Industry groups hopeful after 2024 record year for onshore wind power in Germany

The past year was “a record year” for onshore wind power in Germany, said the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and engineering federation VDMA Power Systems in a statement accompanying the publication of annual figures. A total of 2,405 new turbines, with a combined capacity of more than 14 gigawatts (GW), were licensed in 2024, showed the industry groups’ figures. Another 1,890 turbines, with a capacity of nearly 11 GW, were awarded in auctions. “Both are never-seen-before figures and will lead to a significant increase in expansion over the coming years,” the industry groups said.

However, net expansion remained at a much more modest level. A total of 635 turbines, with a combined capacity of about 3.2 GW, were connected to the grid in 2024, it added. The country’s overall onshore wind power capacity climbed to roughly 63.4 GW. For 2025, the lobby groups expect a capacity expansion of around 5 GW. “The substantially increased licenses and awarded auction volumes reflect the German market’s recovery and signal a new dynamism for the industry,” said VDMA head Dennis Rendschmidt.

Wind power expansion took important steps in the right direction during the legislative period, and the next German government has to make sure that the momentum is maintained, he argued. “Wind power expansion has to go on unperturbed,” Rendschmidt said, warning that there remained a gap between the already high expansion prospects and what is needed to reach the country’s expansion targets.

BWE head Bärbel Heidebroek also lauded political reforms implemented in the preceding years for enabling a much faster expansion of the industry, which is about to consolidate its role as the country’s leading electricity source. However, she too warned the country must avoid “a cliff edge” in buildout figures and work on preparing the power grid for the many new decentralised power sources as soon as possible.

Both groups said further changes are needed regarding the transport of turbine components and technical requirements for their connection to the grid, which should be made more flexible to achieve a more efficient integration of wind power. VDMA head Rendschmidt added that the industry was able to provide the hardware for Europe’s push for wind energy, but he argued precautions had to be taken to ensure fair competition on international markets and better cyber security for wind farms. The next government must also work on implementing a new design for the power market in Germany so there are lasting incentives for renewable power investors, BWE head Heidebroek added.