Trade association WindEurope reports that wind power is providing over half of all new generating capacity being installed across the EU member states, with onshore providing the majority.
Some 4.8 GW of new onshore wind was installed in the first half of 2017, with the sector attracting €5.4 billion (US$6.4 billion) in new asset financing over the same period; comparable figures for the offshore sector saw 1.3 GW installed offshore, and €2.9 billion (US$3.4 billion) in financing. WindEurope predicts 2017 will be a record year for installations, with over 10 GW of new onshore wind (3.1 GW offshore) installed across the EU-28.
Of note, European wind energy broke a new daily generation record in October 2017 when it provided 24.6 percent of the EU’s electricity demand. At the end of June 2017, the EU had around 160 GW of wind power capacity (145.5 GW onshore) and eight states with over 5 GW installed.

Looking forward, current trends aren’t expected to alter in the near term and deployment looks set to remain strong through to 2020.
Europe’s market is expected to remain a highly concentrated one, however. Just three countries — Germany, the U.K. and France — account for over 80 percent of the EU’s onshore installations, while deployment through 2018 is set to center around Germany (the market leader), the U.K., France, Spain and the Netherlands.
States already meeting goals may slow development, others will hasten to fulfil commitments. Others yet, already having met targets, will continue build out unabated, motivated by longer term climate and energy goals; Denmark and Sweden, for instance, are targeting 100 percent renewable energy by 2035 and 2040 respectively.