Record 165 GW of wind power capacity added in 2025, led by China, report says

LONDON: The global wind industry installed a record 165 ‌gigawatts of new capacity last year, up 40% from 2024 and mostly driven by China, a report by the Global Wind Energy Council said, adding this still lagged the pace needed to hit ​a key climate goal.

Renewable power made up almost half the world's total electricity ​capacity last year. This year, oil and gas prices have soared due to ⁠conflict in the Middle East and countries are looking for alternatives to meet rising ​energy demand.

The rise in wind capacity installation was driven by strong demand for new ​onshore wind, which rose by 42% to 155.3 GW, the GWEC said, while new offshore wind rose by 18% to 9 GW.

Asia, led by China and India, commissioned 131 GW of new capacity, ​which was 80% of the global total. China made up the bulk of that, ​adding a record 120.5 GW of new wind capacity. Europe was the second-highest region for installations, ‌commissioning ⁠19 GW of new capacity.

The U.S., despite the anti-wind rhetoric of the current administration, added nearly 7 GW of onshore wind last year.

As a result of the new additions, cumulative global wind capacity increased to nearly 1.3 terawatts last year.

To meet a global ​goal to triple renewable ​energy capacity by ⁠the end of the decade, the International Renewable Energy Agency has said 320 GW of new wind capacity needs to be installed ​every year.

Therefore, new wind capacity needs to be doubled annually ​from the ⁠current level, the GWEC said.

But under current policies, the GWEC estimates a total of 969 GW of new capacity is expected to be added worldwide by 2030, averaging 194 GW ⁠per year.

"Under ​all the scenarios that stay close to the ​1.5 C global warming target, wind energy volumes need to undergo a dramatic and global expansion in the ​next few years," it added.