Europe's Wind Energy Grows in 2025

Written by Martin Lynch, European News Editor for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

Summary

Europe spent 45 billion euro (US$) on new windfarms in 2025, adding 19.1 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy, which was 15% less than WindEurope's original forecast for last year.

Europe added 19.1 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy in 2025, with spending topping 45 billion euro (US$52 billion).

The European Union (EU) accounted for 15.1 GW of the total (79%), which was 16% higher than in 2024 when 13 GW were installed. This brings Europe's wind capacity to 304 GW. The EU had a total of 246 GW of the total installed capacity, comprising 224.5 GW onshore and 21.5 GW offshore. Windfarms accounted for 19% of the bloc's total electricity in 2025.

A Good Year

Industry body WindEurope said it was a good year although the contribution from the offshore wind sector was impacted by delayed construction. It also warned that political considerations to reform the EU electricity market's design and alter the bloc's Emissions Trading System (ETS) threaten future investment. Industrial Info is tracking more than 5,000 European wind energy projects worth US$1.3 trillion in investment. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can click here for the reports. 

"Europe's wind industry is stepping up to the task. In 2025 the industry invested 45 billion euro to make Europe more competitive and secure. But politicians considering to tamper with the EU electricity market design and the architecture of the EU ETS directly undermine these investments. Changing the rules of the game now would be waving goodbye to competitiveness and energy security", said WindEurope Chief Executive Officer Tinne van der Straeten.

Onshore vs. Offshore

Onshore wind continued to be the driving force behind the growth, with 90% of all new capacity being installed on land. 2025 was a record year for onshore wind, with more than 17 GW of new onshore wind capacity added. Repowering accounted for 2 GW of this figure, while onshore wind installations were fairly spread across Europe with 9 countries installing more than 500 MW. Lithuania was the most active market, adding 759 MW to increase its total capacity by more than 40%. Wind supplied 33% of Lithuania's electricity demand in 2025 as the country led the charge by Baltic countries bordering Russia to decouple from Russia's power grid and be less dependent on fossil fuel imports.

During 2025, Europe connected 2 GW of new offshore wind capacity to the grid, the lowest installation figure in a decade. Only three countries connected new offshore wind turbines: the U.K., Germany and France. WindEurope said the slump was in part due to delays in construction but expects a catch-up effect in 2026. 

Most Active Markets

Germany built the most new capacity (5.2 GW), followed by Turkey (2.1 GW), Sweden (1.8 GW) and Spain (1.6 GW), all dominated by onshore wind. Wind supplied 19% of all electricity consumed in the EU‑27 last year but the share was much higher in several countries, hitting 50% in Denmark, 33% in Lithuania and Ireland, 31% in the U.K., and 30% in Sweden. 

Hurdles 

Three key areas continue to be causing issues, with insufficient electricity grid build-out and grid connection queues remaining the number one bottleneck. Faster implementation of the EU Grids Package is needed, WindEurope stated. It claimed that governments are not doing enough to electrify industry, mobility and heating. The slow uptake of electrification is increasingly undermining the business case for new wind. With regard to permitting, most Member States are dragging their feet on accelerating the permitting process, despite the EU's Renewable Energy Directive. "Permitting is worsening rather than improving in most Member States," it stated. "The European Commission has initiated infringement procedures against 26 of 27 EU Member States for failing to implement these measures. In times of declining industrial competitiveness and high power prices, these delays are unacceptable."

Future Outlook

WindEurope predicts that Europe will install 151 GW of new wind power capacity over the 2026-2030 period, with the EU-27 accounting for 112 GW of this--22 GW a year on average. This would bring total installations in Europe to 439 GW and in the EU to 343 GW by 2030. This remains well below the EU's target of 425 GW on wind energy by 2030. 

Key Takeaways

• Europe added 19.1 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy in 2025, with 79% added in the European Union (EU). 
• Onshore wind accounted for 90% of all new installations while the offshore sector faltered, adding just 2 GW.
• Industrial Info is tracking more than 5,000 European wind energy projects worth US$1.3 trillion in investment. 

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Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).