In 2024, the global wind energy sector reached a new high, with a record-breaking 117 gigawatts (GW) of fresh capacity installed, according to the latest Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) report.

Despite the milestone, the Global Wind Report underscores wide variations in installation activity across different regions. A significant portion of the new capacity came from a handful of well-established markets, with China and Europe leading the charge.

Over the past year, the world added 109GW of onshore wind and 8GW of offshore wind, boosting the total installed wind energy capacity to 1,136GW. Wind turbines were deployed across 55 countries and every continent in 2024.

China maintained its dominant position in new capacity additions, ahead of the United States. Germany and India followed, with Brazil climbing into fifth place. As of the end of 2024, these five nations also represent the top five globally in terms of cumulative wind energy installations, with Brazil overtaking Spain.

While mature markets drove much of the growth, other regions showed notable momentum. The Asia-Pacific region posted a 7% annual increase, while Africa and the Middle East experienced a remarkable 107% year-on-year surge, spurred largely by Egypt’s addition of 794MW and Saudi Arabia’s 390MW.
In contrast, new wind installations fell in North America, Latin America, and Europe compared to the previous year.

Looking ahead, GWEC projects a compound annual growth rate of 8.8% for the wind energy sector, which could translate into an additional 981GW of installed capacity worldwide by 2030.

According to GWEC’s Market Intelligence outlook, the industry is on track for back-to-back record-setting years through the end of the decade. Forecasts predict 138GW in 2025, 140GW in 2026, 160GW in 2027, 167GW in 2028, and a significant jump to 183GW in 2029 and 194GW in 2030.

Still, the report raises red flags over growing policy uncertainty in several regions. It emphasizes the urgent need for streamlined permitting processes, improved grid infrastructure, and more effective auction systems to align with rising electrification demands and international climate commitments—particularly the global goal of tripling renewable energy capacity by 2030.

GWEC CEO, Ben Backwell noted: "Once again, the wind industry has broken new installation records, despite more challenging macroeconomic headwinds."
He warned, "We are seeing a more volatile policy environment… threatening investment certainty."
On trade tensions, he said: “The aggressive stoking of tariff wars adds further uncertainty… and threatens to disrupt the international supply chains…It’s vitally important that policy makers ensure stable and predictable market frameworks… and work with investors and industry to enable rapid deployment of clean, efficient wind power."

As the offshore wind industry accelerates toward unprecedented growth, it’s not just turbines that need to rise, so do the people powering the transition.

Whether you're an engineer, technician, project manager, or just passionate about clean energy, now is the time to skill up and step into one of the fastest-growing sectors in the world. Explore training programs, connect with industry networks, and position yourself at the forefront of the global energy revolution.

The wind is rising—make sure you're ready to catch it. Contact the LSP team here.