The wind energy sector is falling dangerously behind in the race against climate change, according to a sobering new assessment from the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
The organisation's annual Global Wind Report, published on April 23, 2025, reveals that current growth projections show the industry will deliver only 77 per cent of the installed capacity required by 2030 to maintain a viable pathway to net-zero emissions. This shortfall threatens international efforts to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as outlined in the Paris Agreement.
The findings come despite another record-breaking year for the sector in 2024, which saw 117 gigawatts of new wind capacity installed worldwide - a marginal increase from the 116.6 GW added in 2023. Total global wind power capacity now stands at an impressive 1,136 GW, demonstrating significant progress in the energy transition.
However, GWEC's analysis suggests this growth remains insufficient when measured against the accelerating demands of climate mitigation and the world's rapidly increasing electricity needs.
Regional disparities in development continue to shape the global landscape, with China maintaining its dominant position by accounting for a staggering 70 per cent of all new installations last year.
The United States, Brazil, India and Germany rounded out the top five markets, though several emerging economies showed particularly promising growth. Uzbekistan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia emerged as new leaders in wind energy adoption, helping to compensate for slowdowns in more established markets like Brazil and the US.
The report highlights Africa and the Middle East as regions of exceptional progress, where onshore wind capacity additions doubled in 2024 compared to previous years.
This surge in development across new markets suggests the potential for more geographically diverse growth in coming years. However, the offshore wind sector experienced a concerning setback, with only 8 GW of new capacity installed globally in 2024 — representing a 26 per cent decline from the previous year and the lowest figure since 2021.
GWEC identifies several critical barriers threatening to derail progress toward climate targets.
Policy instability in key markets, bureaucratic bottlenecks in project permitting, and inadequate investment in grid infrastructure all contribute to slowing the sector's expansion. The report also points to deeper structural challenges, including financial pressures from inflation and high interest rates, increasing trade protectionism, and persistent weaknesses in renewable energy auction systems.
The findings carry particular urgency following the commitment made at COP28 to triple global renewable energy capacity by 2030.
For wind power to contribute its necessary share of this ambition, annual installations must surge from current levels to approximately 320 GW per year by the end of the decade. While this represents a formidable challenge, the report outlines a clear roadmap for overcoming existing barriers through coordinated action between governments, industry leaders and financial institutions.
GWEC's analysis concludes with a stark warning: without immediate and decisive intervention to address these challenges, the world risks missing a crucial window of opportunity to accelerate the energy transition.
The report emphasises that achieving the necessary growth will require unprecedented levels of international cooperation, policy innovation and targeted investment in both mature and emerging wind markets. Success would not only help mitigate climate change but also deliver substantial economic benefits, including job creation, energy security and technological advancement across global supply chains.
As the 2030 deadline for crucial climate targets approaches, the wind energy sector stands at a crossroads.
While the technology and potential exist to meet global needs, realising this potential will demand swift, coordinated action from all stakeholders involved in the clean energy transition.
The GWEC report serves as both a warning and a call to arms for governments and industry to redouble their efforts in scaling up this critical component of the world's renewable energy mix.