Wind energy is abundant across many parts of Europe. It is a cost-effective way of generating electricity from a resource that will never be depleted. It can be harnessed both onshore and offshore and plays a key role in the clean energy transition. 

Since 2009, the Renewable Energy Directive has served as the main legal framework for the promotion of renewable energy in Europe. Its most recent revision dates back to 2023, setting an ambitious target for 2030 stating that at least 42.5% of the EU’s gross final consumption of energy should come from renewable energy sources, while aiming for 45%.

Today, wind provides some 19% of electricity in Europe. This figure must increase significantly to deliver on our clean energy objectives before the end of this decade. The EU is looking at how exactly this can be done through policy measures, financial incentives and the right investment environment for EU businesses to thrive.

EU in the lead on wind energy

The EU is a global leader in the manufacturing of key wind turbine components, as well as in the foundations and cable industry. Moreover, according to Wind Europe, the EU installed 12.9 GW of new wind capacity in 2024 and predicts that over 2025-2030, the EU will install another 140 GW, which corresponds to 23 GW per year on average. We would then reach a total capacity of 351 GW by 2030, but more is needed.

The revised Regulation on Trans-European Networks for Energy also introduced dedicated offshore grid planning provisions, requiring Member States to agree on non-binding regional goals for offshore renewables by 2050, with intermediate steps in 2030 and 2040.  Last year, EU countries agreed to work towards reaching 86-89 GW of offshore capacity by 2030, 259-261 GW by 2040, and 356-366 GW by 2050. 

In late 2023, the Commission presented its Wind Power Package, which defines a set of actions needed to speed up deployment of both onshore and offshore wind in the EU. Several actions have already been delivered, such as fast-tracking the implementation of updated permitting rules that will help accelerate deployment, issuing guidance on auction design for renewables, and facilitating access to finance to support wind energy manufacturing, while other actions continue to be implemented. 

EU initiatives boosting wind power deployment

The 2022 REPowerEU plan gave a prominent role and extra push for renewable energy investments to accelerate Europe’s phase out of fossil fuels. As a result, our newly installed wind and solar capacities reached record levels of 78 GW in 2024, and renewables generated a new all-time high of 48% of electricity in the EU, increasing from 45% in 2023 and 41% in 2022.  

The EU offers a large variety of funding programmes to finance wind energy projects, such as Horizon Europe, LIFE clean energy transition programme, the Innovation Fund, regional development funds, and others. The Connecting Europe Facility allowed grants for 41 new cross-border energy infrastructure projects earlier this year, amongst which three are important wind energy projects in Denmark, Belgium, and France.

In February 2025, the Commission published the Clean Industrial Deal to boost Europe’s competitiveness while continuing to decarbonise energy-intensive industries. It covers measures such as the simplification of State aid measures and steps to stimulate investment in wind and solar.

‘Here in Europe, we have 30% of all innovative companies in electrolyser technologies worldwide; we have 20% for carbon capture and storage; and even 40% for wind and heat pump technology. This is where we can really beat global competition’. 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

As part of the Clean Industrial Deal, the Affordable Energy Action Plan was also presented, which includes various measures to reduce energy costs for citizens and businesses and speed up the roll-out of clean energy, including wind power.

More wind energy and more new jobs

With technological developments, wind energy has become a cost-competitive renewable energy source. Things like better designed turbines that generate more electricity mean that we can produce more for less, with higher energy yields per project.

The renewable energy sector employed around 1.3 million people in 2020 and by 2023, the number of jobs reached 1.8 million. This will continue to grow.

Boosting the wind energy sector will require a large and skilled work force and, while wind power is already a significant contributor to the growth of green jobs in Europe, it is estimated that the 300 000 jobs (data from 2022) could climb as high as 936 000 by 2030. For more information about EU wind energy, watch the new video clip and consult the pages listed below.

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