In the first half of 2024, Germany installed 250 onshore wind turbines with a combined capacity of approximately 1,300 megawatts (MW). During the same period, approvals for new wind projects surged to 4,800 MW, according to data produced by Deutsche WindGuard on behalf of the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and VDMA Power Systems.
New project licenses increased by 32% compared to the first half of 2023, equivalent to 4.8 gigawatts (GW) of capacity. However, this gross expansion falls short of the 1.6 GW added in the same period last year.
BWE President Barbel Heidebroek noted, “New approvals and awards in the tender rounds are at a record level.” She emphasized the need for further efforts to bridge the gap between actual and projected expansion, stating, “Further efforts are needed to minimise the gap between actual expansion and the envisaged political expansion path and thus trigger investment decisions. For example, the federal and state governments must continue to dismantle bureaucratic barriers and administrative obstacles.”
Heidebroek also highlighted the importance of planning security for project financing and cautioned against sudden changes in EEG financing, which can hinder progress. “Abrupt volte-turns in EEG financing have the opposite effect,” she said. She urged for more effective land designation and the removal of implementation hurdles, adding that repowering existing sites with modern turbines could accelerate performance improvements.
VDMA Power Systems Managing Director Dennis Rendschmidt emphasized the need to bolster sovereign supply chains within the wind industry. “Against the backdrop of the necessary increase in expansion, we must maintain and strengthen sovereign supply chains in the wind industry,” Rendschmidt said. He called for a European framework that enhances demand, ensures fair competition, and maximizes production. Additionally, he stressed the importance of integrating cybersecurity measures, citing European regulations such as NIS2.
Both associations advocate for the simplification of approval procedures for heavy transportation and logistics to facilitate the delivery of wind turbine components. They also support measures to optimize the use of existing grid infrastructure and encourage the expansion of energy storage facilities and flexible consumption capacities.
