Press Release
Publisher: Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)
Wind Power in Germany Rises by 27 Percent in Q1 2026 - Electricity Prices Drop
Wind Power in Germany Rises by 27 Percent in Q1 2026 - Electricity Prices Drop
© Christian Schwier / Adobe StockMünster (renewablepress) - Wind energy in Germany saw strong growth at the beginning of 2026: In the first quarter, electricity generation from wind turbines increased by 27.4 percent compared to the same period last year, reaching 42.8 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) (Q1 2025: 33.6 billion kWh).
This is shown by a recent analysis of data from the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) conducted by the Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR) in Münster.
Both onshore and offshore wind power production recorded significant gains. Onshore plants increased their electricity fed into the grid by 23.1 percent to 33.1 billion kWh (Q1 2025: 26.9 billion kWh). Offshore wind energy developed even more dynamically: here, electricity generation climbed by 44.8 percent to 9.7 billion kWh (Q1 2025: 6.7 billion kWh).
The main drivers of this development were the strong expansion of new wind turbines in 2025, with a net increase of over 5,000 megawatts, as well as overall more favorable wind conditions in the first quarter of 2026.
The expansion of wind energy also had a noticeable impact on electricity prices in Germany: average stock exchange electricity prices fell to 10.2 cents per kWh from January to March (previous year: 11.2 cents per kWh), corresponding to a decrease of 8.9 percent.
“The sharp increase in wind power generation has significantly eased the electricity market. Without this growth, Germany would have had to rely more heavily on comparatively expensive gas-fired power plants - with correspondingly higher stock exchange electricity prices,” said IWR CEO Dr. Norbert Allnoch.
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Caption: Wind Power in Germany Rises by 27 Percent in Q1 2026 - Electricity Prices Drop
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Münster, 01 April 2026
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About Internationales Wirtschaftsforum Regenerative Energien (IWR)
In 1996, the International Economic Platform for Renewable Energies (IWR) was established as an independent and private service institution of the renewable energy industry. The IWR focuses on the fields of research, economic and policy consultation as well as media and international networks in the renewable or regenerative energies sector. One main objective of the IWR is to play an instrumental role in introducing and spreading awareness for an industrial, international business profile of the renewable energy industry.
Dr. Norbert Allnoch, Director of the International Economic Platform of Renewable Energies (IWR), 1995, on the definition: "According to our definition, the Renewable Energy Industry is one which takes an interdisciplinary approach to the issue of renewable energy supply (protecting both the climate and resources) and the construction of renewable plants and systems (industry policy for the three areas electricity, heat and fuel."Chronology of the Renewable Energy Industry - Important IWR contributions, including prizes and awards - 2007 Publication of the first structural analysis for a federal state according to the IWR-analysis method for renewable systems engineering and services�(study "Zur Lage der regenerativen Energiewirtschaft in NRW" )2007 International network-contacts:IWR-director Dr. Allnoch speaks with King Harald V. of Norway and �slaug Haga, norwegian minister of energy Presentation of the network / RENIXX in the USA, dialogue with McGinty, environment minister of Pennsylvania2006 IWR starts renewable stock index RENIXX� (