Wind energy continues to play a growing role in the U.S. power mix. Today, wind turbines generate about 11.8% of the nation’s electricity. That share could climb to roughly 20% by 2030, and as high as 35% by 2050, as utilities expand renewable capacity and retire fossil fuel assets.
That long-term growth runway should benefit companies tied to wind energy, from turbine manufacturers to power producers. For investors, the challenge isn’t whether wind is growing, it’s figuring out how to gain exposure in a relatively small and specialized market.
Eight top wind energy stocks for 2026
Despite the sector’s growth, there are surprisingly few publicly traded companies that focus exclusively on wind energy. Only a handful of turbine manufacturers and wind-focused operators trade on major U.S. exchanges, which limits pure-play investment options.
Because of that, investors often need to take a broader approach. Many of the strongest wind investments come from diversified energy companies, industrial firms, or global manufacturers with meaningful wind exposure alongside other businesses.
With that in mind, here are some of the best wind energy stocks to consider.
| Name and ticker | Market cap | Dividend yield | Industry |
|---|---|---|---|
| NextEra Energy (NYSE:NEE) | $191.8 billion | 2.53% | Electric Utilities |
| GE Vernova (NYSE:GEV) | $270.3 billion | 0.17% | Electrical Equipment |
| Brookfield Renewable (NYSE:BEPC) | $7.7 billion | 3.53% | Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers |
| Clearway Energy (NYSE:CWEN) | $4.7 billion | 4.59% | Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers |
| Vestas Wind Systems A/s (OTC:VWDRY) | $29.6 billion | 0.39% | Electrical Equipment |
| Siemens Energy Ag (OTC:SMNE.Y) | N/A | N/A | Electrical Equipment |
| Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) | $54.9 billion | 4.28% | Multi-Utilities |
| XPLR Infrastructure (NYSE:XIFR) | $957.5 million | 0.00% | Independent Power and Renewable Electricity Producers |
1. NextEra Energy
NYSE: NEE
Key Data Points
NextEra Energy (NEE +0.17%) is a major renewable energy company. It operates the largest electric utility in Florida (FPL) and also has a large-scale energy resources business.
NextEra's energy resources segment is one of the largest producers of wind power in the world. More than half of its 43 gigawatts (GW) of operating generation capacity was wind energy in early 2026 (52%). That included its investment in XPLR Infrastructure (XIFR +0.49%), where wind accounted for 80% of its generation capacity.
The company is an active developer of new wind energy projects. It expects to build up to 14.5 GW of new wind energy capacity by 2032. NextEra Energy is also a leader in using battery storage to help reduce the intermittency of its wind and solar energy assets.
Although not a pure wind energy play, NextEra is a leader in the sector, making it a solid option. It also has an excellent track record of increasing shareholder value, including its dividend.
2. GE Vernova
NYSE: GEV
Key Data Points
GE Vernova (GEV +2.39%) is a global energy company focused on the power, wind, and electrification markets. The company was part of General Electric before the former industrial company broke apart. It spun off GE Vernova to shareholders in 2024.
GE Vernova is one of the global leaders in manufacturing, installing, and servicing wind turbines. It has installed more than 59,000 units worldwide, totaling more than 120 GW. The installed base generates recurring service revenue.
In addition, GE Vernova has a large and growing backlog of onshore and offshore wind development projects, which should drive steady growth in the coming years. Although it's not a pure wind energy play, GE Vernova gives investors exposure to the sector and the overall lower-carbon energy trend, given its large gas turbine business.
3. Vestas Wind Systems
OTC: VWDRY
Key Data Points
Denmark-based Vestas (VWDRY -3.26%) is a global leader in the wind energy sector. It designs, manufactures, installs, develops, and services wind energy and hybrid projects worldwide. It has installed over 200 GW of wind turbines in 88 countries (including 11 GW of offshore wind), more than any other company. As of early 2026, it had another 28 GW of wind projects in the pipeline across Australia, the U.S., and Brazil.
Like GE Vernova, Vestas doesn't just sell and install wind turbines; it generates some recurring income from servicing them after installation. The company has long-term service contracts covering more than 161 GW of wind power. These contracts help to offset some of the variability in wind turbine sales. Vestas' focus on wind turbines makes it one of the few large-scale, pure-play wind energy investments.
4. Siemens Energy
OTC: SMNE.Y
Key Data Points
NYSE: BEP
Key Data Points
Brookfield Renewable (BEP -0.26%) is a leading global clean energy infrastructure company. As of mid-2026, it had 47.2 GW of operating assets, including 8.5 GW of hydroelectric power, 16.7 GW of wind, 14 GW of utility-scale solar, 4.8 GW of distributed generation (e.g., rooftop and community solar), and 3.2 GW of storage capacity. It also has a growing sustainable solutions platform, including carbon capture and storage, biofuel production, recycling, solar panel manufacturing, and nuclear services.
Brookfield takes a diversified approach to investing in clean energy. However, wind is a big part of its future. Brookfield has more than 225 GW of development projects in its pipeline, including 44.3 GW of onshore wind and 3 GW of offshore projects.
Recent investments have expanded Brookfield's capacity to build and operate wind farms. They also support Brookfield's strategy to boost its high-yielding dividend (nearly 4% in mid-2026) in the coming years. That makes it an ideal stock for investors seeking a partially wind-powered passive income stream.
6. Clearway Energy
NYSE: CWEN
Key Data Points
Clearway Energy (CWEN -2.20%) is one of the largest renewable energy operators in the U.S. It has more than 9.9 GW of wind, solar, and energy storage projects, as well as 2.8 GW of natural gas generation facilities. These assets provide Clearway with stable cash flow backed by long-term contracts, allowing it to pay an attractive dividend (a yield of more than 4.5% in early 2026).
Clearway primarily grows by acquiring operating wind and solar power plants from developers, allowing them to recycle capital into new investments. It has several investments lined up that should support cash flow per share growth of 7% to 8% annually through 2030. Meanwhile, it has ample drivers to power growth of 5% to 8%+ annually beyond 2030.
In early 2026, Clearway's parent company signed power purchase agreements with Google (GOOG +2.00%)(GOOGL +1.71%) for nearly 1.2 GW of carbon-free energy projects across three states. These and other investments should support Clearway's ability to grow its cash flow and high-yielding dividend in the coming years.
7. Dominion Energy
NYSE: D
Key Data Points
Dominion Energy (D -0.16%) is a leading utility that serves 3.6 million electricity customers across Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. It also has 500,000 natural gas customers in South Carolina.
The company is investing heavily to maintain and expand its operations to meet its customers' growing demand for electricity. Among its notable investments is a large offshore wind project to support growing power demand in Virginia. Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) is a 2.6-GW project that will supply clean energy to 660,000 customers upon completion (first electricity in early 2026, full completion in early 2027).
The company acquired a 400,000-acre lease in 2024 to expand its offshore wind production. CVOW-South could support an additional 800 MW of offshore wind generation capacity in the 2030s.
8. XPLR Infrastructure
NYSE: XIFR
Key Data Points
XPLR Infrastructure (XIFR +0.49%) is a limited partnership formed by NextEra Energy that owns clean energy infrastructure assets. It had 10 GW of net owned capacity, including 8 GW of wind, 1.8 GW of solar, and 0.2 GW of storage. That made it the third-largest wind and solar energy producer in the U.S.
The company sells the power it produces under long-term fixed-rate contracts with utilities and large corporations. It uses the stable cash flow produced by its renewable energy assets to expand its portfolio and strengthen its financial position.
Wind repowering projects are a key growth driver. XPLR had completed 1.3 GW of projects, part of its plan to repower 2.1 GW of wind farms by 2030. The company expects to use its wind-powered cash flow to continue growing its portfolio, strengthening its financial foundation, and eventually return cash to investors via dividends and share repurchases.
How to invest in wind energy stocks
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to buy wind energy stocks:
- Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
- Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
- Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
- Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
- Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
- Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Benefits and risks of investing in wind energy stocks
The wind energy sector has its share of pros and cons. Here are some of the benefits of investing in wind energy stocks:
- Growth: Demand for wind energy should grow significantly in the coming years, benefiting wind energy companies.
- Income: Many companies that produce power from wind generate predictable cash flow, enabling them to pay dividends.
- Environmentally friendly: Investing in wind energy helps support a lower-carbon, more sustainable world.
On the other hand, here are some of the risks of investing in wind energy companies:
- Volatility: While demand for wind energy is growing, its growth rate can fluctuate. That can cause volatility in earnings for wind turbine manufacturers.
- Geopolitical changes: Supportive government policies can drive additional demand for wind energy. When that support diminishes, it can affect the sector's growth.
- Wind variability: Wind is intermittent and can deviate from historical trends, causing earnings volatility for wind energy producers.
Should you invest in wind energy stocks?
The wind industry has faced headwinds in recent years. It experienced its slowest growth rate in decades in 2025 -- due to tariffs, a pause in new federal wind leasing and permitting, and other issues. However, the industry expects to see improvement in 2026, driven in part by robust energy demand from AI data centers and other catalysts. This reacceleration in growth makes the wind energy sector a compelling long-term opportunity for investors.
Related investing topics
FAQs on wind energy stocks
About the Author
Matt DiLallo has positions in Alphabet, Brookfield Renewable Partners, Clearway Energy, NextEra Energy, and XPLR Infrastructure. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Ge Vernova, and NextEra Energy. The Motley Fool recommends Brookfield Renewable Partners, Dominion Energy, and Siemens Energy Ag. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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