WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin June 2022
10 June 2022
CEO Foreword
Dear Member,
Lots of things have happened this last month on Europe’s new energy strategy, “REPowerEU”. The European Commission tabled a REPowerEU Action Plan which details how exactly the EU will get out of Russian energy imports by 2027 and accelerate the expansion of renewables. The REPowerEU Action Plan aims to improve Europe’s energy security.
The Action Plan involves the EU raising its renewables target to 45% of (total) energy by 2030. The target is 40% today – and as recently as 2018 the planned target was 27%. But the target is academic if measures aren’t in place to reach it. And the REPowerEU Action Plan is right on the money here – because it contains a whole raft of measures to simplify the permitting of renewables.
A new law will enshrine the principle of renewables expansion being an “overriding public interest”. It’ll also require Governments to set up “go-to” areas to fast-track permitting within a year on the back of a strategic environmental assessment, without needing project-specific EIAs. And the Commission have also clarified that the 2-year deadline for permit decisions (in all other areas) and the 1-year deadline for repowering, includes all permits – and that the clock starts ticking once an EIA is submitted.
Alongside these new rules, the REPowerEU Action Plan contains 8 pages of detailed recommendations to national Governments on how exactly they can and should simplify their permitting rules and procedures. And 45 pages of good practice from around Europe on different aspects of permitting that Governments should follow. See WindEurope’s new permitting infographic for a full breakdown of all of the EU’s new rules and recommendations.
And boy how we’ve got to simplify the permitting to deliver the volumes the EU now want from us to help get Europe off Russian gas. By 2030 the EU want us to expand wind energy capacity from the 190 GW we have today to 510 GW. That’s 38 GW a year of new build. Last year we built 11 GW. And with the current permitting processes we expected (pre-war) to average 18 GW a year over 2022-26.
The REPowerEU Action Plan also pledges to strengthen Europe’s renewable supply chains e.g. with new action on the sourcing of key materials. And it envisages a major acceleration also in the electrification of Europe’s economy, e.g. with a doubling of the targets for new heat pumps and higher targets for renewable hydrogen.
Wind is central to Europe’s new energy strategy. To illustrate the very day the REPowerEU Action Plan came out, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen went to Esbjerg for an offshore wind summit with Olaf Scholz and the Prime Ministers of Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. The four countries made new commitments to have 65 GW of offshore between them in the North Sea by 2030 and 150 GW by 2050. You can read more about the summit and the Esbjerg Declaration here.
The state of our supply chain remains a dominant issue for us. All five of Europe’s wind turbine manufacturers are now operating at a loss. Renewables must be made in Europe. The EU and national Governments want this too, and the REPowerEU Action Plan doesn’t shy away from the issue. It recognises the EU has a role to play, that it needs to strengthen wind and solar supply chains and take action on the sourcing and re-shoring of key materials and components. We are working closely with the EU Commission on the concrete measures.
Technology will also be key to our success – and to Europe’s energy security. We need to maximise yields, strengthen our efficiency and optimise our operations wherever we can. WindEurope’s Technology Workshop 2022 will focus on all of this. It’s on 23-24 June in Brussels. The leading innovators in the wind industry and academia will be there. There’ll also be a poster exhibition and pitches showcasing the latest breakthroughs. Registration is open – with special prices for WindEurope Members.
Finally, can I invite you all to our 2022 Annual General Assembly (AGA) which takes place on 29 June, from 16:45 – 18:00 CEST at our offices in Brussels. It’s a hybrid meeting, so you can also join online if you wish. You can click here to register. After the AGA we then have our annual reception in our garden, a joint event again with our friends in the chemical industry (Cefic) – and this year raising money for Ukraine.
Kind regards,
Giles Dickson
WindEurope Intelligence Platform
Our featured products this month
National Policy and Regulatory Developments – May 2022
In our National Policy and Regulatory Updates tool, you can read about the latest developments in energy policy broken down by country – including national Government responses to the invasion of Ukraine.
Infographic: How to simplify permitting
On the back of its REPowerEU initiative, the European Commission has issued new laws and guidance to simplify the permitting of wind energy projects. Find out more in our infographic.
Members interview: WindGrid
This month, we spoke with Chris Peeters, President of WindGrid and CEO of Elia Group, to look at their role in developing vital infrastructure for wind energy, and to discuss the importance of European cross-border collaboration on energy projects.
Wind Energy Data Standard launch
WindEurope recently launched the Wind Energy Data Standard (WEDS) project as part of the digitalisation workstream. The project will be sponsored by WindEurope Members and will engage their experts in digitalisation and data standardisation. The initial phase of WEDS will last for 12 months.
WEDS aims to develop a universal data standard that will cover the major data areas needed for us to ramp up digitalisation. It will also allow for further data exchange in the wind industry and with the grid operators. WEDS will be based on, bring together and complement currently deployed data standards like the IEC 61400-25. At the end of the project WindEurope aims that the wind industry will use the commonly agreed standard as the main instrument for data specification and exchanges. For this reason WEDS is looking to engage a maximum range of experts from across the entire wind energy value chain.
If you’d like to know more and to take part in WEDS, get in touch with Vasiliki Klonari or Vaiva Indilaite-Girtze.
Share your successes with us!
Is your brand bringing new, ground-breaking solutions to the wind industry? Have you recently launched a major project in your field? Do you have positive business news to share?
Then make sure to get in touch with us here at WindEurope – we’ll be happy to promote your success story as part of our monthly Bulletin! This is a chance to share your accomplishments with thousands of others from right across the wind energy value chain – a major visibility boost.
Please be aware that this service is only available to members from the categories C3 and above. Publication of stories is on a first come, first served basis.
Get in touch with our Membership team now to send in your news!
Events
WindEurope Technology Workshop 2022
When: 23-24 June
Where: Brussels
WindEurope’s Technology Workshop will look at the latest developments in resource assessment and how to optimise the performance and efficiency of operating wind farms.
You’ll have the chance to meet leading industry innovators, get up to speed on solutions to operational challenges, and read and listen to pitches showcasing the latest breakthroughs.
Here are some of the programme topics:
- Modelling: climate change effects, AEP, MPAS vs WRF, and more;
- Measurements: lidar uses, wind speed and turbulence intensity;
- Wakes & Blockages: including internal and cluster wakes, and gravity wave losses;
- Improved forecasting: through new technologies at different timescales;
- Environmental impacts: and how to use technology to protect biodiversity, curtail noise and model scour;
- Using AI to improve operations: as well as turbine performance and wind power forecasting; and
- Optimising lifetime and lifecycles: including how to support lifetime extension decisions.
Registration is open now – with special prices for WindEurope Members. We hope you can join us in Brussels in a few weeks!
WindEnergy Hamburg 2022
When: 27-30 September
Where: Hamburg
WindEnergy Hamburg 2022 promises to be a major gathering for the global wind industry – with 1,400 exhibitors and 35,000 attendees expected. Want to make sure you’ll be able to meet your contacts or make new acquaintances? See who is exhibiting.
As European Partner, together with BWE and VDMA, WindEurope will support the organisation of the New Horizons stage on the exhibition floor. It’ll cover market and technology developments in Europe’s wind sector and the wider energy system. This stage is part of the four content stages of the fair including GWEC’s Global Market Theatre, the Speakers’ Corner and the H2 stage.
Check out the event website for further information, and a chance to book as an exhibitor. If you want to register, the ticket shop is now open. These tickets will give all participants access to the exhibition halls as well as the stages.
WindEurope will be there and we look forward to seeing you in Hamburg, in September.
RE-Source 2022
When: 6-7 October
Where: Amsterdam
This year’s RE-Source Event takes place at the Hotel Okura in Amsterdam, from 6-7 October. This is a key gathering for corporate buyers and sellers from across Europe, where all of the actors in the PPA world can come together and discuss the latest developments.
WindEurope Annual Event 2023
When: 25-27 April 2023
Where: Copenhagen
The wind industry is heading to Copenhagen, from 25-27 April 2023. And there’s a lot lined up.
This will be the key European wind energy event of 2023. You can expect a wide-ranging conference shedding light on the state of the industry. Hundreds of companies exhibiting their brands and looking to do business. Guest speakers from Governments, industry, NGOs, financial institutions and centres of learning. And thousands of others from around the world looking to fill themselves in on all things wind.
Our Exhibition Sales for the event have just opened. Click below to see our packages – WindEurope’s members are entitled to reduced rates for stand bookings. This is your chance to put yourself at the heart of the action.
New Windflix Content – Giles & Pierre look at the EU’s latest energy policy responses to the current crisis
The EU has agreed to ban Russian oil imports, at least 90% of them. What’s next and what else is happening in Europe’s new energy policy, REPowerEU? And what’s happening at national level? In the latest Windflix installment, Giles and Pierre take you through things.
Windflix is a video platform giving you up-to-date content on everything that’s going on in wind energy – policy breakthroughs, industry news, special features, and archives from WindEurope events.
