WindEurope has called on EU member states to establish clear annual deployment targets for wind and other renewable energy sources from 2031 to 2040, warning that the European Union’s proposed climate goals risk falling short without binding commitments.
The European Commission this week announced a 2040 target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels, reaffirming its broader objective of climate neutrality by 2050.
While welcoming the ambition, WindEurope said the new target “sends an important investment signal” but added that “the level of visibility investors need will only come with annual targets.” Without them, the association warned, the 2040 goals could remain “academic.”
In 2023, the EU added just 13 gigawatts of new wind capacity—less than half the 30GW needed annually to stay on track for 2030 targets, the trade body noted.
To address the shortfall, WindEurope urged national governments to accelerate action across four areas: permitting, grid development, electrification, and auction design. It also called for full implementation of the revised Renewable Energy Directive (REDIII), highlighting provisions to streamline permitting and classify renewables as projects of overriding public interest.
Germany was cited as a positive example, having permitted more than 14GW of onshore wind in 2024—seven times more than in 2019.
WindEurope also emphasised the need for grid expansion and optimisation to prevent curtailment and reduce long-term costs. On electrification, it said Europe must close the gap with the U.S. and China, which are advancing more rapidly.
For auctions, the group recommended a consistent pipeline of two-sided Contracts for Difference (CfDs) to provide investor certainty and lower capital costs. It reiterated its proposal for a “New Offshore Wind Deal,” which would see governments commit to auctioning 100GW of offshore wind CfDs between 2031 and 2040 in exchange for a 30% cost reduction over the same period.
“The EU is going renewable. Europe is electrifying,” WindEurope said. “But targets alone won’t deliver climate action, energy security and competitiveness – national governments must now deliver volumes.
