Progress & Operational Details
During 2017, 15.6 GW of new wind power capacity was installed and grid-connected in the EU, 25% more than in 2016. Land-based installations accounted for 12,484 MW, while offshore installations made up 3,154 MW. Cumulatively, 168.7 GW are now installed in the EU (a growth of 9.7% over 2016). By the end of 2017, the total installed wind power capacity in the EU was 79% of the 2020 target.
In 2017, wind-generated electricity met 11.6% of the EU-28’s total electricity demand. Germany is the EU country with the largest installed capacity (56.1 GW), followed by Spain (23.2 GW), the UK (18.9 GW), France (13.8 GW), and Italy (9.5 GW). Four other EU countries (Sweden, Poland, Denmark, and Portugal) have more than 5 GW installed. Seven additional EU countries have over 1 GW of installed capacity: the Netherlands, Ireland, Romania, Belgium, Austria, Greece, and Finland.