Hydropower and Biomass in Europe: Current Market Outlook
Wind power in Europe remains a key contributor, especially offshore wind farms in the North Sea. Europe's wind power sector is a key pillar in its renewable energy landscape, with significant capacity and growth prospects in 2025:
Europe currently has 285 GW of installed wind power capacity, divided into 248 GW onshore and 37 GW offshore. The EU-27 countries account for 231 GW of this capacity, with 210 GW onshore and 21 GW offshore.
In 2024, Europe installed 16.4 GW of new wind power capacity, of which 84% was onshore. The EU-27 installed 12.9 GW, 89% of which was onshore. Germany led the new capacity installations with 4 GW, followed by the UK (1.9 GW) and France (1.7 GW).
Wind energy accounted for approximately 19% of total electricity demand in the EU in 2024, with Denmark having the highest share of wind in its electricity mix at 56%, followed by Ireland, Sweden, Germany, and the UK—each above 30%.
Over 2025-2030, Europe is expected to install an additional 187 GW of wind power capacity (140 GW in the EU-27), averaging about 23 GW annually in the EU.
Approximately 75% of new wind installations in Europe are projected to be onshore, with offshore installations making up the remainder.
The sector faces challenges such as grid bottlenecks and permitting delays, but initiatives like Germany's implementation of the principle of Overriding Public Interest have boosted permitting volumes.
Repowering of old wind farms is expected to increase, leading to higher output with fewer turbines.
Sustained deployment through the 2030s could nearly quadruple wind energy output compared to current levels by 2040.
The UK holds the largest wind power capacity under construction in Europe as of early 2025, followed by Sweden and Finland.
Wind power remains a vital and expanding component of Europe's clean energy transition, supported by substantial investments, policy incentives, and innovation in both onshore and offshore technologies.