WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin February 2021
5 February 2021
CEO Foreword
Dear WindEurope Member,
This month sees a continued expansion in WindEurope’s outreach and advocacy, as we gear up for major legislative changes over the course of 2021. As you know, in December the EU agreed to increase its 2030 climate change target from a 40% emissions reduction (from 1990 figures) to 55%.
On the back of that, the EU Commission will now propose raising the EU’s 2030 renewables target from 32% of energy to 38-40%. This gives us the chance to try to amend the rules in the EU Renewables Directive on permitting or GOs to support the expansion of wind. The EU wants wind to be 50% of Europe’s electricity by 2050, and the higher 2030 renewables target is meant to help get us there. But national permitting rules and procedures as they stand will undermine the expansion of wind, so it’s essential we simplify them.
We’re making some important progress on EU industrial policy. The European Commission has appointed us to their new EU Industrial Forum, its official stakeholder body for advice on skills, trade, innovation, and other aspects of industrial policy – we’re one of only 10 sectors involved alongside heavyweights such as automotive, chemicals and aerospace. Separately, the EU launched its new 7-year R&D funding programme last week, “HorizonEurope”. It has €1.76bn in total for energy R&D over the next two years, including significant amounts for both onshore and offshore wind. The first call for proposals will be in April.
The last month has seen some significant developments at a national level. Spain ran its first auction under its new CfD scheme and saw the benefits of shifting to CfDs with the lowest ever prices for onshore wind in Europe: €20 to €29/MWh. Poland adopted its new Offshore Law Act paving the way for it to start delivering its goal of 10 GW offshore wind installed by 2040. Germany finally confirmed its annual onshore wind auction volumes to 2030, though the new law also allows the regulator to reduce the volumes if they see a risk of an auction being undersubscribed. And the law did little to simplify permitting, though last year at least saw a doubling of new onshore wind permits on 2019 (to 3 GW). Read our analysis of the new German law here.
More data from last year:
- Europe invested a healthy €26bn in new offshore wind, covering 7 GW of new capacity that’ll be built in the coming years;
- Europe installed 2.9 GW of new offshore wind in 2020, bringing us to 25 GW offshore wind in Europe. The average new turbine was over 8 GW; and
- 2020 saw 2 GW of new corporate PPAs with wind farms in Europe.
We will publish our full annual statistics on 25 February. Look out also for the webinar on them on 4 March. And a webinar on the offshore wind data on 11 February.
I wish you an enjoyable read.
Giles Dickson
Wind Industry Successes – 2020
2020 was a year like no other. It provided us with both personal and professional challenges that we’ve never faced before. But the wind industry rose to those challenges.
Whether they be delivering turbines to projects under construction, continuing to make important investment decisions, providing key maintenance of existing assets or manufacturing critical components for the continued operation of the industry, our community has ensured that our role in driving the energy transition has continued through these difficult times.
From right across our industry we’ve heard stories of personal sacrifice and leadership such as turbine maintenance technicians having to self-isolate from their family to provide essential services, and companies stepping up to deliver key infrastructure on time. It has undoubtedly been a difficult year.
Normal life may be on hold, but the wind keeps blowing, our turbines keep turning and our industry continues to power Europe with clean electricity. Wind now accounts for 16% of the electricity mix in Europe and the industry continues to respond to the ambitious targets set out in the European Green Deal.
Looking ahead, the industry has achieved a number of key policy wins this year. These include the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy – setting out the plan to increase Europe’s offshore wind capacity from 12 GW to 60 GW by 2030 and to 300 GW by 2050. The EU Recovery Fund – allocating 37% of total spending to green projects. And the Energy System Integration and Hydrogen Strategies – which recognise the key role of direct electrification and renewable hydrogen in decarbonising our economy. All of this means Europe is banking on wind to help drive the recovery and deliver climate neutrality.
It’s important to look back with pride on what we achieved in 2020 and to celebrate some of the success stories from across the wind industry.
This is our industry. And these are our success stories.
If you’d like to join the 2020 wind energy successes campaign then please send an email to [email protected] for more information.
See how the industry succeeded in 2020 below.
Events
Electric City 2021 – New Dates and Reopened Call for Abstracts
WindEurope Electric City 2021 – our annual on and offshore event is rescheduled for 23-25 November. As a key gathering for the wind sector this year, you will be able to meet major players from across the industry – and many more besides! Since this year’s focus will be on electrification, you can also meet representatives from the worlds of transport, heavy industry, storage, hydrogen and beyond. New partners, event features and many more business opportunities – this is what Electric City is all about.
Due to the new event date, we’re also reopening the Electric City call for abstracts! Those who have already submitted proposals can update them with recent findings. We are also welcoming any new proposals on presentations that could then be featured in the conference programme. The new deadline for submissions is 31 March. Be sure to check out our conference page for more details and a list of topics.
For any questions relating to the conference programme, contact [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you all in Copenhagen this November!
WindEurope Technology Workshop 2021: Call for Abstracts
Preparations for our Technology Workshop 2021 are gathering pace! Join us on 9-10 September for a comprehensive look at the state of wind energy technology, and for a chance to network with cutting-edge leaders in renewable tech development.
Our call for abstracts is open for the rest of the month, until 28 February!
We are open to proposals which are innovative (containing new work), non-commercial, and which contribute to the industry’s knowledge. They should also adhere to the topic headings listed on the programme page. We’ve streamlined the topics into three overall tracks:
- Resource Assessment;
- Analysis of Operating Wind Farms (including Wind Power Forecasting);
- Artificial Data and Intelligence.
Be sure to visit the event page for details on how to apply!
Interested in pitching your brand to a wide audience of industry experts and policymakers? Check out our Sponsorship Catalogue with details on packages and the benefits of being a Tech2021 sponsor!
Offshore Wind in Europe: Key trends and statistics
When: 11 February, 11:00-12:00 CET
Looking for an update on the offshore wind industry as we head into 2021? Join us this Thursday for a free webinar as we consider the latest developments in the European offshore sector over the past year – we’ll be examining the key installations in offshore wind farms, supply chain activity, investment trends and the latest policy developments. The webinar will be followed by a Q&A with the panellists.
Join Lizet Ramirez (Analyst – Offshore Wind), Mattia Cecchinato (Analyst – Sustainability & Offshore) and Christoph Zipf (Press and Communications Manager) for an insightful hour on offshore wind developments.
Wind Energy in Europe 2020: Trends, statistics and five-year outlook
When: 4 March, 15:00-16:00 CET
Join our WindEurope analysts as we take a look at how Europe’s wind industry has fared in 2020 – key wind farm installations, investment trends, and supply chain activity. We’ll also be mapping out the way forward for wind over the next five years, in this crucial decade for Europe to deliver on its decarbonisation objectives. Join us after the main presentation for a Q&A with the speakers.
Join Daniel Fraile Montoro (Head of Market Intelligence), Ivan Komušanac (Analyst – Markets & Wind Energy Technology) and Christoph Zipf (Press and Communications Manager) to learn all you need to know about the industry’s state of play, as well as future trends and developments.
Partnered Events
Corewind project webinar: Innovations in integrated floating offshore wind systems
Floating offshore wind is no longer confined to the laboratory: it’s a viable technology ready to be rolled out on an industrial scale. Not only has the technology for floating offshore wind reached maturity, costs are also predicted to plummet with the development of the first commercial projects.
The Corewind project aims at strengthening European leadership in floating offshore wind energy. It provides disruptive and cost-effective solutions for floating offshore wind technology leading to costs lower than 100€/MWh. To increase the competitiveness of the technology, project partners are working on the optimisation of mooring and anchoring systems as well as dynamic cables, allowing for enhanced performance. The project provides recommendations on best design practices and open data models to accelerate the development of concrete-based semi-submersible and spar floating structures. A part of the project will focus on testing the recommended innovative designs and optimisation parameters. The resulting recommendations are expected to facilitate the development of floating offshore wind energy, reducing risks and uncertainties, and contributing to lower LCOE (levelised cost of energy).
On 25 February, from 15:00 to 16:30 CET, Corewind partners will meet in an online event to discuss the latest results of the project. Join floating offshore experts from IREC, UPC, Esteyco, Ramboll and others to learn more!
Corewind activities and publications are free and publicly available. To find out more, visit our webpage and follow us on Twitter and Linkedin.
