6 May 2021
WindEurope CEO Bulletin Foreword on shaping the Commission’s Fit-for-55 package
CEO Foreword
Dear WindEurope Member,
Last week was the deadline for Member States to submit their Recovery & Resilience Plans (RRPs) to the European Commission. There’s a lot at stake here. The RRPs will define how the EU spend its €750bn Recovery Fund. 37% of each RRP has to go towards fighting climate change. We’re working very closely with the Commission and our National Associations to ensure Governments spend this on the right projects: grid infrastructure, ports, roads, EV charging stations and R&D. And crucially that Governments make the right reforms to deliver on these investments. The Commission has to approve all the RRPs so they have a lot of leverage to push Governments to use their Plans to accelerate the Green Deal.
In parallel we’re lobbying hard on the upcoming “Fit-for-55” package that will align the EU’s climate and energy legislation with the new 55% climate target the EU has agreed. As part of the package the Commission will propose raising the EU’s renewables target from 32% of energy consumption by 2030 to 38-40%. Two weeks ago we met with EU Commissioner for Energy, Kadri Simson and pressed the importance of the Commission helping Member States improve and accelerate the permitting of wind farms. We’re saying there’s no point raising the renewables target if we don’t simplify permitting rules and procedures. We also highlighted the need to incentivise corporate PPAs with better rules on Guarantees of Origin. Last week we also met with Mauro Petriccione, Director-General for Climate Action in the Commission, to emphasise the need for Europe to tighten the EU Emissions Trading System as part of the Fit-for-55 package.
The Commission will unveil its proposals for the Fit-for-55 package on 14 July. See our position paper on the package here. And join our next Sofa Talk on 12 May for a deep dive into our industry’s proposals to ensure the new Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) supports the accelerated expansion of wind, and renewables-based electrification more generally. The following Sofa Talk on 3 June will look at advanced manufacturing and how it can breathe new life into European technology leadership.
On 8 June we will then publish a big report on the role of wind in electrifying industry, buildings and mobility in a net zero economy. We’re doing it at an online event with top EU Commission people and the Portuguese Energy Minister João Galamba (they have the EU Presidency right now). We’re doing it with the EU’s Technology and Innovation Platform for Wind Energy which we run for the Commission with industry and academia to shape the EU’s innovation agenda.
Finally, the programme of our 8-10 September Technology Workshop on resource and operational assessment is now available online. We’ll be covering changes in AI, digitalisation strategies, and the future of wind power forecasting. There will be sponsored parallel sessions alongside the main stream, and networking sessions at the end of each day – a great chance to share ideas and forge new partnerships. For more info and a chance to register your interest, check out the site here.
I wish you an enjoyable read.
Kind regards,
Giles Dickson
Want to read more and receive our regular newsletters?
