PVTIME – According to Wood Mackenzie’s latest wind energy outlook, global wind power additions are set to reach 160GW in 2026, which is a 6% decline from the record 170GW reached in 2025.
This slowdown is primarily being driven by China, where installations are expected to fall by over 20GW as the country’s 14th Five-Year Plan development cycle comes to an end. However, outside China, the outlook is much stronger: non-Chinese markets are forecast to grow by 22% year on year, led by Europe and the United States.
Europe is expected to account for 17% of global additions in 2026, with Germany alone contributing around 9GW, thanks to a sharp rise in permits and tender awards in 2024. The US remains the largest single market outside China, with developers advancing projects ahead of the expiry of the production tax credit.
Offshore wind is emerging as the sector’s strongest growth segment. Global offshore additions are forecast to more than double from 11GW in 2025 to 27GW in 2026, with around three-quarters of the 2026 pipeline already under construction.
For developers and investors, the outlook points to a market that is not weakening uniformly, but rather rebalancing. China’s near-term pullback is being offset by greater project visibility in Europe, the US, and other regions. Meanwhile, offshore wind and repowering are becoming increasingly important drivers of medium-term growth.
