EnergyOMNI's Perspectives｜WindEurope Releases 2025 Statistics And The Outlook For 2026-2030

Edited by EnergyOMNI

WindEurope releases Wind energy in Europe: 2025 Statistics And The Outlook For 2026-2030 in February. Europe installed 19.1 GW of new wind power capacity in 2025 17.2 GW onshore and 2.0 GW offshore, while the EU‑27 installed 15.1 GW of new wind capacity in 2025(14.2GW from onshore wind and 0.9GW from offshore wind).

Europe now has 304 GW of installed wind power capacity: 265 GW onshore and 39 GW offshore. 0.9 GW of wind capacity was decommissioned in 2025. As a result, net wind capacity additions in Europe came to 18.2 GW. Total installations fell 15% short of WindEurope's forecast published in 2025. Offshore wind accounted for most of this shortfall due to construction delays.

2GW of offshore wind connected to the grid in 2025, several auction rounds failed

Offshore wind wise, 2 GW of capacity was connected to the grid (rather than newly installed capacity), down from 2.6 GW in 2024. Three countries connected new offshore turbines: the UK (1,049 MW), Germany (503 MW) and France (408 MW).

In the average power rating of offshore wind turbines connected to the grid in Europe rose to 10.7 MW in 2025, up from 10.1 MW in 2024. The average power rating of offshore wind turbine orders placed in 2025 reached 14.6 MW. These turbines will be installed over the coming years.

Eight countries planned to offer support to 17.3 GW of offshore wind capacity in 2025. However, several auction rounds failed. A total of 5.8 GW of offshore wind capacity was awarded 2sided CfDs: 3.4 GW in Poland, 1.5 GW in France, and 0.9 GW in Ireland. The remaining 1 GW was awarded in Germany using a negative bidding model. The failed auctions due to a lack of interest or failing to attract the minimum required number happened in Denmark, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, France and Lithuania in 2025. Many cases in these countries suggests that the economic conditions no longer favour negative bidding model.

Offshore Wind Auctions in 2025

Source: Wind Europe

Offshore wind investments in Europe totalled €22.5bn, financing approximately 5.4 GW of new offshore wind. Poland led the investments, with four of the six projects reaching Final Investment Decision (FID). There was also one in Germany and one in the UK.

Offshore wind installed capacity to reach 73GW by 2030, maintaining a positive outlook for the industry

By 2030, WindEurope expects Europe's installed wind power capacity to reach 439 GW, a 151 GW of new wind power over the period 2026-2030. As for the EU, it expects 112 GW to be installed, at an average rate of 22 GW a year, taking total installed capacity to 343 GW. However, the EU's 2030 target is 425 GW. Offshore wind wise, it expects 73 GW to be installed in Europe, 40GW in EU.

In 2022, many European countries raised their national 2030 offshore wind installation targets. However, implementation has proven challenging. Lengthy administrative procedures, unsuccessful auction rounds, slow grid development, and constraints in port infrastructure and specialised vessels have all hindered progress. In addition, the offshore wind industrial base had historically been designed to manufacture and install only around 3 GW per year. Taken together, these factors have meant that the pace of expansion has struggled to keep up with the newly set targets.

The year 2026 marked an important turning point for offshore wind. In January, at the North Sea Summit held in Hamburg, Germany, the ten North Sea countries issued the "Hamburg Declaration," reaffirming and strengthening their long-term offshore wind ambitions. They committed to reaching 120 GW of installed capacity by 2030 and 300 GW by 2050, and endorsed a plan to install 15 GW annually between 2031 and 2040. These re-established regional objectives signal a strong and coordinated long-term commitment that extends beyond the immediate 2030 horizon.

Although WindEurope has noted that actual offshore wind grid connections by 2030 may fall short of the original targets, it does not expect an overall decline in installations. Rather, it anticipates delays of one to two years in many cases, while maintaining a positive outlook for the industry overall.

Expected new offshore wind installations per country, 2026-2030

Source: Wind Europe, unit: MW
Note: This table lists only a selection of major countries. For the complete data, please refer to the original report.