World’s leading trade fair in Hamburg: A global perspective on the future of wind energy

21 September 2026

Worldwide, 1,299 gigawatts of wind power capacity is now installed. Wind power has thus become a key component of the global electricity system. However, the next stage of development is no longer simply about adding more gigawatts. The key issue will be how to reliably integrate ever-increasing volumes of wind power into existing energy systems. The answers vary from region to region: this applies to grids and storage facilities as well as to offshore infrastructure, digitalisation and hydrogen. These different perspectives come together at WindEnergy Hamburg.

More than 1,600 exhibiting companies from 40 countries and around 43,000 attendees from 100 nations are expected at WindEnergy Hamburg from 22 to 25 September. Over the course of more than a decade, the trade fair has developed into one of the industry’s most important international meeting places. It is also regarded as a barometer of the technologies and solutions that will shape the wind energy sector in the coming years.

“Wind energy is reaching a point where its integration into the energy system is becoming just as important as the expansion of new capacity,” says wind energy expert Jan Rispens, Managing Director of the Hamburg Renewable Energy Cluster (EEHH). “The key question is how wind energy can interact with grids, storage systems, digital technologies, industry and hydrogen.”

Uncertainty on the international energy markets is growing. At the same time, it is becoming clear just how differently the wind markets are developing. Investment conditions, infrastructure and technological priorities differ, in some cases considerably. Five regions of the world offer a particularly good insight into the direction in which the global market is moving:

Europe – System integration: In Europe, the focus is shifting increasingly towards grids, energy storage, planning permissions, offshore infrastructure and the repowering of wind turbines.
Asia – Scaling up and offshore growth: China leads the world in production and expansion. At the same time, Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are expanding their offshore and floating wind markets.
North America – Resources and demand: The US and Canada have substantial wind resources and growing electricity demand, although regulatory conditions there are changing.
India – Rapid growth: India is emerging as one of the key growth markets and is simultaneously becoming a major production hub.
Brazil – renewable potential: Brazil is known for its wealth of natural resources, and this also applies to energy. Strong onshore wind resources are creating new industrial opportunities in the areas of grids, power-to-X and green hydrogen.

Wind energy is much more than just the turbine

As the sector expands, the technological agenda is also changing. Energy storage and robust electricity grids are becoming increasingly important for the reliable integration of wind power into the energy system. AI and digitalisation are helping with maintenance, control and optimisation. In the offshore sector, ports, installation vessels, cables and resilient supply chains are increasingly influencing the pace of expansion. Hydrogen and the conversion of one form of energy into another via Power-to-X open up additional opportunities to harness renewable electricity for industrial applications.

“Whether the challenges lie in grid connection, energy security, the integration of storage technologies or AI-based maintenance solutions: at WindEnergy Hamburg 2026, policymakers, administrators and academics will come together with the leading players in the wind industry to jointly shape the future of onshore and offshore wind energy. Wind energy is not only crucial for achieving climate targets, but also for strengthening European energy security and industrial competitiveness,” says Claus Ulrich Selbach, Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy at Hamburg Messe und Congress.

Leading international companies from the sector will be present at the launch of WindEnergy Hamburg. These include Iberdrola (ES), Ørsted (DK), Siemens Gamesa (DE/ES), Vattenfall (SE), Vestas (DK) and EDP (PT). The focus will be on topics such as energy security, competitiveness and investment, as well as the question of the conditions under which wind energy can be scaled up further worldwide.

The opening conference on 22 September from 10.30 am to 12.00 pm (CET) will be broadcast live. It can be followed online here: Live streams – WindEnergy Hamburg

The Global Markets Theatre at WindEnergy Hamburg offers further insights into international markets.

Translating global energy trends into local value creation

Wind energy has long been part of a wider system comprising storage facilities, grids, digitalisation, AI, hydrogen and new industrial applications. At the same time, global challenges require concrete, local solutions. It is no coincidence that the global industry meets regularly in Hamburg, as the Hanseatic city is one of Europe’s leading centres for renewable energy. This is where the wind industry, research, port and maritime infrastructure, grid expertise and a growing hydrogen economy come together.

A prime example of this regional perspective is the Hamburg-Bergedorf Innovation Park, currently under development. The aim is for internationally renowned research institutions, companies and energy infrastructure providers to collaborate more closely there, so that new technologies can make the transition from research to industrial application more quickly.

On 22 September at 2.00 pm, Hamburg’s Second Mayor Katharina Fegebank, Hamburg-Invest CEO Dr Rolf Strittmatter and Prof. Dr Hans Schäfers from HAW Hamburg at the stand of the Hamburg Renewable Energy Cluster (EEHH) in Hall B7 on how this can generate economic value and promote innovation.

“Innovation parks can generate economic value from research by bringing together science, business and infrastructure in one place. It is crucial to create the conditions that enable new technologies to move more quickly from development to practical application,” says Dr Rolf Strittmatter, CEO of Hamburg Invest.

Over four days, Hamburg, hosting the world’s leading wind energy trade fair, demonstrates how the world’s major wind energy regions are tackling the same challenge in different ways: making ever more wind energy a reliable and competitive component of the energy system of the future.

Opening press conference – WindEnergy Hamburg

At the opening press conference, journalists will have the opportunity to discuss the state of the global wind industry, energy security and competitiveness with international industry representatives, as well as to learn more about key market challenges and the growing importance of the Asia-Pacific region. The event will be moderated by journalist Andrea Thilo.

Participation is possible both in person in Hamburg and online via livestream.

Date: 22 September 2026
Time: 09:00–10:00
Room: Chicago, 2nd floor, near the central entrance

Registration:
https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/019fb198a1f577d8b585710182e7db3b

All announcements, programmes, photos, videos and exhibitors:
https://www.windenergyhamburg.com/news-topics/press

Media accreditation:
https://www.windenergyhamburg.com/news-topics/press/accreditation

Media contact for WindEnergy Hamburg
Jusrah Doosry
PR Manager, WindEnergy Hamburg
T. +49 40 3569-2447
E: jusrah.doosry@hamburg-messe.de

Sources and further information

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