In July, Istv á n Kapit á ny, the Hungarian Minister of Economy and Energy, announced that the country's planned wind power grid access capacity had been increased from the previous commitment of 700 megawatts to the European Union to nearly 1000 megawatts, exceeding the target. Behind this is a positive reaction from investors that far exceeded expectations, prompting the government to release more grid capacity after reassessing site selection criteria. For Hungary, the wind power market is stepping onto an acceleration track from a decade long stagnation period.

From 330 MW to 1000 MW

The installed capacity of wind power in Hungary has remained at around 330 megawatts since 2016, with almost no new projects implemented. Solar energy has surged to nearly 8300 megawatts during the same period, creating a huge contrast between the two. This imbalance is being broken. In 2024, the government approved the addition of 695 megawatts of wind power capacity, and promised to open up 700 to 1000 megawatts of grid access quotas in 2026. At the legislative level, the height limit for wind turbines will be relaxed from 130 meters to 199 meters starting from January 2026, simplifying the implementation of site selection rules.

On August 31st, the first round of bidding for 700 MW wind power will officially start, with an estimated investment scale of nearly 1 billion euros. The EU has provided 1.5 billion euros in funding for power grid upgrades, and the integration of energy storage facilities has also been considered in the regulatory framework.

A grander starting point

The Ministry of Energy's plan clearly states that by 2030, at least 4000 megawatts of new wind power grid access capacity will be provided, and the total installed capacity of wind power will increase by more than ten times compared to the current level. This is not a one-time bidding, but a continuous release channel - starting from the first round of bidding in August, Hungary's green power map will gradually be rewritten.Editor/Cheng Liting