Germany’s onshore wind sector recorded its strongest performance in the first half of 2025 since 2017, with 409 turbines commissioned, adding 2.2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity, a 67% increase compared to the same period in 2024, the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) said on Wednesday.
In addition, new wind energy projects approved during the period reached 7.8 GW, the highest ever for a first half-year and up 55% from 2024, according to data from the Wind and Solar Agency on behalf of BWE and VDMA Power Systems.
The approval process has also accelerated, with the average permit duration reduced by 18 months, more than 20% faster than last year.
Despite the positive figures, the industry warned that current expansion remains below legally mandated targets.
“Wind energy is on track – this is underlined by the strong figures for permits and awards. In the first two tender rounds of the year, projects with a capacity of 7.5 GW were awarded. This means that the expansion of the coming years is already at a high level,” BWE president Bärbel Heidebroek said.
She added, “Despite the positive developments, there is a gap between the actual expansion and the targets formulated in the EEG. The EEG expansion targets will not be achievable until 2026 at the earliest.”
Dennis Rendschmidt, managing director of VDMA Power Systems, said the wind industry was adapting well to rising demand.
“Despite the dynamic developments in the market, the wind industry is proving its ability to flexibly and efficiently adapt production capacities to increasing demand. The industry is willing and able to deliver,” he said.
Rendschmidt emphasised the need for stable political and economic conditions to secure long-term investment.
“However, in order to secure investments in sustainable industrial growth in the long term, a stable and reliable political and economic framework is required. This is the only way to exploit the full potential of wind energy for the energy transition,” he added.
