tender in Germany.
Ecopetrol S.A. finalises the acquisition of Wind Autogeneración from Enel S.A.S., thereby taking over the Windpeshi wind project in Colombia, with a planned capacity of 205 MW, aimed at the Colombian oil group's energy self-consumption.
Oceanic Wind Energy Inc. and Coast Tsimshian Enterprises Ltd. secured an exclusive investigative use permit in the Hecate Strait, paving the way for Canada's first major offshore wind project, targeting capacity of up to 700 MW.
German manufacturer Nordex will supply 13 N163/6.X wind turbines to developer SAB WindTeam for a 91 MW wind farm in Brandenburg, with commissioning scheduled for early 2027 and an extended 20-year service agreement.
EDF is delaying the start-up of the Calvados offshore wind farm by more than two years, citing extended adjustments to a drilling tool vital for installing the sixty-four monopile foundations off Courseulles-sur-Mer.
German company NeXtWind signs historic €1.4 billion debt financing to accelerate expansion and modernisation of its onshore wind farms and reach a total capacity of 3 GW by 2028.
Energy company TGS has won a major high-resolution geophysical imaging contract for offshore wind site characterization in Norway, strengthening its position in this rapidly growing market.
Iberdrola Australia secures crucial approval from Australian authorities to begin metocean studies for its 3GW Aurora Green offshore project off the coast of Victoria, marking a decisive stage in its development.
ENGIE begins full operation of the Red Sea Wind Energy wind farm in Egypt, increasing its capacity to 650 MW, four months ahead of schedule, now powering over one million homes in the region.
Tokyo Gas, through TOWII Renewables, a joint venture with EWII, purchases two onshore wind projects developed by Finnish company Puhuri, totalling 74.4 MW, marking its expansion beyond the Danish market.
The European Investment Bank grants EWE AG historic €450mn financing for the installation of 2,600 km of underground power lines and the upgrade of over 1,100 substations in Lower Saxony.