WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin July 2021
6 July 2021
Deputy CEO Foreword
You may have seen that last month WindEurope called for a Europe-wide ban on landfilling decommissioned wind turbine blades by 2025. While we gear up to deliver the big wind volumes Europe wants under the Green Deal, we must prepare for increased scrutiny on the environmental impacts of our activities. Not least by working towards the full recyclability of our wind turbines, including blades.
By 2025 we estimate that 25,000 tonnes of blades will reach the end of their operational life every year. We cannot risk the bulk of these blades ending up in landfills. The public would question whether wind is sustainable. And politicians would be much less inclined to support our growth.
We also want to avoid National Governments regulating blade disposal in a rush and without coordination. By engaging policymakers on this now we position ourselves as partners to help define the rules.
Of course this means we need to get ready to recycle, reuse or recover 100% of our blades. We are taking this head on with our sustainability experts across the membership and our partners in the chemicals and composites industries. Read our press release here for more info on our proposal. And don’t hesitate to get in touch to contribute to this work – we will only meet this challenge by working together.
Looking ahead – July promises to be a busy month for EU policymaking. 14 July sees the launch of the European Commission’s long-awaited “Fit-for-55” Package. We’re working closely with the Commission to make sure the new measures on renewables, carbon pricing and energy taxation actually help the EU deliver on its new 55% climate target for 2030. We’ll be keeping you up to date on this and sharing our responses to it.
In the meantime, keep your eyes out for Windflix, our brand-new streaming service which we’ll be launching on 9 July. At our WindEnergy Hamburg Conference last December, we moved from the physical to the digital space with WindTV. And we provided a fully interactive experience with debates, interviews, field reports and entertainment. Windflix builds on this – it’s a video streaming platform, and a place to share video content covering a whole array of wind energy topics. Its search function and intuitive design will help you get up to speed at any time or place. We all have trouble keeping up with long reports or finding the time to attend every webinar. With Windflix, you’ll be able to watch what you want, whenever or wherever. And it’s completely free, available 24/7, all year round. More info on the way about this very shortly.
Now onto events – we’re heading back to Copenhagen for Electric City 2021 on 23-25 November, and we’re very much hoping to meet you all in person once again. We’ll confirm at the end of August whether the public health situation allows for an in-person event. Top of the agenda – how wind can deliver the electrification of the energy system that the EU wants. This builds on our recent joint report with ETIPWind, tackling the electrification question head on – check it out here.
Our programme overview for the event is now live. We’ll have Government Ministers driving Europe’s Climate and Energy Policy, wind industry CEOs and top energy consumers, financiers and scientists driving the transition to a wind-based energy system. We’ll be covering onshore and offshore wind, sustainability, end-of-life, community engagement,
igitalisation, and of course electrification – among others. And we’ll have dedicated feature areas for innovators, start-ups, EU Projects and health and safety experts, as well as the main exhibitor space. More than 85% of the exhibition is booked but you’re not too late if you’d also like a spot – get in touch with our Sales team if you are interested.
I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a relaxing and enjoyable summer break! We look forward to hopefully seeing you again in person this autumn – we have a lot of content on the way in the second half of 2021 to discuss and work on together.
Kind regards,
Malgosia Bartosik
Highlights
Windflix – coming soon to a screen near you!
How many times have you had your eye on an interesting programme or webinar that happened to be at a bad time of the day? How many times have you come across an interesting report but had no time to read it?
You’re not alone. We’re not always able to get through every in-depth report or find the time for every webinar. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make it all a bit easier.
Enter Windflix – Your window into the world of wind energy!
Get up to speed on the trends, ideas, and personalities driving the green transition, all at your fingertips!
Windflix is a new video platform and a gateway to video content covering a wide range of wind energy topics. Its search function and intuitive design will help you access information whenever or wherever suits you. And it’s all for free – available 24/7 all year round.
We’ll have market roundups, Sofa Talks, educational features, interviews, news coverage, tech insights and much more. So if you’re preparing a briefing for your boss, getting ready for a job interview, meeting a new customer, or trying to get your kids into wind, Windflix has you covered!
So relax, pour yourself a drink and click play – we’ll do all the rest!
Coming 9 July – save the date and stay tuned!
Members’ Successes
Cooperation with German companies for the European expansion of offshore wind
Experienced companies in the supply chain in Germany have for some time been intensifying their internationalisation efforts in view of the lack of construction activities and the still very limited offshore wind expansion in the German North Sea and Baltic Sea expected before 2025.
The WAB, as a business association and voice of the German offshore wind supply chain, supports these efforts and has compiled a portfolio of 26 company portraits in which these experienced companies present themselves and demonstrate their range of products and services as well as completed projects.
Germany is a major hub for expertise in the offshore field and has a reputation for world-class quality in terms of products. And there is much to look out for over the coming years. The upcoming offshore wind tenders in 2022 are a valuable opportunity for those looking to invest in the German market. Meanwhile, with European economic recovery in the wake of COVID-19, there is great potential for German companies to tap into increased demand for renewable electricity from corporate off-takers. This is especially true given the offshore deployment that will be needed to meet Europe’s 2030 climate targets.
Here you will find the first feedback from WAB member companies interested in the international market.
From our point of view, cooperation across national borders is a central building block of success in the transformation of the European energy system on the way to Net Zero. Therefore, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our member companies. We also support this exchange with our WINDFORCE 2021 Conference on 5 and 6 October in Bremerhaven, which is particularly suitable as a platform for exchange with players in the German supply chain.
Endiprev inaugurates new operations centre in Portugal
Shortly after celebrating its 12th anniversary, Endiprev inaugurated its new facilities last month in Mortágua, Portugal.
This new operations centre has 1750 m2 of implantation area and is composed of 13 offices, three meeting/conference rooms, a customised training room, and a warehouse of 430 m2. It was designed to support the company’s growth by combining key areas that will make Endiprev’s processes even more efficient and address the needs of the teams.
Although the office in Mortágua has 180 employees, the new facilities are designed to receive every employee from the seven other offices. “This is an important part of Endiprev’s home that we are envisioning for our future over the next few years. What we present here today is the beginning of a new development phase for Endiprev”, said the company’s CEO, André Ribeiro, in the inauguration gathering.
From an innovative business idea to Endiprev’s new operations centre
12 years ago, the founders of Endiprev launched the company with a strong sense of commitment and resilience, bringing to the market an innovative business idea related to the preventive maintenance of electrical machines. Step by step and with hard work, the company has distinguished itself in the market by investing in training, safety, and innovation, and especially through the quality of the service.
The inauguration of these new facilities was the result of a path of success the company has been building over recent years. That success was due to the trust of the company’s customers in its work and expertise, but also due to the 250 amazing employees that are now part of Endiprev. “Our people are the foundation of this organisation”, stated the company’s COO, André Pereira. It was mostly for them that this new operations centre was built as a physical manifestation of the company’s success due to their work. It is also a way to reflect the company’s values and work philosophy, which is replicated and followed in the eight offices around the world.
Endiprev Portugal’s new complex will pool several areas of the company’s activities. It was envisioned to accommodate the Engineering Department, in shared space for our support operations; an area dedicated to training; the Infrastructure Management, centralising all of our tools and equipment in a large-scale warehouse; and all of our employees, in a comfortable workspace, surrounded by green space and nature.
“Despite having accomplished one more goal, we can say that everything is still yet to be done”, concluded André Ribeiro. Endiprev understands that there is a lot still to do not only in terms of maintaining its growth but also in addressing global challenges, such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic – which is still restraining the teams’ mobility, especially in Europe – and the decarbonisation of several countries.
Members interview: Dentons
This month, we sat down with Michał Motylewski, Managing Counsel at Dentons, to discuss Dentons’ role as a law firm and its experience with the wind industry.
Wind Intelligence Platform
Events
Electric City 2021 – Programme Overview and Feature Areas
The EU wants wind to be half of Europe’s electricity by 2050. They see it already being our No. 1 source of electricity by 2027. And the share of electricity in Europe’s energy mix is going to more than treble by 2050. This all implies a huge expansion in wind energy. The Commission is expecting 1,000 GW of onshore wind by 2050 (up from 165 GW today) and 300 GW of offshore wind (up from 15 GW today).
This brings immense opportunity and responsibility for the wind industry. And the European wind industry is gathering in person in November in Copenhagen for its annual exhibition and conference organised by WindEurope. The focus? How wind can help deliver the electrification of Europe’s energy system that the EU wants.
Join over 250 exhibitors and thousands of participants from across the European wind scene and beyond. Policymakers, industry leaders, scientists, financial institutions, NGOs and more. All with one goal in mind – tapping into the opportunities of electrification. Check out our event programme here.
So after months of online meetings, let’s meet in person at the Electric City conference and exhibition in Copenhagen from 23-25 November.
While you’re here… Make sure to check out our dedicated Electric City Feature Areas – focus points and platforms for expertise and talent:
Innovation Park – Our space for the cutting-edge
The Electric City Innovation Park is our dedicated venue showcasing the industry’s fresh voices – and fresh ideas.
If you’re a start-up or part of an EU Project and are eager to share your findings, we want to hear from you!
Showcase your demonstration skills and become a partner of the Safety, Skills and Training Zone!
Our dedicated Safety, Skills and Training Zone will bring together the wind industry’s health and safety community for demos, training sessions, debates, and GWO’s Award Ceremony.
As a Demo Partner, you’ll be able to boost your brand, benefit from cross-sectoral visibility and position yourself as a health & safety leader and pioneer. Interested? Get in touch with our Sales Team now!
WindEurope Technology Workshop 2021 – Registration Open!
As Europe moves towards decarbonisation and a green recovery, we need fresh ideas and new approaches to make the most of what renewable energy technology has to offer.
At WindEurope’s annual Technology Workshop, key industry leaders and scientists come together to exchange ideas and bring new solutions to the table. This year’s edition will bring together leading experts in the analysis of operating wind farms and resource assessment. As well as the traditional topics, we’ll have a special focus on artificial intelligence, strategies for digitalisation and wind power forecasting.
Special prices for WindEurope Members, NGOs, academics and students. For any questions, contact the WindEurope Technology Workshop team here.
WindEurope EoLIS 2021: Preview Webinar
When: 23 September, 14:00 CEST
Join us for a prelude webinar to our End-of-Life Issues and Strategies Seminar in November.
In preparation for the main event, we’ll be going over some of the content and providing a bit of background to the issues up for discussion…
More info on the way soon – save the date!
R&I funding under Horizon Europe: what’s in it for wind?
When: 4 October, 10:00 – 12:00 CEST
The European Commission has published the first calls for projects under Horizon Europe, the new Research & Innovation framework programme for the years 2021-2027. Wind energy will receive at least €136m in 2021-2022. This is almost double what was promised under the previous Horizon 2020 Work Programme.
Tune in on 4 October to learn more and potentially find the ideal partner for submitting a project proposal. Carlos-Eduardo Lima de Cunha, Policy Officer at DG RTD in the European Commission, will tell you all about the open calls for wind energy and renewables. Francesca Harris, Project Manager at CINEA, will help you navigate the rules for applicants and will share some tips and tricks on how to successfully apply to the calls. During the second part of the webinar you will be given the opportunity to connect with other companies and research organisations to work together on your next EU-funded project!
The webinar will be moderated by WindEurope’s EU funding advisor, Sabina Potestio.
Partner events
Join the 20th Wind Integration Workshop from 29 – 30 September 2021 – either on-site in Berlin, Germany or virtually from home!
The only science-to-industry platform with a full focus on Renewable Energy Grid Integration offers the latest research and project experiences in the field of grid integration of wind power into power systems.
The agenda was recently released and features a wide spectrum of topics from sector coupling and forecasting to hybrid power systems and micro-grids. The special topic this year will be Grid Forming with three dedicated sessions!
Find more information and registration with early bird discounts here.