WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin March 2019
6 March 2019
Giles Dickson
CEO Foreword
Dear WindEurope Member,
“WindEurope Bilbao”, our Conference & Exhibition 2019 is now less than a month away! It promises to be a great event. The Spanish market is booming, as you know, with 4GW being installed this year, the prospect of significant further build-out in the next decade and the first stirrings of activity on offshore wind. There’ll be over 300 exhibitors from 50 countries and a top line-up of speakers in the conference with Ministers from 5 different countries. Registrations are open and as a WindEurope member you get 30% off
The theme of the event is ‘Delivering a clean economy for all Europeans.’ This is all about people:
- the people who work in our industry: are there enough of them, are the right skills out there, how can we best support what we hope will be a growing workforce?
- the citizens of Europe and wind: how to maintain their continued support for the expansion of wind; how wind benefits local communities; how wind will reduce consumer bills; and
- how wind can help deliver a “just” energy transition for all regions of Europe. Including coal regions and regions dependent on energy-intensive industries. Bilbao and the Basque Country are a shining example of how the wind industry can support economic transition in heavy industrial areas.
The Bilbao Exhibition Centre is a super venue. We’ve pretty much filled the 2 large exhibition halls with 300 exhibitors from both the onshore and offshore wind industries. The conference is under the same roof. We’ve some top speakers. The Spanish and Portuguese Energy Ministers. Ministers from Norway and Croatia. And Michal Kurtyka, the Polish Minister who chaired the recent UN climate talks in Katowice. Plus senior officials from the European Commission and European Investment Bank. And National Regulators and TSOs. And, of course, our industry leaders will be there too.
The conference will cover all the key “live” technology developments, market trends, and the latest on finance and government policy. It’ll also look at grids and system integration, repowering and lifetime extension, recycling of blade waste, PPAs, trade issues and Brexit. And we have two full-day workshops on skills and on regional economic transition.
There’s a full agenda of social events and side-events. Iberdrola are kindly hosting us at the Iberdrola Tower for the Members’ Reception on 1 April. And we have a Gala Dinner at the magnificent Guggenheim Museum on 3 April.
It’s going to be a great event. I look forward to seeing you there.
Giles Dickson
Policy News
2018 in wind energy: Wind now provides 14% of Europe’s electricity – but there is no room for complacency
Wind energy provided 14% of the EU’s electricity last year, up from 12% in 2017, according to statistics released in February by WindEurope. Wind power capacity rose in Europe by 11.3 GW in 2018: 8.6 GW onshore and 2.65 GW offshore.
Continued growth in capacity and the use of more powerful turbines are helping to drive up wind’s share in the electricity mix. Denmark had the highest share of wind in its electricity last year (41%) followed by Ireland (28%) and Portugal (24%). Wind was 21% of Germany’s electricity.
Wind accounted for 49% of all the new power generation capacity in Europe in 2018. 2018 was a record year for new wind capacity financed. 17 GW of future projects reached Final Investment Decision (FID): 13 GW onshore and 4.2 GW offshore.
However, beneath the surface many things are not right. 2018 was the worst year for new wind energy installations since 2011. Growth in onshore wind fell by over half in Germany and collapsed in the UK. And 12 EU countries didn’t install a single wind turbine last year.
Investments in future capacity were quite good last year thanks to the UK, Spain, Sweden – and thanks also to the further expansion of offshore wind.
But the outlook for new investments is uncertain. There are structural problems in permitting, especially in Germany and France. With the noble exception of Lithuania, and despite improvements in Poland, there’s a lack of ambition in Central and Eastern Europe.
The 2030 National Energy & Climate Plans (NECPs) are a chance to put things right. But the draft Plans are badly lacking in detail: on policy measures, auction volumes, how to ease permitting and remove other barriers to wind investments, and how to expand the grid. Governments need to sort this out before they finalise the Plans this year.
Member’s Interview
Innovation and forward thinking have long been the cornerstones of the wind energy sector. InnoEnergy will be exhibiting and pushing innovation forward at the WindEurope 2019 Conference & Exhibition in Bilbao.
In advance of this, we bring you the following interview with InnoEnergy’s CEO, Diego Pavia.
Read the interview
Member’s News
VIATEC ranked no 1 among high-growth SMEs in Poland
Polish business publication Puls Biznesu has ranked VIATEC as the best high-growth SME in Poland. VIATEC provides construction-related services for the wind energy sector.
VIATEC took its first steps in 2013: within three years, the company completed 38 projects, installing 71 wind turbines. Most of these were launched outside Poland: in Germany, Luxemburg and Ireland. These projects have built the company’s reputation as a fast, flexible and repeatable quality company.
In 2018, most of VIATEC’s services were provided abroad, including Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. However, the competitive results of the first auction for wind farms in Poland have shown that Poland’s domestic wind energy sector is also starting to be competitive.
According to Chief Operating Officer Maciej Kaźmierski, “It is not easy for a Polish company to compete with international companies. After five years of activity on the European market, we are consistently moving towards customer portfolio development and geographical diversification. All the more so as our competences are permanent, we keep up with technological changes and changes in the organisation of design works. We also have the ability to cooperate in the international environment of subcontracting companies.”
VIATEC now installs turbines at an altitude of 85-150m and places a strong emphasis on risk management. “When we lift the turbine to a height of 140 m with a 600-ton crane, there is no room for error,” Kaźmierski adds.
As a trusted partner of wind turbine manufacturers and project developers delivering tailored solutions for our customers. VIATEC is contributing at each stage of value chain acting from integrated contractor to specialised assignments where proven track-record is key competence.
Meet WindEurope’s Port Platform in Bilbao
In 2016 Port of Oostende and REBO approached WindEurope and highlighted the need to create a dedicated platform for ports serving the wind industry. In response, we launched our Offshore Wind Ports Platform.
The Offshore Wind Ports Platform provides a forum where we can exchange best practices, know-how and jointly discuss the opportunities and challenges faced by ports as the offshore wind industry grows.
And offshore wind is growing rapidly: Europe installed 2.6 GW of new offshore wind energy capacity in 2018 – an 18% increase in Europe’s offshore wind capacity. Europe now has 105 offshore wind farms across 11 countries with a total capacity of 18.5 GW.
The size and scale of offshore wind continues to rise. The average size of the new turbines installed last year was 6.8 MW, 15% up on 2017. The technology keeps developing. The turbines keep getting bigger. And the costs keep falling. It’s now no more expensive to build offshore wind than it is to build coal or gas plants. And it’s a good deal cheaper than new nuclear.
And our Offshore Wind Ports Platform continues to grow too! With a membership of 10 ports (and an exciting new member set to join in the coming weeks), the Ports Platform is helping ports play their key role in the growth of the wind industry and the reduction of costs.
Visit the Ports Platform at its stand in Bilbao to find out more.
Has your organisation had any recent successes you’d like to share with the wider wind energy community? Every month we feature success stories in our Bulletin, reaching an audience of over 6,000 people.
Interested in submitting a success story? Contact us today
Events
WindEurope 2019 Conference & Exhibition: final countdown to Bilbao
When: 2 – 4 April
Where: Bilbao
Join Event Ambassadors Iberdrola, Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy and TPI for WindEurope’s annual conference and exhibition, taking place in just four weeks’ time.
With the right policies and vision in place, wind energy can breathe life into the sort of future people want. That’s why, in advance of the European elections, Europe’s most important on- and offshore wind energy event will be gathering in Spain.
Spain is a clear example of how, with the right policy and vision in place, wind energy can deliver power to people. Spain’s vibrant supply chain already employs 22,000 people, and this is set to grow: more than 4 GW of onshore wind are planned by 2020, Spain is making new forays into offshore wind (including floating), and the government plans to build 2.5 GW wind a year up to 2030.
At the WindEurope 2019 Conference and Exhibition, we will be focusing on the benefits wind energy brings to people on a local, regional and national level. Join more than 8,000 delegates to learn, network and shape the vision for the future you want.
Date and venue confirmed for RE-Source 2019
When: 2 – 3 October
Where: Amsterdam
After fantastic feedback to last year’s event, we have decided to continue our corporate renewable energy sourcing discussions in the same location: the exquisite Hotel Okura in Amsterdam. Last year was another landmark for renewable energy in Europe, with corporates signing over 2 GW of wind PPA deals.
With more markets opening up to the corporate renewable sourcing opportunity, RE-Source 2019 is the perfect platform to network, learn and do business with key players from both the buyer and supplier side.
This year, we’ll have further B2B matchmaking activities, deep dive breakout sessions and we’re extending the meetings to include more diverse buyer and supplier groups.
Please note: The two last editions of RE-Source sold out in advance – so be sure to have it in your calendar.
So save the date and spread the word: we’re already looking forward to welcoming you to #RESource2019!
Save the date: Resource Assessment 2019
When: 27 – 28 June
Where: Brussels
The 5th Edition of WindEurope’s Resource Assessment Technology Workshop will take place on 27-28 June in Brussels.
The Resource Assessment Workshop will focus on the following main topics:
Topic 1: reducing uncertainty in data analysis and processing
- Uncertainty quantification – in individual WRA steps and propagation of uncertainties through the workflow;
- Time series modelling. What stops us from wider implementation of time series calculations as opposed to frequency based?
Topic 2: reducing uncertainty in measurements using LiDARs
- LiDAR and site suitability? TI measurements with LIDARs.
• Shear adjustment for measurements campaigns including short masts and LIDARs? - Acceptance, validation, correction strategies.
• Do we need to calibrate LiDARs against masts? - Applications of scanning LiDARs: how can the wind industry best benefit from this technology?
Topic 3: improving simulations and modelling with regards to levels of uncertainty
- How to set a modelling hierarchy based on Uncertainty Quantification?
Topic 4: forecasting
- What are the barriers to improving the accuracy of forecasts?
- Do upwind wind speed measurements improve accuracy?
- For power trading we need to know the demand, where is the industry?
Topic 5: wakes
- Can wake steering improve production?
- Do we need to include blockage effects due to closely spaced turbines?
- Are turbines with large rotors on short towers underperforming?
Save the date: EoLIS 2019: End-of-Life Issues and Strategies Seminar
When: 5 September
Where: Leuven
A significant share of Europe’s wind turbine fleet will come to the end of its projected lifetime within the next 10 to 15 years. In order to fulfill Europe’s long-term decarbonisation agenda, the share of wind energy in the energy mix needs to grow further, and this outgoing generation capacity will have to be replaced.
But this process is not as straightforward as it could seem.
The first edition of WindEurope’s End-of-Life Issues and Strategies (EoLIS) seminar will bring together industry and academic experts to discuss the way forward.
Our one-day programme will tackle policy and permitting issues as well as technology challenges, with in-depth sessions on lifetime extension, repowering, decommissioning and recycling.
What we’re reading
- The latest IRENA report: Innovations for a renewable future: solutions to integrate variable renewables
- Adelphi’s Convenient Truths. Mapping climate agendas of right-wing populist parties in Europe
- The Institute for European Environmental Policy’s Net-zero agriculture in 2050: how to get there?
- BNEF’s New Energy Outlook 2018
- McKinsey’s Global Energy Perspective 2019
