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New Energy World™
New Energy World™ embraces the whole energy industry as it connects and converges to address the decarbonisation challenge. It covers progress being made across the industry, from the dynamics under way to reduce emissions in oil and gas, through improvements to the efficiency of energy conversion and use, to cutting-edge initiatives in renewable and low-carbon technologies.
Shifting gears: onshore wind in Northern Europe
10/9/2025
8 min read
Feature
Between 2023 and 2024, Europe increased its onshore wind capacity from 235.4 GW to 248 GW, according to the Energy Institute’s latest Statistical Review of World Energy. Wind now accounts for 20% of the Continent’s electricity consumption, exceeding 30% in Denmark, Ireland, Sweden, Germany and the UK, says WindEurope. This renewables’ contribution offsets the need to import 100bn m3/y of fossil fuels. Charlie Bush looks at what’s driving a gale of onshore wind developments in Northern Europe.
Onshore wind is an economic and environmental cornerstone for northern Europe. New installations typically achieve capacity factors of 30–45%, roughly double that of solar in the UK, according to Carbon Brief. The wind sector contributes €52bn to European GDP annually, supports 400,000 jobs and delivers more than €10bn in taxes, WindEurope estimates. Its value is reflected in rising industrial power purchase agreements (PPAs) with 9 GW of wind power purchased in 2023, equivalent to half of Greece’s annual electricity demand. Public support remains strong, with 85% of Europeans in favour of wind expansion, especially where communities benefit directly.
While nearly 250 GW of onshore wind capacity is installed in Europe, project development is falling short. WindEurope forecasts that 75% of all new EU turbines through 2030 will be onshore, reaching 304 GW by the end of the decade. But current build rates are only half of what is needed to meet EU climate targets, due to permitting delays, inadequate grid infrastructure and a sluggish pace of electrification, which still accounts for just 23% of EU energy consumption.
UK policy progress
The UK has enormous wind potential, particularly in Scotland. As onshore wind has been effectively blocked in England for nearly a decade, in July 2024 the UK established the Onshore Wind Taskforce, uniting government, industry and unions to rapidly accelerate wind deployment. The resulting strategy detailed 42 actions, spanning planning reforms, grid upgrades, supply chain development and workforce skills, to help the UK deliver up to 29 GW of onshore wind by 2030, more than doubling Great Britain’s current capacity of 14.8 GW. Key steps include consulting on expanding permitted development rights for small-scale and repowered projects, major public investment in renewables via Great British Energy, and concerted efforts to resolve aviation and defence infrastructure barriers.