Europe added 8.8 GW of new wind capacity in the first half of 2026, up 30% from the same period last year, according to industry body WindEurope.

Onshore wind accounted for 6.5 GW, or 74% of the total. The new capacity is enough to power around 7 million European households and displace fossil fuel imports equivalent to 25 LNG carrier cargoes per year. WindEurope forecasts full-year 2026 additions could reach a record 24 GW.

Germany led growth with 3.4 GW of new installations. Denmark, Poland, Portugal and France also posted significant gains. Ukraine installed over 400 MW despite the ongoing war.

Investment and auction activity remained robust. New wind farm investments reached around 9 billion euros in the first half, while governments awarded over 17 GW through auctions and plan to tender another 26 GW by end-2026.

Germany approved more than 9 GW of new onshore wind projects in the first half, on track for another annual record. WindEurope expects total European wind capacity to reach 436 GW by 2030, including 342 GW in the EU, meeting 27% of the bloc's electricity demand.

However, industry remains wary of growth sustainability. Beyond permitting bottlenecks, grid constraints are severe — over 500 GW of wind capacity is queued for grid connection approval.

Supply chain pressures are intensifying. Turbine prices in Europe have risen 40-45% since 2020, outpacing manufacturing cost growth of 20-25% over the same period, according to Rystad Energy. The price surge reflects systemic cost repricing driven by insufficient supply of core offshore wind equipment and stronger OEM pricing power. Between 2023 and 2025, multiple large European offshore wind projects were shelved or cancelled due to cost inflation and supply chain strain, involving over 15 GW of capacity.

WindEurope urged EU and national governments to adopt five policy measures: implement EU permitting rules to connect viable projects; complete the EU grid action package; channel emissions trading revenue through the Innovation Fund and Industrial Decarbonisation Bank to support industrial electrification; set binding renewable energy targets for 2040; and abandon experimental auction designs in favour of two-way contracts for difference to lower capital costs and unlock large-scale investment.