Significant Increase in New Onshore Wind Turbines in Germany

The expansion of onshore wind energy in Germany has witnessed a remarkable surge in 2025. Preliminary figures indicate that 409 new wind turbines with a total capacity of approximately 2.2 gigawatts became operational during the first half of the year. This marks a substantial increase of two-thirds compared to the same period last year and represents the highest half-year performance since 2017, according to reports from the Federal Association of Wind Energy and the VDMA Power Systems Association.

Most of the newly installed wind turbines were situated in North Rhine-Westphalia, followed closely by Lower Saxony. After accounting for decommissioned turbines, the net increase reached around 1.9 gigawatts. The newly constructed wind turbines exhibit significantly greater capacity than the older ones being taken offline. Consequently, the total number of operational wind turbines across the country surged by 199, bringing the total to approximately 29,000, with a combined capacity of 65.3 gigawatts. In the first half of 2025, onshore wind power contributed over 22 percent to electricity generation, although this figure was slightly lower than in the same period of 2024, primarily due to unusually low wind conditions in the early months of the year.

In terms of new permits, the sector achieved a record milestone. By the end of June, authorities had approved about 7.8 gigawatts of new wind energy capacity, representing a 55 percent increase compared to the first half of 2024. A significant portion of these approvals, roughly one-third, originated from North Rhine-Westphalia, followed by Lower Saxony and Bavaria, indicating a noticeable acceleration in wind power development in Bavaria. The industry has long expressed concerns about the existing regional disparity in wind energy deployment between the north and south of Germany.

On average, the construction of a wind turbine takes more than two years following approval before it begins generating electricity. Onshore wind turbines are expected to play a crucial role in achieving Germany's climate targets. Under the current coalition government of the SPD, Greens, and FDP, various measures have been implemented to expedite the expansion of renewable energy. However, there remains a gap between current achievements and political objectives. The target is to reach an installed capacity of 84 gigawatts by 2026.

Bärbel Heidebroek, President of the Federal Association of Wind Energy, emphasized the need for a reliable development roadmap and stable financing conditions. She pointed out that the demand for electricity is set to rise due to increasing reliance on hydrogen, heat pumps, electric vehicles, and the growing electrification of the industrial sector.

In response to rising costs, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy, Katherina Reiche (CDU), has announced a 'reality check' for the energy transition, suggesting that the expansion of renewable energies should be better synchronized with the expansion of the electricity grid. This is crucial for ensuring optimal integration into the power network, particularly as there have been instances where wind turbines have had to remain idle despite favorable wind conditions due to potential overloads in the grid.

According to Dennis Rendschmidt, Managing Director of VDMA Power Systems, the wind energy sector is fulfilling its responsibilities. However, the pace of grid expansion is lagging behind the growth of wind energy capacity.