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The Global Wind Energy Council has reported a record addition of 165 GW of new wind power capacity globally in 2025, marking a 40% increase over the previous year and underscoring the sector’s accelerating role in the global energy transition.
According to GWEC’s 2026 Global Wind Report, total installed wind capacity reached 1,299 GW by the end of 2025, with 138 countries now utilizing wind energy. The Asia-Pacific region dominated new installations, accounting for nearly 80% of global additions, driven primarily by China and India, which together contributed over 126 GW of new capacity.
China led global installations with more than 120 GW added during the year, while India recorded a significant increase, nearly doubling its annual installations to 6.3 GW. Other major markets included the United States, Germany, and Brazil, collectively accounting for a substantial share of global additions.
In Europe, total installed wind capacity surpassed 300 GW, with 19.1 GW added in 2025, supported by strong growth in Germany and Türkiye. Meanwhile, the United States saw onshore wind installations rise by nearly 7 GW, indicating steady recovery and strong underlying demand.
The report highlights that 28,395 wind turbines were installed across 57 countries during the year, reflecting widespread global adoption. Offshore wind capacity also continued to expand, reaching 92.3 GW globally and approaching the 100 GW milestone.
Despite the record growth, industry leaders cautioned that global expansion remains uneven and insufficient to meet the target of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030. Key challenges include regulatory delays, grid infrastructure constraints, and financing bottlenecks.
Ben Backwell noted that the rapid growth demonstrates wind energy’s ability to scale quickly in response to rising energy demand and supply disruptions in fossil fuel markets. He emphasized the need for policy interventions to accelerate permitting, grid expansion, and investment flows.
Looking ahead, GWEC projects that approximately 969 GW of new wind capacity will be added globally between 2026 and 2030, with annual installations expected to average 194 GW. Global wind capacity is forecast to surpass 2 terawatts by 2029, driven by expanding markets across Asia, Africa, and other emerging regions.
Industry stakeholders highlighted that wind energy continues to strengthen energy security, reduce price volatility, and provide a competitive, sustainable alternative to conventional power sources, reinforcing its central role in the global transition to clean energy.
