The Global Wind Report 2025 by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) confirms a historic milestone: the top four wind turbine manufacturers globally are Chinese. Goldwind, Envision, Mingyang, and Windey lead the rankings, consolidating China’s dominance in a market increasingly reliant on Asian production.

“The Chinese market has shown an unprecedented capacity for technological absorption and internal expansion,” states Girish Tanti, Vice President of Suzlon Group.

Amid this scenario, Vestas remains the only non-Chinese manufacturer within the top 5, reinforcing its leadership in Europe, where local content policies and industrial support programs have helped recover market share. The top 15 is completed by Siemens Gamesa, GE Vernova, and Nordex, followed by Chinese manufacturers CSIC Haizhuang, Dongfang Electric, SANY, and Shanghai Electric.

The final three positions in the ranking are occupied by Suzlon, Enercon, and Hitachi Energy.

This list not only reflects China’s dominance, with 9 of the top 15 positions held by Chinese manufacturers, but also the growing pressure on European and U.S. manufacturers to maintain relevance in a highly competitive market.

“The challenge for Western manufacturers is to reposition their value proposition, betting on technological innovation, digitalization, and strategic partnerships to protect their market share,” says Jonathan Cole, President of GWEC.

It is worth noting that Europe is seeking to strengthen its industry with the launch of the Net Zero Industry Act and the Clean Industrial Deal.

Record Installations in 2024: 117 GW Added, but Offshore Wind Loses Momentum

In 2024, the global wind industry set a new record with 117 GW of newly installed capacity, surpassing the 116.6 GW achieved in 2023. This brings the global cumulative wind capacity to 1,136 GW.

86% of new installations were concentrated in China, Europe, and the United States, highlighting the need to diversify investments toward emerging markets.

Of this expansion, 109 GW were onshore wind, while offshore wind installations declined from 11 GW in 2023 to only 8 GW in 2024, affected by financing difficulties and delays in key projects, particularly in the United States and Europe.

“Offshore wind growth has been disappointing this year; capital costs and permitting delays have stalled flagship projects,” warns Jonathan Cole, President of GWEC.

How much did Europe install in 2024?

Europe remained active in 2024, with 19.8 GW of new wind capacity installed, a 10% increase over 2023. This consolidates Europe as the second-largest regional market, behind China.

However, the current pace of annual wind energy auctions in Europe is insufficient and must accelerate if the EU is to meet its energy security and climate goals.

Of the total installed capacity, 16.5 GW were onshore wind. Germany and the United Kingdom led new installations, jointly accounting for more than 50% of the new capacity added in the region.

Offshore wind reached 2.7 GW of new capacity in 2024, coming from nine wind farms across four markets.

The United Kingdom connected 1.2 GW of offshore wind capacity, reclaiming its position as the largest offshore wind market in the region for new additions.

Germany commissioned 730 MW of offshore wind capacity last year, including 477 MW from the Baltic Eagle project in the Baltic Sea and 253 MW from the Gode Wind 3 project in the North Sea.

In the Netherlands, 132 MW of new capacity were installed, and France commissioned 658 MW of offshore wind capacity last year. With the final 85 Siemens Gamesa turbines connected to the grid at the Fécamp and Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farms, both fixed-bottom projects reached full operation by May 2024.

Negative Prices and Grid Constraints: The Sector’s Main Challenges

Despite record installations, the wind industry faces two critical challenges: negative electricity prices and outdated electrical grids.

In 2024, Europe saw a 1,200% increase in hours with negative electricity prices, particularly in Germany and the Netherlands, due to an oversupply of renewable energy during periods of low demand and a lack of storage capacity.

“If we don’t reform electricity markets and expand grids, the risk of projects becoming financially unviable will grow,” warns Ben Backwell, CEO of GWEC.

Additionally, outdated grids are creating bottlenecks. More than 3 TW of renewable energy projects are currently queued for grid connection, according to the IEA.

Solutions involve strengthening grid infrastructure, accelerating investments in storage capacity, and redesigning market mechanisms to ensure the financial stability of renewable energy projects.

United Kingdom and Germany: Key Markets to Watch in Europe

In Europe, the report identifies the United Kingdom and Germany as strategic markets for the wind industry in the coming years.

The UK has implemented reforms to reach 50 GW of offshore and 30 GW of onshore wind capacity by 2030, as part of its ‘Clean Energy Mission’. However, it faces challenges related to offshore project financing and the need to upgrade grid infrastructure.

Germany awarded a record 11 GW of new onshore capacity in 2024, a 70% increase over the previous year. This expansion is driven by industrial policies aimed at strengthening energy security and reducing dependence on fossil fuels.

“We are seeing a renewed commitment in Europe, with Germany leading the reindustrialization of its energy sector,” highlights Girish Tanti.

GWEC anticipates these markets will be crucial for sustaining wind industry growth in the region, but warns that it will be critical to accelerate grid connections to avoid new bottlenecks.

Future Outlook: The Industry Prepares to Triple Its Growth by 2030

Despite current challenges, GWEC’s projections remain optimistic. According to the report, the global wind industry could install up to 139 GW of new capacity in 2025, once again surpassing the current record and marking the beginning of a strong expansion cycle through 2030.

Under the commitments made at COP28, the sector aims to triple installed renewable capacity by 2030, which would require increasing annual wind installations to 320 GW per year over the next decade. This figure is crucial for meeting climate mitigation goals and staying on the path to net-zero emissions.

“With the right conditions, the industry is ready to achieve this growth rate and become the backbone of the global energy transition,” says Ben Backwell, CEO of GWEC.

If these projections materialize, global wind capacity is expected to exceed 2,000 GW by 2030, with particularly strong growth in emerging markets across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and Latin America.

However, to reach these targets, the report emphasizes the need to resolve grid bottlenecks, implement energy market reforms, and facilitate access to competitive financing, especially in developing markets.

“The future of the industry depends on the decisions made today. If current barriers are removed, wind energy will not only drive the energy transition but also become a pillar of global economic growth and social development,” concludes Jonathan Cole, President of GWEC.