New wind power capacity in Germany’s federal state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) is expected to continue growing and exceed 1,500 MW in 2026, local renewable energy association LEE NRW said, but also warned about challenges that could slow further expansion.
According to preliminary figures, the gross wind capacity additions stood at 1,346 MW in 2025, which is almost 80% more than in the previous year. Taking into account the dismantling of old turbines in 2025, the net expansion amounted to 1,288 MW. For the first time, net additions have broken the 1 GW threshold, putting NRW in first place nationwide in terms of wind expansion.
Growth is expected to speed up in 2026 thanks to existing permits totalling over 6,000 MW. However, LEE NRW managing director Christian Vossler pointed out issues that raise concerns in the wind industry. The upcoming amendment to the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) in 2026, with its outcome still unclear, is likely to hamper securing financing for investments in renewables, including wind farms, Vossler believes.
LEE NRW managing director also pointed at the long-standing problem of dilapidated motorways and bridges, which make transporting the large components required for wind turbines more difficult, slower and more expensive.
According to Steffen Lackmann, managing director of local wind energy firm Hellwegwind GmbH, the main obstacle to further wind power growth is the lack of grid expansion. In NRW’s region, East Westphalia-Lippe (OWL), investments of an estimated EUR 16 billion (USD 18.6bn) in renewable energy are planned over the next 15 years, of which EUR 7 billion would be in the wind energy sector alone. However, the investments are at risk if grid expansion is not significantly accelerated, Lackmann warned.
According to Hellwegwind’s managing director, around 90% of all new designated areas in OWL are located in the districts of Hoexter and Paderborn. Lackmann is concerned that the required additional grids will take years to be planned and built, putting at risk the implementation of several hundred megawatts of wind capacity.
Source: Renewables Now, January 19, 2026
https://renewablesnow.com/news/north-rhine-westphalias-wind-additions-to-top-1-5-gw-in-2026-1288157/
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