Germany and the UK boost wind energy as response to energy crisis

Europe is entering a new energy crisis. The War in Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz have led to sharply rising international prices for oil and gas. The wider implications for Europe’s economy are not yet foreseeable. One thing, however, is clear: more home-grown renewables will strengthen Europe’s energy security and help lower power prices for European industry and households. Germany and the UK have taken action: they have made wind energy a key pillar of their immediate responses to the new energy crisis.

European countries are starting to draw up energy policy responses to the Iran conflict. Germany and the UK, in particular, have decided to go big on wind energy to strengthen their energy security and reduce their reliance on imported fossil fuels.

“With the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, Europe has woken up, again, to its dependence on unreliable fossil fuel imports. This crisis is not a one-off. It’s the new normal. Home-grown electricity is Europe’s only future-proof energy strategy. Germany and the UK are now fast-tracking wind energy. Other Member States should do the same to shield their industries and consumers from rising power prices”, says WindEurope CEO Tinne van der Straeten.  

Germany – additional 12 GW of onshore wind 2030

As a direct reaction to the conflict in the Middle East, Germany’s Minister for Economy and Energy Katherina Reiche announced that her country will increase onshore wind auction volumes up to 2030 by additional 12 GW.

In a video statement, Reiche underlined that energy policy is now security policy. She said that Germany must not become a pawn of foreign powers, geopolitical supply chain disruptions and fossil price swings. She stressed that the additional 12 GW of onshore wind are key to the resilience of Germany’s energy system and an important signal for Germany’s wider industry.

UK – fast-tracking offshore wind

Already on 15 March the UK Government responded to the crisis in the Middle East. UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband announced that his country will bring forward the large AR8 renewable energy auction round to July 2026. Miliband stressed that there was “no energy security while we are so dependent on fossil fuels.”

As many as 18 offshore wind farms could potentially compete in AR8, alongside new onshore wind and solar sites.

This comes after the last offshore allocation round (AR7), the largest offshore auction on to date, awarded enough power to power the equivalent of 23 million homes. The capacity awarded in AR7 alone will reduce the need for gas imports equal to around 80 LNG tankers annually, saving the UK around £4bn at current gas prices, according to Carbon Brief.

Renewables mean lower power prices

Research from Ember has shown that countries that rely less on gas power are less exposed to electricity price volatility. In Spain, gas influenced the price of electricity in only 15% of hours in 2026 so far, compared to 89% in Italy. As a result, Spain has seen lower power prices than other EU countries since the conflict in Iran started, giving Spain’s economy an edge over international competitors.