Europe added 8.8 gigawatts (GW) of new wind power capacity during the first six months of 2026, an increase of 30% compared with the same period last year.
The new installations are capable of generating enough electricity to supply around seven million European households, while reducing the need for fossil fuel imports equivalent to approximately 25 LNG tankers each year.
WindEurope now expects 24 GW of new wind capacity to be installed across Europe by the end of 2026.
Portugal in European top ten
Portugal was among the countries where installations increased considerably during the first half of the year, alongside Denmark, Poland and France.
Portugal added 199 megawatts (MW) of new onshore wind capacity in the first half of 2026. Around 250 MW of new capacity is expected to be installed in the country by the end of the year.
Further expansion is expected over the coming years. Between 2026 and 2030, Portugal is forecast to add around 2.1 GW of wind power capacity, putting the country 12th among EU countries for expected new installations.
Germany remains well ahead of the rest of Europe. It installed 3.4 GW of new wind capacity during the first half of the year, while Spain also remains one of the continent's major wind markets.
Offshore wind moving more slowly
Most of Europe's recent growth continues to come from wind farms built on land. Of the 8.8 GW installed during the first half of 2026, 6.5 GW was onshore, representing 74% of the total.
Only four countries connected new offshore wind capacity during this period: Germany, the UK, Denmark and France.
Portugal has yet to see the same development offshore, although WindEurope points to Portugal, Spain and Turkey as countries making progress with the regulatory frameworks and auction designs needed to attract future investment. These developments are expected to have a greater impact after 2030.
Across Europe, €9 billion was raised for new wind projects during the first half of the year, financing projects that will add further capacity in the coming years.
However, WindEurope warns that continued growth will depend on issues including faster permitting, improvements to electricity grids and further electrification.
Looking towards the end of the decade, Europe is expected to reach around 436 GW of total installed wind capacity by 2030, with approximately 342 GW located within the EU.
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Português (Brasil)
Regarding your recent report on Portugal's significant expansion of wind power capacity, the contrast between the state’s corporate flexibility and its rigid treatment of local property owners in Aljezur is deeply concerning.
For the past three decades, Portuguese and foreign nationals holding property in the Vale da Telha urbanization, Aljezur, have faced an unjustified restriction on their property development rights. Following the revocation of the original developer's license, the Municipality of Aljezur initiated a restructuring process requiring a Detailed Plan (Plano de Pormenor), which remains unadopted.
Furthermore, the Institute for Nature and Forest Conservation (ICNF) consistently blocks progress by citing the regulations of the Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina Natural Park, disregarding the fact that the urbanization predates the creation of said park.
Conversely – and as highlighted by the push for green energy – the ICNF has demonstrated remarkable regulatory flexibility by approving industrial wind and solar energy infrastructure within this exact protected perimeter. Notably, the authority has also granted authorization to a Madeira-based corporate group for the construction of a five-star resort inside the Natural Park, situated entirely outside Aljezur’s designated Tourism Zones (ZOT).
It is unacceptable that ecological conservation is used as a shield to deny historic property rights to individuals, while the boundaries of the exact same Natural Park are easily cleared for heavy industrial energy projects and luxury tourism.
By João Cabritaa from Algarve on 02 Sep 2026, 10:33