Wind permitting activity is slowing down in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), a federal state in Germany, added 541 MW of new wind power capacity in the first half of 2026, according to the local renewable energy association LEE NRW. However, they cautioned that the slowdown in permitting activities and uncertainty in the sector could jeopardize billion-euro investments.

Market data indicates that 99 new wind turbines were installed in NRW during the first six months of the year, with nearly EUR 1 billion (USD 1.14 billion) invested.

Additionally, 275 turbines with a total capacity of approximately 1,753 MW have received approval, which signifies another investment of EUR 2.7 billion.

Despite ongoing wind energy growth in the federal state, LEE NRW highlighted a deceleration in the permitting process, indicating industry uncertainty. Christian Vossler, the association's managing director, noted that the conditions for wind energy under the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and grid infrastructure remain unclear, hindering proper project planning.

“Essential simplification and acceleration are necessary for grid connections and further grid development,” Vossler stated.

According to the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA), North Rhine-Westphalia hosts about 9.6 GW of Germany's total 70 GW onshore wind energy capacity.