Europe added a record 15.7 GW of new wind energy capacity in 2017, according to WindEurope’s annual onshore and offshore wind statistics.

New wind farm installations were up 20 per cent on 2016 and beat the previous 2015 record of 12.8 GW. Onshore wind capacity grew by 12.5 GW and offshore wind by 3.1 GW. Seven EU Member States had a record year in new wind energy installations: Germany (6.6 GW), UK (4.3 GW), France (1.7 GW), Finland (577 MW), Belgium (476 MW), Ireland (426 MW) and Croatia (147 MW).

Wind accounted for 55 per cent of all power capacity installations in 2017. Renewable energy as a whole accounted for nearly all new EU power installations in 2017: 24.1 GW out of a total 28.5 GW.

However, the value of new investment was €22.3bn (€14.8bn onshore and €7.5bn offshore) and 19 per cent down on 2016. In part this is explained by cost reductions in the wind industry supply chain and increased competition in auctions giving investors more capacity for less capital.

Wind energy in Europe now has a total installed capacity of 169 GW: 153 GW onshore and 16 GW offshore. Germany remains the country with the largest installed wind power capacity (56 GW). It’s followed by Spain (23 GW), the UK (19 GW) and France (14 GW). Wind energy generated 336 TWh in 2017, enough to cover 12 per cent of EU electricity demand.

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