Germany commissioned 2,363 MW of new onshore wind capacity in the first half of 2026, a 7% increase compared with the same period last year. By 30 June 2026, total installed onshore wind capacity had reached 69,952 MW, supplying almost one quarter of the country's electricity.
During the same period, authorities approved 9.1 GW of new projects, increasing the total pipeline of consented schemes to 48.1 GW, of which around 19 GW has yet to secure auction awards. The figures come from the Wind and Solar Agency on behalf of the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) and VDMA Power Systems.
BWE and VDMA warned that proposed changes to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the draft grid package could weaken investment certainty and slow onshore wind deployment. They called for revisions to the legislation, arguing that the grid package should focus on accelerating grid expansion, strengthening distribution networks, improving digitalisation and avoiding measures, such as congestion area rules, that could restrict new wind projects.
The organisations supported the government's plan to add 12 GW of extra onshore wind auction capacity, saying it would allow more already-approved projects to proceed, particularly in southern Germany. However, they cautioned that the additional volume should not be undermined by redispatch requirements or changes to the reference yield model.
BWE and VDMA also urged the government to strengthen the physical and cyber security of grid-connected energy infrastructure. They described the target of installing 8 GW of new onshore wind capacity in 2026 as ambitious but achievable, provided barriers to project implementation and grid connections are removed.
