Wind power expansion in Europe slowed again last year, Czechia near bottom

Europe installed 16.4 GW of new wind capacity last year, around 2 GW less year on year. EU countries accounted for 12.9 GW, with Germany leading the way with 4 GW of new capacity. This follows from the latest report by the WindEurope association, according to which the EU is highly unlikely to meet its 2030 target for wind power deployment.

The published statistics show that last year's increase in wind power capacity in Europe (the combined total for the EU and the United Kingdom) was the lowest since 2020. Germany is currently driving the sector's growth, having commissioned 4 GW of new wind capacity. Germany was followed by the United Kingdom with 1.9 GW and France with 1.7 GW.

To meet the 2030 target of 425 GW of total installed wind capacity, the EU would need to significantly step up its efforts. WindEurope's current outlook indicates that, under the current trend, it would add only 120 GW of new capacity, reaching 351 GW.

"European wind energy is growing, but only at half the rate needed. This is a huge missed opportunity. Every wind turbine built in Europe reduces electricity prices for businesses and households. Three things are holding us back: cumbersome permitting, slow grid development and insufficient electrification," said WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson.

Czechia near the bottom

In 2024, wind power accounted for the largest share of electricity consumption among European countries in Denmark, at 56 %. Shares of at least 30% were also recorded in Ireland (33 %), Sweden (31 %), Germany (30 %) and the United Kingdom (30 %). The average share across the EU is 19 %, while including the United Kingdom brings the European average to 20 %.

In the Czech Republic, wind power accounted for roughly 1% of electricity consumption last year, with only Slovenia, Slovakia and Cyprus performing worse among EU countries from this perspective.

The Czech Republic is also near the bottom in terms of newly installed capacity, as according to the Czech Renewable Energy Chamber, total installed capacity increased by only 16 MW year on year to 371 MW. Although construction has picked up slightly over the past two years compared with previous years, industry representatives say it remains only a fraction of the level seen in neighbouring countries.

“In Poland, which is four times larger, they installed 50 times more wind turbines last year than in Czechia. Wind turbines already cover 14 percent of annual consumption there; in Czechia, it is still one percent,” said Michal Janeček, chairman of the Czech Wind Energy Association (ČSVE).

According to industry representatives, interest among regional authorities in building wind farms has been growing recently. In the past, however, such plans have repeatedly faced public opposition, for example in local referendums.

Industry Ministry to hold auctions for more than 1 GW of new capacity

A potential positive development for the Czech wind sector is the Ministry of Industry and Trade's plan to hold auctions over the next three years for operating support for 335 MW of new wind capacity annually. The goal is for approximately 1,500 MW of wind power capacity to be installed in the Czech Republic by 2030.

The proposal, however, comes with a catch. Unlike in previous auctions, projects applying for operating support will already need to have been granted a building permit. This requirement has not been imposed until now and may make it more difficult for a number of projects to obtain support.