Germany rapidly expanding wind power

Berlin/Bonn (dpa) – A large number of wind turbines are being installed across Germany in 2025. According to a report by broadcaster SWR, a total of 378 new wind turbines were connected to the grid in the first half of 2025. 285 turbines were installed in the same period in 2024. These figures come from data provided by the Federal Network Agency, SWR reports. North Rhine-Westphalia once again leads the country in the expansion of onshore wind energy, followed by Lower Saxony (89 turbines) and Schleswig-Holstein (61). These states have already seen strong wind energy development in recent years. By contrast, very few wind turbines have been installed in Bavaria. Following a change in the legislation, however, a significant expansion is expected there in the second half of the year. The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs reports that many new wind turbines have already been approved across the country and are now entering the construction phase. 

There’s good news from the solar energy sector as well: Germany has already reached the halfway mark in its goal to expand solar capacity to 215 gigawatts by 2030. According to the German Solar Industry Association (BSW-Solar), around 107.5 gigawatts have already been installed. There are now nearly 5.3 million solar systems across Germany – on rooftops, balconies, parking lot canopies, and even on bodies of water – covering around 15 percent of the country’s electricity needs. “In the past 25 years, photovoltaics has gone from being expensive satellite technology to the cheapest form of electricity generation on Earth,” the association stated.