According to data from WindEurope, wind energy in EU accounted for the 14% of its electricity in 2018, experiencing an increase from 2017’s 12%. The increase was due to continued development in capacity and the use of more powerful turbines are helping to increase wind’s share in the electricity mix.
Specifically, wind reached the 49% of all new power generation capacity in EU for 2018. Yet, the amount of the new capacity didn’t manage to surpass 2017’s record and dropped down a third.
In addition, 9GW of new wind capacity was won in auctions, which is 4GW less than the 13GW in 2017.
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Europe now has 189GW of wind power capacity, with 171GW being onshore and 18GW offshore.
2017 wind power capacity increased by 11.3GW in Europe, with 2.65GW offshore and 8.6GW onshore.
Last year saw a record in new wind capacity financed as 17GW of projects reached the Final Investment Decision (FID), 13GW onshore and 4.2GW offshore, which is 45% more than in 2017, but 20% more in Euros invested.
Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO noted
More and more people and businesses are benefitting from the clean and affordable power that wind delivers. But beneath the surface many things are not right. Last year was the worst year for new wind energy installations since 2011.
Finally, Dickson stated that the 2030 National Energy & Climate Plans are a chance to make things right, but the draft plans are lacking details on policy measures, auction volumes, how to ease permitting, remove other barriers to investments and how to expand the grid, and governments need to solve this before the plans are finalized.