According to WindEurope's latest annual report for 2023 and projections towards 2030, several important patterns and trends can be identified in the European wind energy sector. While continuous and evolving growth is observed in the European wind energy sector, there is still a long way to go to meet its ambitious climate and energy goals for 2030.

The report provides a comprehensive overview of the sector in terms of generation, installations, auctions, and countries. These are the main findings:

• Installations in 2023: Europe installed 18.3 GW of new wind capacity in 2023, with 79% onshore and 21% offshore. This figure marked a record for the EU-27, with 16.1 GW installed, divided into 13.3 GW onshore and 2.8 GW offshore.

• Countries with the highest percentage of wind power: Germany (21%), the Netherlands (13%), and Sweden (11%) stood out as the leading countries in wind installations during the past year, with a combination of both onshore and offshore projects.

• EU targets for 2030: The European Union is expected to install 200 GW of wind capacity by 2030, requiring an average annual installation of 29 GW. However, achieving the targets would require a faster pace of installations, around 33 GW annually.

• Percentage of Wind Energy in Generation Mix: Denmark led the list with 56%, followed by Ireland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, among other countries. Among them, Spain had a 27% share.

Future Outlook:

• Challenges and Opportunities: Despite advancements, challenges such as repowering existing installations and the need for more ambitious planning to meet EU-set goals persist.

• Technological Evolution: The trend towards more powerful and efficient turbines, both onshore and offshore, indicates a path towards more competitive and sustainable wind energy.

• Regional Challenges: Countries like Spain face specific challenges in achieving their wind objectives, although continuous progress is expected in the coming years. Despite the PNIEC setting an ambitious target of 59 GW of installed wind capacity in Spain by 2030, WindEurope estimates that only about 40 GW will be achieved. According to calculations, this entails 16 GW of new installations and around 6 GW of decommissioning. 

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