Europe may be on track to set a record for wind turbine installations in 2026, with the continent expected to add 24 gigawatts (GW) of new wind power capacity by the end of December. This would exceed the previous record set in 2022, when more than 16 GW of new wind installations were completed. In the first six months of 2026, Europe installed 8.8 GW of new wind power capacity, bringing the total installed capacity to 311 GW. If this pace continues, 2026 could become the year with the highest wind power installations in Europe's history. Onshore wind, which refers to wind turbines located on land, is the main driver of this growth, accounting for 74 percent of the new capacity installed during the first half of the year. Offshore wind, which involves turbines placed in bodies of water, is gaining attention but remains a smaller contributor at this stage. According to Wind Europe's latest autumn 2026 forecasts, the continent is expected to end the year with 24 GW of new wind power capacity. This progress is an important step toward the goal of installing 30 GW of wind power capacity annually up to 2030. Germany is leading the charge, contributing 3.4 GW of new installations during the first half of 2026. The United Kingdom added 789 megawatts (MW), and Spain added 612 MW. France, however, lags behind, with a total of 556 MW of new capacity installed between January and June 2026. Most of this new capacity in France is onshore, totaling 414 MW. France is not showing an extraordinary dynamic in wind power development. Wind Europe reports a 12 percent decrease in authorized wind power projects in France between the first half of 2025 and the first half of 2026. In terms of offshore installation capacity targets for the period 2026-2030, France is expected to add 1.4 GW of capacity, significantly less than Germany's target of 6.9 GW and the United Kingdom's target of 13.5 GW.