The European Union’s Renewable Energy Goals and Wind Power Expansion by 2030

The European Union’s Ambitious Renewable Energy Goals for 2030

In its quest to significantly reduce carbon emissions, the European Union (EU) has established ambitious renewable energy targets for 2030. In 2022, the European Commission revised its goal of achieving a minimum of 32% of energy production from renewable sources to at least 42.5%, with aspirations to reach as high as 45%. While the EU has been steadily increasing its renewable energy capacity—surpassing the previous target of 20% by 2020—the bloc still faces considerable challenges ahead.

As per the latest available data, the current share of renewables in Europe’s energy production stands at 23%. This indicates that the EU will need to nearly double its renewable energy capacity in less than six years to meet the new targets set for 2030.

The Efficiency of Wind Energy

In addressing these targets, the enhancement of wind energy is a major focus, as it is regarded as one of the most efficient sources of renewable power. According to Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, “You get more bang for your buck from one unit of wind capacity than one unit of solar capacity.” This is largely due to the fact that wind turbines emit less CO2, consume less energy in their production process, and yield more overall energy compared to solar panels. In fact, a single wind turbine can generate the same amount of electricity as approximately 48,704 solar panels.

Solar panels, however, have a limitation: they do not produce energy at night. Dickson elaborates, “Solar PV has an average capacity factor of just 20%, even in sunny countries like Spain or Italy, because they produce no energy at night.” Thus, the comparative efficiency of wind power becomes evident.

The Role of Wind Power in EU Electricity Generation

In 2022, wind power represented over one-third of the total electricity generated from renewable sources within the EU. Notably, for the first time, the combined electricity generation from wind and solar PV surpassed that from both gas and nuclear sources. Wind energy alone accounted for more than 16% of the total electricity needs of the EU that year.

The contribution of wind power to each country’s energy production varied widely across member states. Only eight nations surpassed the EU’s average of 16%, with Denmark leading the way. Remarkably, this small Scandinavian country met over half of its electricity demands in 2022 through wind energy. Following Denmark, Ireland sourced 34% of its electricity from wind. Germany, housing Europe’s largest wind turbine park, and Portugal tied for third place, each covering 26% of their energy requirements through wind power.

In 2023, Ireland achieved a remarkable milestone, with wind turbines supplying 70% of the island’s electricity for over 11 consecutive hours. Portugal also celebrated a significant achievement in the same year, maintaining renewable energy production that exceeded its consumption needs by 262 GW for 149 consecutive hours.

National Contributions to Wind Power Development in the EU

Germany emerged as the frontrunner in wind energy production in 2022, boasting a total wind capacity exceeding 66 GW. Spain also played a critical role, with over 29 GW of wind capacity. Together, these two nations accounted for nearly half of the EU’s total wind production capacity, which reached an all-time high of 204.5 GW, representing more than 23% of global capacity.

During 2022, the EU saw a 47% increase in new wind installations, adding an impressive 16 GW of wind power capacity. However, this figure still falls short of the EU’s green energy goals for 2030, which aim for wind energy to constitute 35% of all electricity consumption by that year, and over half by 2050.

To achieve these objectives, the EU must expand its wind energy production capacity to 420 GW by 2030, necessitating the addition of at least 30 GW of wind capacity each year. In 2022, Germany, Sweden, and Finland led in onshore wind installations, contributing to 40% of all new setups. Germany also spearheaded offshore farm construction alongside the Netherlands, while France commenced its first large offshore wind farm. Nonetheless, the offshore potential remains largely untapped, with 87% of new installations being onshore.

The Growth of Offshore Wind Energy in the EU

In 2023, the European Union experienced a record year for new offshore wind installations, with wind power now accounting for 19% of all electricity consumed in the region. Dickson noted, “Nearly all of the wind farms built in Europe are equipped with components manufactured within the continent, supporting a robust manufacturing industry with over 250 factories across Europe.”

The Netherlands and France led the charge in offshore wind farm installations, highlighted by the 1.5 GW Hollandse Kust Zuid, recognized as the largest operational offshore wind farm globally. Investments in offshore wind soared in 2023, reaching an unprecedented €30 billion, facilitating the development of 9 GW of new offshore capacity in 2024. This surge followed a period of decline in 2022 when funding dropped to an all-time low of €0.4 billion due to permitting challenges and supply chain difficulties.

In response, the European Commission introduced its Wind Power Package in 2023, aimed at streamlining the permitting process. Over the past 18 months, European nations have implemented more policy and regulatory changes to improve permitting than in the entire preceding decade. Dickson reported a 70% increase in permits awarded in Germany and France last year compared to 2022. This action plan also included measures to finance investments in new factories, infrastructure, and workforce development within the wind energy sector.

Thanks to these new investments, numerous supply chain factories are either under construction or planned in Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Poland. Dickson emphasized the need to accelerate the permitting process to ensure the timely construction of more wind farms, while also expanding the supply chain and grid infrastructure to effectively connect these farms to energy consumers.