Europe's new wind power installations rose almost one-third on the year in the first half of 2026, boosted by strong German deployment and surging offshore commissioning, industry body WindEurope reported on September 1.

Wind generating capacity across Europe has doubled over the past ten years amid policy-driven renewable build-out. For the EU, 2025 marked the first year where wind and solar combined out-generated fossil fuel power.

Covering the EU plus 13 additional nations including the UK, Turkey and Ukraine, the broader European region registered 8.8 GW of fresh wind capacity additions in January-June.

Germany accounted for 39% of the continent's new installations, lifting Europe's cumulative installed wind base to 311 GW at end-June.

Offshore wind delivered 2.1 GW of new grid connections in the six-month window, tripling the volume recorded in the equivalent 2025 period.

"Government decisions on permitting, auctions, grids and electrification in the coming months will make or break this momentum," WindEurope chief executive Tinne Van der Straeten commented in an official statement.