The European trade association WindEurope has published a report on wind energy that includes data on both onshore and offshore energy. In 2020, 14.7 new capacities in wind farms were created in Europe – 19% less than expected.
The slower pace of construction of new wind power is an effect of the pandemic. Of nearly 15 GW of new wind capacity, 80 percent was onshore wind energy. The remaining capacity is the construction of offshore wind farms. 10.3 GW of new capacity was built in the European Union countries. Poland recorded an increase of 700 MW.
According to WindEurope, wind energy accounted for 16% of all electricity produced in Europe. The association expects Europe to build 105 GW of new wind farms over the next 5 years, more than 70% of which will be onshore. At the end of 2020, the total installed capacity in wind energy in Poland amounted to 6,614 GW.
However, according to WindEurope, this is well below the pace needed for the implementation of the Green Deal and climate neutrality. EU countries plan to build 15 GW per year between 2021 and 2025, while they should commission 17 GW as early as this year to meet the new, increased target of 55% Co2 emission reduction in 2030. According to the organization, the development of new onshore and offshore wind capacity is hampered by the rules and procedures for granting permits.