Navigating an evolving wind market: Global expansion and technological progress From Hamburg to the World: Interview with Nordex Group

2026 is set to be a record-breaking year for the global wind power industry. According to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), 165GW of new capacity is expected to be installed worldwide, a 40% year-on-year increase. As more countries are looking to strengthen energy security and meet climate goals through wind power expansion, demand for industry know-how and technological capabilities is growing. Nordex is a case in point. The Europe’s leading wind turbine manufacturer has seen strong momentum in order intake and commercial performance across Europe, Middle East and North America.

In this interview with EEHH, Tony Adam, Head of Public Affairs at the Nordex Group, discussed the company’s recent progress, technological priorities and opportunities it sees in emerging markets.

Dear Tony, thank you for joining us for the interview. To start, could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us about your role at Nordex?

I am responsible for Public Affairs at Nordex and so I am point of contact for associations, like EEHH. In my role, I am engaging for Nordex on the policy and regulatory topics. Focus here is of course the company’s perspective as an international wind turbine manufacturer and the way towards a successful energy transition.

 

2026 has been a strong year for Nordex with order intake growing across established and emerging markets. Nordex has also raised the full-year EBITDA margin guidance. What do you see as the main drive of this growth?

There is no single factor. We are benefiting from strong demand in several key markets, a competitive product portfolio and our broad international presence. At the same time, customers value technology that can be configured for different sites and market requirements. This combination has supported our positive order development.

The improvement is generally the result of our clear strategic focus over recent years: we systematically concentrated on optimizing operational execution along the entire value chain. At the same time, we work consistently on cost discipline – from procurement and production through to project execution.

We just recorded 7.7 GW of order intake in the first nine months of 2026, up 16.1% year-on-year, with Türkiye, Germany and the US as the main markets. Looking beyond individual market cycles, electrification, energy security and decarbonisation remain long-term drivers of demand for wind energy.

You mentioned Nordex’s global presence as one of the key factors. How important is geographic diversification of manufacturing capacities and suppliers to the company?

A diversified supply and manufacturing base is important for resilience and for serving our markets efficiently. At the same time, localization is important in several markets. Our approach is therefore to combine a global industrial footprint with regional and local capabilities wherever this makes strategic and economic sense.

 

Türkiye and USA have been important markets for Nordex this year in terms of order volume. What is driving demand in each market? How is Nordex navigating market-specific challenges, such as policy changes and financing conditions?

Both are important markets for Nordex, although their market environments are different. What matters for investment in wind energy is ultimately a reliable framework that gives developers, manufacturers and investors sufficient visibility to plan projects and industrial capacity. For Nordex, diversification across markets also helps us manage different market cycles and conditions.

Türkiye, Germany and the US were the three principal markets driving Nordex's Q3 2026 order intake. In Türkiye specifically, Nordex announced 389 MW of orders for 56 Delta4000 turbines.

In the US, we see long-term electricity demand rising structurally – driven in part by the strong expansion of data centers and the related demand for additional, reliable power generation. We deliberately focus on markets where we can leverage our technological strengths and create long-term value. In North America, this also includes the Canadian market, for example.

 

There is also good news from the emerging markets: Nordex secured its first order from New Zealand. What made this market attractive to Nordex? Could this move open up further expansion opportunities across the Asia-Pacific region?

New Zealand has very good wind resources and attractive opportunities for renewable energy. Our first project there for Mercury with 192 MW comprising 40 N133/4.8 turbines and a 30-year service agreement is an important step for Nordex and provides a strong starting point for establishing our presence in the country.

The entry into New Zealand complements our presence in the region and demonstrates our commitment there. Nordex is not completely new to the region. In Australia, we already have an established presence, with a dedicated office in Melbourne since 2017. Australia is a long-term core market in the region, combining our global technology with solutions tailored to local regulations and grid requirements.

Moving to technology. Wind turbine manufacturers from Europe and Asia are in the race to develop larger and more powerful turbines. But greater size also brings challenges to planning, transport and installation and overall project costs. How is Nordex addressing the balance of energy yield and project economics? I learned about your announcement about introducing the Delta4000 series with new N193/7.X turbine. What are its key features and how can it improve the performance of wind projects?

While maximum output was often the main focus in the past, factors such as availability, reliability, delivery capability and long-term economic viability are now becoming increasingly important. For Nordex, this has a major influence on our product strategy. We align our turbine portfolio closely with our customers’ requirements and keep it competitive without compromising on performance or reliability. We already take the latest service requirements into account during product development. Efficient onshore turbines are not defined by a specific megawatt threshold or rotor diameter alone. The right configuration is always a system decision: it must suit the wind conditions at the site as well as the general local conditions and permitting frameworks.

So, for Nordex, bigger is not an objective in itself. The decisive question is how a turbine can generate more energy economically under the specific conditions of a project. The N193/7.X follows exactly that approach: it combines a larger rotor with the proven Delta4000 platform and is particularly designed for low- and medium-wind sites. At typical low- and medium-wind sites it can deliver up to 14% higher annual energy yield than the N175/6.X.. Specifically for the German market it also will become available with 6.6MW capacity.

 

Despite wind power’s long-term growth potential, project development continues to face risks around high inflation, supply chain disruptions and changing energy policies. From your perspective, what changes would make the most significant differences in creating a stable and attractive investment environment for wind power worldwide?

The key word is predictability. Wind projects and the industrial capacities behind them require long-term investment decisions. Stable regulatory frameworks, predictable permitting and auction systems, adequate grid infrastructure and efficient project implementation are therefore essential if we want to accelerate deployment while maintaining a competitive wind industry.

 

Coming to the last question. Looking ahead to 2030, where do you see Nordex’s greatest opportunities to strengthen its position in the global wind power market? What capabilities or strategical priorities would be decisive in achieving this?

Our opportunity is to build on our strong position in onshore wind with competitive technology, a diversified international presence and a resilient industrial footprint. Technology will remain critical, but so will our ability to adapt products and operations to different markets. Ultimately, competitiveness means delivering reliable turbines with attractive energy yields and sound project economics.

The N193/7.X illustrates this product philosophy. An evolution of the Delta4000 platform, it is designed primarily for low- and medium-wind sites and can be flexibly adapted to market and site requirements worldwide.