WindEurope’s annual statistics reveal 2023 was a record year for wind installations and the EU wind energy target for 2030 is within reach.
This is mainly thanks to improvements in permitting and a rebound in investments.
Last year also saw a “major political turnaround” with the EU’s Wind Power Package which 26 governments then endorsed in the European Wind Charter.
The biggest threat to the accelerated expansion of wind is now the timely expansion of Europe’s onshore and offshore electricity grids, said WindEurope.
The European Union installed a record amount of 16.2GW of new wind capacity in 2023, with onshore accounting for 79% and more than 1GW coming from repowering old turbines.
Germany installed the most new capacity followed by the Netherlands and Sweden.
The share of wind in total EU electricity consumption in 2023 was 19%.
Another 8% came from solar.
Renewables accounted for 42% of the electricity mix.
Denmark had the biggest share of wind in its electricity mix with 56%.
The report forecasts that the EU will install on average 29GW a year over 2024-30 taking the EU’s installed wind capacity to 393GW in 2030, compared to the 425GW required to deliver on Europe’s climate and energy targets.
Over 2024-30 two third of new installations will continue to be onshore wind, with offshore wind installations picking up towards the end of the decade.
In 2030 new offshore installations will be almost the same as new onshore installations.
WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson said: “Record volumes are being auctioned and built and governments have committed with the Wind Power Package and Charter to strengthen Europe’s wind energy industry.
“The industry in turn is recovering. Europe’s wind supply chain is returning to profit and building the new factories needed to deliver the EU’s targets.
“We are now confident that we can get close to the EU goal that wind is 35% of electricity by 2030, up from 19% today – provided Europe accelerates the build-out of grids to connect all the new wind farms.”