EDPR cracks the giant wind power market it aims to take by storm

Iberian development giant gets first auction success in German market seen as behind only US for growth

Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade is the CEO of Portugese utility EDP and its subsidiary EDP Renewables
Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade is the CEO of Portugese utility EDP and its subsidiary EDP RenewablesPhoto: EDP

Global renewables giant EDPR has made its first move to crack German wind power – earmarked to be its second most important renewables growth market after the US.

Iberian parent utility EDP said it successfully took part in a land auction opening the way to exclusive negotiations over the development of 219MW in Lower Saxony.

The Portuguese group has been active in German solar for three years following an acquisition, but confirmed the auction marks its breakthrough success in wind power there.

EDPR’s arrival comes with the German wind market on an upward curve after a spell in the doldrums. With more than 14GW of new projects approved last year, and another 4GW just in the first quarter of this year alone, the country promises to become the engine of Europe’s wind industry again.
Pedro Vinagre, head of North & Central Europe at EDPR, told Recharge in an interview last year: "If we look at the presence of EDPR in the world, Germany will probably become our second market [for wind and solar], behind the US."

He said the country’s plan to reach 10GW of onshore wind additions a year are credible, praising Germany’s EU-leading record on speeding up project permitting and its EEG renewables support programme that provides a strong remuneration link between production and consumption of energy.

Vinagre also noted, however, persistent bureaucratic obstacles at local level that will need to be streamlined if the growth target is to be met.

EDPR is globally one of the largest wind players with 11GW installed and a role in offshore wind via its Ocean Winds joint venture with Engie.

European economic powerhouse Germany clearly avoids the pitfalls set out by CEO Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, who recently spoke on the perils that have faced EDPR when it entered emerging markets around the world and in some cases “got badly burned”.
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Published 11 June 2025, 13:31Updated 11 June 2025, 13:31
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