Onshore wind is electricity generated by wind turbines on land, either single turbines serving a farm or business or wind farms of dozens of machines connected to the grid. It is a mature technology, but turbines are visible and need planning consent, which has shaped where they are built.
UK capacity
At the end of 2025 the UK had 16.4 GW of onshore wind, which generated 34.4 TWh, or 11.7% of UK electricity. Its load factor was 24.1%, lower than offshore wind because winds on land are weaker and less steady. Only 0.2 GW was added in 2025, against a peak of 1.8 GW in 2017.
| Nation | Capacity, end of 2025 |
|---|---|
| Scotland | 10.5 GW |
| England | 3.1 GW |
| Northern Ireland | 1.5 GW |
| Wales | 1.3 GW |
Scotland produced 22.0 TWh of onshore wind power in 2025, 64% of the UK total. England’s small share reflects, in part, the planning rules described below.
Planning changes in England
From 2015, national planning policy in England required a site to be identified in a local plan and local concerns to be fully addressed, which halted most new projects. Those rules were eased in 2023, and in July 2024 the new government removed the remaining restrictions, putting onshore wind on the same footing as other development. Since 31 December 2025, onshore wind farms in England of more than 100 MW have been decided by the Secretary of State as nationally significant infrastructure, under SI 2025/694. Smaller schemes stay with local councils. In Scotland, projects above 50 MW are consented by Scottish Ministers, and in Wales decisions remain with Welsh authorities.
The 2030 range
The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan sets a range of 27 to 29 GW of onshore wind by 2030, which would need far faster building than in recent years.
Read more: Choosing a location for wind turbines: how wind farm sites are selected.