Electric Power, Energy Transition, Renewables
November 07, 2025
RES Tracker: European Oct wind, solar up 30% on year; capture prices oscillate
By Andreas Franke and Maxim Grama
HIGHLIGHTS
New Oct record for wind, solar at 51.2 TWh
German wind output jumps 57% on storms
51 GW new solar, wind capacity so far in 2025
Two major storms helped lift wind power production in Europe's five biggest markets to a new record for October, while solar registered another year-on-year increase.
Daily wind capture prices oscillated wildly from below zero in early October to spikes above Eur145/MWh amid a mid-month lull, with the outright October average for German onshore wind the highest since February at Eur83.34/MWh, Platts pricing data showed Nov. 7.
Combined wind and solar output of 51.2 TWh across the five markets was the second highest on record, up 30% year on year.
Wind rose 31% year on year to 36.8 TWh, the highest since January, while solar output gained 27%.
However, October's 14.4 TWh was the lowest for solar since February.
German solar capture prices rose sharply after negative prices during the first weekend of October.
UK offshore wind capture prices averaged about GBP58.83/MWh, the highest since June, but 27% lower year-on-year amid some significant daily swings, but less accentuated compared to Germany, Platts assessments showed.
51 GW new capacity YTD 2025
In terms of capacity growth, solar continues to boom with some 38 GW of new capacity added so far this year across the five markets, according to analysts at S&P Global Energy.
Wind continues to lag behind, with around 13 GW of capacity coming online so far in 2025.
Total combined wind and solar capacity across the five nations is currently pegged at around 426 GW.
This generated some 472 TWh so far this year, up 5% on the first 10 months of 2024.
Following the stormy October, year-to-date wind output is now only 3% lower year on year, while solar output is up 16% at 200 TWh, already exceeding last year's total.
In the guarantees of origin (GO) market, the bearish trend persisted in October despite lower wind and hydro output outweighing oversupply from solar.
Platts last assessed EU 2025 wind and solar GOs at Eur0.27/MWh on Nov. 3, the lowest since 2021 for a current year with vintages further out also hitting multi-year lows below Eur1/MWh.
WIND, SOLAR OUTPUT (TWh/change on year)
| October | Germany | France | UK | Italy | Spain | Big 5 | ||||||
| Wind | 16.6 | 57% | 5.2 | 53% | 8.3 | 17% | 2.3 | 64% | 4.4 | -21% | 36.8 | 31% |
| Solar | 3.8 | 5% | 2.3 | 35% | 0.8 | 0% | 3.3 | 43% | 4.2 | 45% | 14.4 | 27% |
| Combined | 20.4 | 44% | 7.5 | 47% | 9.1 | 15% | 5.6 | 51% | 8.6 | 1% | 51.2 | 30% |
| YTD 2025 | Germany | France | UK | Italy | Spain | Big 5 | ||||||
| Wind | 103.9 | -5% | 37.4 | 1% | 65.7 | 0% | 19.9 | 12% | 44.9 | -10% | 271.8 | -3% |
| Solar | 69.3 | 13% | 27.6 | 22% | 17.1 | 36% | 38.5 | 20% | 47.5 | 10% | 200.0 | 17% |
| Combined | 173.2 | 2% | 65.0 | 9% | 82.8 | 6% | 58.3 | 17% | 92.4 | 0% | 471.8 | 5% |
Source: S&P Global Energy based on TSO data
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