A new report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has revealed that the wind industry added 117GW of new capacity in 2024.
The increase brings total global wind energy capacity to 1,136GW, with new installations recorded across 55 countries and every continent.
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China led in global installations, followed by the US, Germany, India, and Brazil.
Brazil overtook Spain to enter the top five markets in terms of cumulative capacity, the report said.
GWEC noted that while overall figures were strong, the growth remains uneven across regions.
Asia-Pacific (APAC) posted a 7% increase in wind capacity while Africa and the Middle East grew by 107%.
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By GlobalDataThese gains were largely due to Egypt’s 794MW and Saudi Arabia’s 390MW in new installations.
In contrast, North America, Latin America, and Europe experienced a drop in new capacity from the previous year.
Onshore wind contributed 109GW to the global total, with offshore wind adding 8GW. Offshore wind auctions hit a record 56.3GW, led by Europe with 23.2GW and China with 17.4GW.
Emerging markets such as South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan also reported significant new capacity awards.
Despite the growth, GWEC cautioned that the momentum is uneven and increasingly vulnerable to policy instability in certain markets.
The organisation called for improved permitting processes, enhanced grid infrastructure, and more effective auction mechanisms to ensure continued expansion.
The report forecasts a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% for the wind sector, projecting an additional 981GW of capacity by 2030.
Consecutive record years are expected, with annual additions climbing from 138GW in 2025 to 194GW by the end of the decade.
Excluding China, onshore wind volume awarded in auctions doubled in 2024. Europe accounted for 17GW of this total, with Germany contributing 11GW—an increase of 72% from the previous year.
Offshore wind also saw significant developments, with a record 56.3GW awarded globally in 2024 auctions. Europe led with 23.2GW, followed by China with 17.4GW.
South Korea, Taiwan and Japan also marked substantial activity, awarding 3.3GW, 2.7GW and 1.4GW, respectively.
According to GWEC, offshore wind capacity is expected to rise from 16GW in 2025 to 34GW by 2030, increasing its share of new wind installations from 11.8% to 17.5% over the same period.
