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Research for the energy transition © BMWK, Database: Fachagentur Wind und Solar (as of October 22, 2024)

A record year for onshore wind energy

The 2024 Federal Report on Energy Research adopted by the Federal cabinet in mid-July gives a detailed overview of the state of funding for energy research in Germany. It also lays out the progress and developments that have been made.

In 2024, Germany recorded an all-time record of approvals of onshore wind turbine installations. By the end of September, approvals had been issued for 9,200 megawatts, which corresponds to some 1,600 new installations. In the first days of October, another 1,550 megawatts was added, i.e. around 260 installations. This already makes 2024 the year with the most approved capacity in the history of Germany’s expansion of wind power.

To put this into perspective: over the entire year 2022, approvals were issued for 4,246 megawatts. The increase is attributable to measures taken by the Federal Government to simplify and accelerate planning and approval procedures. At the same time, all Länder are now under obligation to designate suitable sites for wind power.

Shorter approval periods despite many new applications

Despite the large number of new applications, it took on 24 months, that is two months less on average than in 2023, to obtain an approval. The ensuring implementation phase for wind turbines took an average of 25 months – the first time it was shortened since 2017.

The repowering share in new installations reached a record high of 35% in 2024; its share in new approvals was 22%. According to Fachagentur Wind und Solar, many approved projects with a combined capacity of 22 gigawatts could be built within the next two to three years. The Länder of North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein and Brandenburg account for 63% of the capacities approved.

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