Energy: significantly more new wind turbines went into operation

The expansion of wind energy on land in Germany increases significantly. In the first half of 2025, according to preliminary numbers, 409 new wind turbines with a total output of around 2.2 gigawatts went into operation. That was two thirds more than in the previous year and it was the best half-year value since 2017, as the Federal Association of Wind Energy and the VDMA Power Systems association announced.

Most new wind turbines went online in North Rhine-Westphalia, followed by Lower Saxony. After deducting decommissioning, the so-called net growth reached around 1.9 gigawatts in the first half of the year. New wind turbines are significantly more powerful than old people who go off the net. The inventory grew around 199 to around 29,000 wind turbines with a total output of 65.3 gigawatts nationwide. Wind turbines on land contributed to the generation of electricity in the first half of the year with a share of more than 22 percent. That was less than in the first half of 2024. The reason: The first four months this year were above average wind arm.

There was a record for the newly approved wind turbines. By the end of June, around 7.8 gigawatts were approved by the authorities – that was 55 percent more than in the first half of 2024. A third of the approved performance no longer applies to North Rhine -Westphalia, followed by Lower Saxony. Bavaria comes in third – the expansion of wind power in Bavaria also increases significantly. The industry has been complaining about a north-south gradient for a long time. On average, it takes more than two years for a wind turbine to be built after approval and feeds the first electricity into the network.

Wind wheels on land are supposed to play a central role in achieving climate goals. Under the government of SPD, Greens and FDP, numerous measures were implemented for a faster expansion. However, a gap is still folded down to political goals. The goal is an installed performance of 84 gigawatts in 2026. Bärbel Heidebroek, President of the Federal Association of Wind Energy, called for a reliable timetable and reliable financing conditions. The electricity requirement will continue to increase due to hydrogen, heat pumps, electric vehicles and the increasing electrification of industry.

Economic and Energy Minister Katherina Reiche (CDU) has announced a “reality check” of the energy transition at high costs. The expansion of renewable energies should be better synchronized with the network expansion. It is about better integration into the power grid. Due to possible overload of the power grid, it currently happens that wind turbines stand still even though wind blows.

The wind energy industry does its homework, said Dennis Rendschmidt, Managing Director VDMA Power Systems. However, the network expansion does not meet.