Photo: WindEurope
Wind power will power 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe (19% in the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a target to increase this share to 34% by 2030 and more than 50% by 2050.
To stay on track, the EU needs to install 30 GW of new wind farms annually, but has managed just 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. This is what is holding the European Union back from achieving its wind energy growth targets.
Three big problems hinder wind energy in Europe
The growth of wind energy in Europe is stalling for three main reasons:
Allow delays. Many governments have not implemented the new EU permit rules, making it difficult for projects to move forward.
Network connection bottlenecks. Over 500 gigawatts (!) of potential wind capacity are stuck in grid connection queues.
Slow electrification. The European economy is not booming fast enough to drive demand for more renewable energy.
Giles Dixon, CEO of the Brussels-based trade association WindEurope, summed it up: “The EU must urgently address all three problems. More wind means cheaper energy, which means greater competitiveness.”
Allow: Germany sets the standard
Granting permits remains a major roadblock, despite new EU rules aimed at simplifying the process. In fact, the situation will worsen in 2024 in many countries. The bright spot? Germany. By adopting EU permitting rules – with measures such as binding deadlines and treating wind energy as a public interest priority – Germany has approved a record 15 gigawatts of new onshore wind capacity in 2024. That’s seven times more than five years ago.
If other governments follow Germany’s lead, Europe will be able to unleash the full potential of wind energy and enhance energy security.
Network communications: a growing crisis
Access to the electricity grid is now the biggest obstacle to wind energy deployment. It’s not just long queues, Europe’s network infrastructure is not expanding fast enough to keep up with demand. A striking example of this is the 900 MW Borkum Rifgrund 3 offshore wind farm in Germany. The turbines are ready to go, but connection to the grid won’t be ready until 2026.
This issue is not isolated. Governments need to accelerate grid expansion if they are serious about achieving renewable energy goals.
Electricity: backwardness
Wind energy growth is also linked to how quickly Europe electrifies its economy. Currently, electricity represents only 23% of total energy consumption in the European Union. This must jump to 61% by 2050 to meet climate targets. However, electrification efforts in key sectors such as transport, heating and industry are moving very slowly.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Energy Commissioner Dan Jorgensen with drafting an action plan for electrification. That can’t come soon enough.
More wind farms have been awarded, but challenges remain
On the plus side, governments across Europe have awarded a record 37 GW of new wind capacity (29 GW in the EU) in 2024. But without faster permitting, better grid connections, and increased electrification, these awards will not translate into clean energy. – Producing wind farms that Europe desperately needs.
Investments and corporate interests
Total investments in wind energy will reach €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of new capacity. While onshore wind investment remained strong at €24 billion, offshore wind financing saw a decline. Final investment decisions for offshore projects remain difficult due to slow permitting and network delays.
Business consumers continue to show strong interest in wind energy. Half of the total electricity contracted under power purchase agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind energy. The capacity allocated to wind energy was 4 GW out of a total of 12 GW of renewable energy agreements.
Read more: Renewables could meet nearly half of global electricity demand by 2030 – IEA
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