Europe added 8.8 GW of new wind power capacity in the first six months of 2026, putting the continent on course for a record year, according to WindEurope’s latest market data.
The first-half additions were 30% higher than in the same period last year, with Germany accounting for 3.4 GW. The UK added 789 MW and Spain 612 MW. Offshore wind contributed 2.3 GW of the total, while onshore projects accounted for 6.5 GW.
The expansion brought Europe’s installed wind capacity above 311 GW at the end of June, including 270.5 GW of onshore and 40.9 GW of offshore capacity. The EU-27 accounted for 7.1 GW of the new capacity installed during the period.
WindEurope expects around 24 GW of new wind capacity to be installed across Europe during 2026. The industry association says the pace could mark the beginning of a longer-term increase towards annual installations of around 30 GW during the 2030s.
Investment and project awards also point to continued growth. Around €9 billion was raised for new European wind farms in the first half, financing 5.2 GW of projects expected to be built in coming years. Governments awarded support for 17.2 GW of wind capacity through auctions, including 8.4 GW of offshore wind.
However, WindEurope warned that installation growth could be constrained by bottlenecks elsewhere in the development chain. Permitting volumes fell in several major markets, including Spain, France, the UK, Italy and Ireland, while grid capacity and connection queues remain concerns.
Germany provides a contrasting example, approving more than 9 GW of new onshore wind permits in the first half.
WindEurope CEO Tinne Van der Straeten said government decisions on “permitting, auctions, grids and electrification” would determine whether the current momentum continues.
The association forecasts 436 GW of total wind capacity in Europe by 2030, including 342 GW in the EU.
