25 May 2023
WindEurope’s position paper on the EU Green Deal Industrial Plan
The EU has a big challenge ahead. It needs to double the rate of wind deployment to deliver on its new energy security strategy REPowerEU by 2030. But investments in wind energy were sharply down in 2022 and the permitting situation for wind energy projects is still not what it is supposed to be. This is making the situation for Europe’s supply chain more precarious at a time when it should be ramping up instead. The gap in volume ambition vs supply chain capabilities is particularly acute for offshore wind. Europe also lacks a robust response to rising competitive pressures from the US and China in the global race for renewable energy investments.
As things stand, the European Commission’s legislative proposals for a Green Deal Industrial Plan will not be sufficient to ensure Europe avoids a reliance on non-European clean technologies in its energy transition. The European wind energy industry calls on the Member States and the European Parliament to amend the proposals by:
- Ensuring renewable energy auctions recognise European supply chains’ contribution to ‘resilience’ thanks to clear and actionable non-price criteria;
- Removing the rule allowing auctioning authorities to opt-out of applying non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions;
- Adding pre-qualification criteria, on cybersecurity and due diligence;
- Increasing the size and amending the scope of EU Innovation Fund;
- Clarifying the 36 GW annual target for wind turbine manufacturing in Europe covers the whole wind value chain.
