IN Brief:
- EU exports of wind turbines reached €3.1bn in 2025, up 10.8% by value and 9.5% by volume.
- Imports rose 40.6% in value to €0.7bn, while import volume increased by 69%.
- China supplied 59.6% of EU wind turbine imports, up from 41.3% in 2024; the statistics cover trade with non-EU countries.
The European Union exported €3.1 billion worth of wind turbines to markets outside the bloc in 2025, an increase of 10.8% compared with the previous year, according to figures published by Eurostat on 20 October 2026. Export volumes rose 9.5% over the same period. At the same time, the value of wind turbine imports into the EU increased 40.6% to €0.7 billion, with imports growing by 69% in volume. The statistics show stronger trade in both directions, although the rise in imported physical quantities substantially outpaced the change in import value.
China was the largest external supplier of wind turbines to the EU in 2025, accounting for 59.6% of the value of imports. That compared with 41.3% in 2024. India represented a further 22.2% of imports in 2025. The changing share of imported equipment provides a useful indication of how suppliers outside Europe are competing in the turbine market. It does not, on its own, reveal the share of wind projects built in Europe using Chinese machinery, because the figures exclude turbines traded between EU member states and cover a defined customs product category.
Eurostat’s dataset measures extra-EU trade in wind turbines under the applicable harmonised system classification, HS 85023100. That scope matters for manufacturers and buyers seeking to interpret the numbers. It does not cover the total European wind manufacturing supply chain, all offshore foundations or every separately traded component such as subsea cables, converters and control systems. The results also do not directly measure the number of new turbines commissioned on European wind farms during 2025.
The trade surplus in turbines is substantial in value terms, with €3.1 billion exported against €0.7 billion imported. Nevertheless, comparing trade values should not be treated as a calculation of manufacturing profit or value added. Imports and exports are recorded at transaction values that reflect product specification, destination, sourcing and other commercial factors. A difference in value also does not establish that the exported and imported turbines have identical ratings, physical dimensions or installation requirements.
The United Kingdom remained an important destination for turbine shipments from EU countries. Eurostat’s extended analysis identifies the UK as the largest non-EU destination by value in 2025, accounting for approximately 31% of the bloc’s turbine exports. The United States followed at about 24%, with Taiwan and Türkiye also among the major markets. Such destinations highlight the continuing international reach of European turbine manufacturers, but the trade data alone cannot identify every wind farm, manufacturer or project programme behind the recorded movements.
Wind turbine imports and exports are also changing against a broader background of renewable energy equipment trade. Eurostat recorded €11.4 billion of EU imports and €4.6 billion of exports across three specified product groups: wind turbines, solar panels and liquid biofuels. Those headline totals are restricted to these defined groups rather than every technology used in the energy transition. Solar panels represented €8.0 billion of imports, while the value of solar panel imports declined 27.7% compared with 2024 even though imported volume fell only 4%.
The difference between changes in value and volume is significant. When quantities grow more quickly than expenditure, average unit values can change, although a change in equipment mix may also affect the comparison. Eurostat’s wind turbine figures do not support a simple claim that identical machines became cheaper, or that any particular manufacturer’s margins declined. Turbine ratings, configurations and contractual conditions vary, and the statistics are aggregated across suppliers and importers.
For European industrial businesses, the figures are relevant to discussions about domestic manufacturing capability, logistics and the resilience of wind project supply chains. Turbine production involves large industrial assemblies, specialist transport and installation planning, while smaller components and services may follow different cross-border routes. The value of complete turbine trade is one indicator of international competition, rather than a full inventory of where wind equipment is designed, fabricated, assembled or maintained. Procurement and investment decisions therefore require information beyond customs totals.
The data refer to 2025 activity and have been released during October 2026; they are not evidence of the EU’s turbine exports during the current year. Eurostat’s next releases will be needed to establish whether the trends persisted through 2026. For now, the figures show that the EU retained a sizeable positive external trade balance in complete wind turbines, while shipments into the bloc grew rapidly and China’s share of those imports expanded. The distinction between trade statistics and project installations will remain essential in interpreting the sector’s industrial position.
