Despite wind power providing 20% of Europe’s electricity in 2024, the European Union is lagging behind in building the wind energy infrastructure needed to meet its ambitious 2030 climate and energy targets, according to industry group WindEurope.
Key Insights
- Insufficient Capacity Growth: Europe added 15 gigawatts (GW) of new wind energy capacity in 2024, comprising 13 GW of offshore and 2 GW of onshore wind.
- Shortfall Against Targets: The EU contributed 13 GW of this total but needs to build at least 30 GW annually to meet its 2030 goal of wind power accounting for 34% of electricity consumption. The target rises to over 50% by 2050.
Challenges Hindering Progress
- Permitting Issues: Many EU governments are failing to implement streamlined permitting processes, delaying project approvals.
- Grid Connection Bottlenecks: Infrastructure and logistics challenges have slowed the connection of new wind farms to the grid.
- Economic Electrification Lag: Europe’s transition to an electrified economy is not progressing quickly enough to integrate the growing wind power capacity.
Industry Context
The offshore wind sector has faced significant hurdles, including higher component costs, logistical complexities, and permitting delays. Investments in offshore wind projects have slowed, and final investment decisions remain challenging for many companies.
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“Europe is not building enough new wind farms. For 3 main reasons: a) most governments are not applying the good EU permitting rules; b) new grid connections are delayed; c) Europe is not electrifying its economy quickly enough,” said Giles Dickson, WindEurope’s CEO.
To achieve its targets, the EU must address permitting inefficiencies, accelerate grid upgrades, and drive electrification across its member states. Without immediate action, Europe risks missing its climate goals and falling behind in the global energy transition.
