Orders for new wind turbines were down 47% in 2022 compared to 2021.

That’s according to a new report by the association WindEurope, which suggests the EU saw nearly 9GW worth of new turbine orders.

Under the EU’s new energy and climate security targets, the member states need to build 30GW of new wind farms a year.

Europe has the ambition to get from 15GW of installed offshore wind capacity to more than 100GW by 2030.

Experts attribute the delay in investment decisions over new wind turbines to inflation and market volatility.

WindEurope Chief Executive Officer Giles Dickson said: “Last year’s market interventions have made Europe less attractive for renewables investors than the US, Australia and elsewhere.

“They impacted the business case for renewable energy projects across Europe. The figures for wind turbine orders in 2022 should ring an alarm bell: Europe’s energy and climate targets are at risk if the EU fails to ensure an attractive investment environment for renewables.”