The latest report from the European Wind Energy Association shows that in the first half of 2026, Europe added 8.8 gigawatts of wind power installed capacity, an increase of 30% over the same period in 2025. Of this, onshore wind power accounts for 6.5 gigawatts, or 74% of the total. The new generation capacity is sufficient to meet the electricity needs of about 7 million European households, and can replace fossil fuel imports equivalent to 25 LNG carriers per year. Based on this, WindEurope predicts that new wind power installations in Europe are expected to reach 24 gigawatts in 2026, a record high. However, the industry remains highly wary of the sustainability of growth prospects. In addition to licensing, a long-standing structural issue, grid bottlenecks are just as serious. According to WindEurope data, more than 500 gigawatts of wind capacity are queuing up for approval to be connected to the grid.

The latest report from the European Wind Energy Association shows that in the first half of 2026, Europe added 8.8 gigawatts of wind power installed capacity, an increase of 30% over the same period in 2025. Of this, onshore wind power accounts for 6.5 gigawatts, or 74% of the total. The new generation capacity is sufficient to meet the electricity needs of about 7 million European households, and can replace fossil fuel imports equivalent to 25 LNG carriers per year. Based on this, WindEurope predicts that new wind power installations in Europe are expected to reach 24 gigawatts in 2026, a record high. However, the industry remains highly vigilant about the sustainability of growth prospects. In addition to licensing, a long-standing structural issue, grid bottlenecks are just as serious. According to WindEurope data, more than 500 gigawatts of wind capacity are queuing up for approval to be connected to the grid.