Wind power powered 20% of all electrical energy consumed in Europe (19% within the EU) in 2024, and the EU has set a purpose to develop this share to 34% by 2030 and greater than 50% by 2050.
To remain on observe, the EU wants to put in 30 GW of recent wind farms yearly, but it surely solely managed 13 GW in 2024 – 11.4 GW onshore and 1.4 GW offshore. That is what’s holding the EU again from reaching its wind development targets.
Three large issues holding Europe’s wind energy again
Europe’s wind energy development is stalling for 3 key causes:
Allowing delays. Many governments haven’t applied the EU’s new allowing guidelines, making it more durable for initiatives to maneuver ahead.
Grid connection bottlenecks. Over 500 GW(!) of potential wind capability is caught in grid connection queues.
Sluggish electrification. Europe’s economic system isn’t electrifying quick sufficient to drive demand for extra renewable power.
Brussels-based commerce affiliation WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson summed it up: “The EU should urgently sort out all three issues. Extra wind means cheaper energy, which implies elevated competitiveness.”
Allowing: Germany units the usual
Allowing stays a large roadblock, regardless of new EU guidelines geared toward streamlining the method. The truth is, the state of affairs worsened in 2024 in lots of nations. The brilliant spot? Germany. By embracing the EU’s allowing guidelines — with measures like binding deadlines and treating wind power as a public curiosity precedence — Germany authorized a report 15 GW of recent onshore wind in 2024. That’s seven instances greater than 5 years in the past.
If different governments observe Germany’s lead, Europe might unlock the total potential of wind power and bolster power safety.
Grid connections: a rising disaster
Entry to the electrical energy grid is now the largest impediment to deploying wind power. And it’s not nearly lengthy queues — Europe’s grid infrastructure isn’t increasing quick sufficient to maintain up with demand. A obvious instance is Germany’s 900-megawatt (MW) Borkum Riffgrund 3 offshore wind farm. The generators are able to go, however the grid connection gained’t be in place till 2026.
This concern isn’t remoted. Governments must speed up grid growth in the event that they’re critical about assembly renewable power targets.
Electrification: falling behind
Wind power’s development can be tied to how rapidly Europe electrifies its economic system. Proper now, electrical energy accounts for simply 23% of the EU’s whole power consumption. That should soar to 61% by 2050 to align with local weather targets. Nonetheless, electrification efforts in key sectors like transportation, heating, and trade are shifting too slowly.
European Fee president Ursula von der Leyen has tasked Power Commissioner Dan Jørgensen with crafting an Electrification Motion Plan. That may’t come quickly sufficient.
Extra wind farms awarded, however challenges persist
On a optimistic observe, governments throughout Europe awarded a report 37 GW of recent wind capability (29 GW within the EU) in 2024. However with out quicker allowing, higher grid connections, and elevated electrification, these awards gained’t translate into the clear energy-producing wind farms Europe desperately wants.
Investments and company curiosity
Investments in wind power totaled €31 billion in 2024, financing 19 GW of recent capability. Whereas onshore wind investments remained robust at €24 billion, offshore wind funding noticed a dip. Remaining funding choices for offshore initiatives stay difficult on account of gradual allowing and grid delays.
Company customers proceed to point out robust curiosity in wind power. Half of all electrical energy contracted underneath Energy Buy Agreements (PPAs) in 2024 was wind. Devoted wind PPAs have been 4 GW out of a complete of 12 GW of renewable PPAs.
Learn extra: Renewables might meet virtually half of worldwide electrical energy demand by 2030 – IEA
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