Global wind energy capacity is on track to cross 2 terawatts by 2030, reinforcing the increasingly strong link between renewable energy deployment and economic growth, according to new data released by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) at the World Economic Forum in Davos on 21 January.
The year 2025 marked a record for new wind power installations worldwide. GWEC Market Intelligence has raised its global wind installation forecast for 2025 by 8.8 percent, or 13.3 gigawatts, taking the total to 150 gigawatts. This momentum places the global wind industry firmly on a trajectory to pass the 2 terawatt milestone by the end of the decade, with Asia-Pacific markets outside China accounting for 12 percent of global wind installations by 2030.
Asia Drives Record Wind Capacity Additions
Accelerated growth across Asia was a key driver of the record performance in 2025. India achieved a new national high with 6.3 gigawatts of wind capacity installed during the year. Europe added 16.5 gigawatts, around 5 gigawatts more than in 2024, reflecting a rebound in project execution and policy support.
In the United States, more than 7 gigawatts of new wind capacity is expected to come online, while China continues to dominate global additions. China is on course to surpass 100 gigawatts of new installations in 2025, with 89 gigawatts already installed by the end of November. Overall, global wind installations are estimated to exceed 150 gigawatts in 2025, underscoring the sector’s rapid expansion.
Wind Energy Becomes Central to GDP Growth
By 2030, expanding wind capacity is expected to help countries such as Vietnam, Australia and the Philippines narrow the gap with Europe’s mature wind markets. These economies increasingly view renewable energy as essential to meeting GDP growth targets while managing emissions and energy security.
As economic growth becomes decoupled from rising carbon emissions, wind energy is emerging as a cornerstone of future energy systems. Its scalability, cost competitiveness and domestic supply potential are making it the preferred renewable technology for countries seeking clean and secure power to support industrialization, urbanization and electrification.
Ben Backwell, Chief Executive Officer of GWEC, said the latest figures highlight a two-way relationship between wind energy and economic expansion. Fast-growing economies are driving wind deployment, and wind energy is in turn supporting higher growth rates. In China, an estimated 225,000 wind turbines generate more than 1.2 gigawatt-hours of electricity, helping reduce reliance on thermal power even as energy consumption reaches new highs. In India, record wind additions alongside rapid solar growth are helping meet surging electricity demand. In the United Kingdom, the AR7 auction is expected to unlock £22 billion in private investment, further illustrating the economic impact of wind energy.
Emerging Markets Gain Momentum
GWEC sees strong momentum building in the next wave of emerging wind markets, including Vietnam, South Korea and the Philippines. These countries are scaling up wind capacity to meet rising industrial demand at the lowest cost, while strengthening energy security and reducing exposure to fossil fuel price volatility.
Girish Tanti, Vice-Chairman of GWEC, noted that the world is entering an energy-intensive growth phase in which wind energy is proving to be the backbone. Global wind installations are set to exceed 150 gigawatts in 2025, up from 94 gigawatts just four years ago, largely driven by Asia’s fast-growing economies. By 2030, global wind capacity is expected to surpass 2 terawatts, with Asia-Pacific markets outside China contributing an increasing share of new additions.
Wind Power Shapes the Next Phase of Global Growth
The expansion of wind energy is set to define the next era of economic development. Countries that fail to embrace clean, secure generation and the new industries it enables risk falling behind as global energy systems evolve.
China is expected to report GDP growth of around 5 percent in 2025, while the International Monetary Fund forecasts approximately 6 percent growth for India, 7 percent for Vietnam and 6 percent for the Philippines. These economies serve a combined population of around 4.75 billion people across the Asia-Pacific region, which currently consumes about half of global energy and is projected to increase energy consumption by 60 percent by 2040.
Emerging and developing economies already account for more than 80 percent of global energy demand growth. As this demand accelerates, wind energy is playing a critical role in delivering a clean, secure and future-focused power system, positioning it as a foundation of the emerging Age of Electricity.
BABURAJAN KIZHAKEDATH
