Wind power contributed 20 percent of Europe’s electricity consumption last year, but annual capacity additions were significantly below the level needed to meet the European Union’s 2030 climate and energy goals.
Europe built 15 GW of new wind energy in 2024, including 13 GW offshore and 2 GW onshore, with EU countries contributing 13 GW.
To achieve its targets, the EU must increase annual additions to 30 GW. The EU aims for wind power to account for 34 percent of electricity by 2030 and over 50 percent by 2050.
Challenges in the offshore wind sector include infrastructure bottlenecks, grid connection delays, permitting issues, and rising component costs. Investment in offshore wind has slowed, complicating final investment decisions.
WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson identified insufficient application of permitting rules, delayed grid connections, and a slow pace of electrification as major barriers to progress.