WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin May 2024
13 May 2024
A word from the CEO
Dear WindEurope Member,
You may well have seen that the European Commission has launched an inquiry into Chinese suppliers of wind turbines, under the new EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation. The Commission said in last year’s Wind Power Package that they would be much more vigilant on fair competition on the European Market and had specifically referred to the new Foreign Subsidies Regulation. They are now acting on this.
We fully understand the rationale. China’s manufacturers are offering much lower prices than European ones – up to 50% less in some cases. And their financing terms are very generous, with up to 3 years deferred payment. They can’t manage this without some sort of unfair public subsidy. And under OECD rules European manufacturers aren’t allowed to offer deferred payments of this length.
The Commission understands the risks this poses to Europe’s energy security. Launching the inquiry, the Competition Commissioner said Europe can’t afford to repeat the mistakes we made in losing our solar manufacturing.
We’ve just released the stats for offshore wind in Europe last year – you can read the full report here. Europe built 3.7 GW of new offshore wind last year bringing the total to over 34 GW. But we really need to build much more each year to meet the 2030 targets Governments have set.
And we mustn’t forget that these targets rely even more on the build-out of onshore wind than offshore. And onshore wind deployment rates need to go up too. The latest permitting data in Germany – 2.6 GW onshore wind in Q1 2024 – gives grounds for optimism here. Other countries need to emulate this, notably by implementing the good new EU permitting rules. The deadline for their doing so is 30 June this year.
On 6-9 June it’s the European Parliament elections. It’s crucial that we all vote – and persuade our colleagues, friends and families to vote as well. The far-right are likely to do better than 5 years ago, and most of them don’t like renewables. Turn-out is absolutely key to making sure the mainstream parties retain a strong majority – and that the Parliament and the new EU Commission they’ll elect continue to support the expansion of wind. Here’s our campaign material which is all geared to getting people to vote – please use it.
Then what do we want from the EU in the next 5 years? Here are our 5 simple asks that we’ve just issued. It boils down to action on grids, permitting, electrification, technology scale-up and a level playing field.
Finally, our annual Technology Workshop is in Dublin on 10-11 June. The focus as ever is resource assessment and analysis of operating wind farms. Click here to register if you haven’t already.
Kind regards,
Giles Dickson
GO VOTE!
One month to go – use your vote this June!
The future is in your hands. We need a greener energy system for Europe – and at the European elections this June, we can send a signal to our policymakers to make it happen! It’s time to step up to the plate – and cast your vote for the energy transition! Read more about WindEurope’s asks for the new European Parliament here.
WindEurope Intelligence Platform
Offshore wind in Europe – key trends and statistics 2023
This report summarises offshore installations from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023. Europe added 3.7 GW of offshore capacity across the year. That’s 384 new offshore wind turbines connected to the grid, across twelve wind farms. Another six wind farms had construction activity for the installation of cables, foundations and turbines. The Netherlands commissioned the world’s largest wind farm Hollandse Kust Zuid 1-4 (1,500 MW). And Norway has now the largest floating wind farm in operation (95 MW).
Europe now has a total installed offshore wind capacity of 34.2 GW. That corresponds to 6,340 grid-connected wind turbines across 13 countries.
Member Success
Advancing Wind Turbine Efficiency: Hempel’s Hempablade Edge 171 Delivers Enhanced Durability and Performance
Hempel’s goal is to take the lead in sustainability across the industries they operate in. While enhancing products and minimising environmental impact are pivotal aspects of this commitment, they also strive to reshape the prevailing industry belief that success requires “more.” The Hempel vision – encapsulated under the slogan of “Power of Less” – challenges this notion.
“Less maintenance, reduced waste and a smaller environmental footprint don’t just lead to heightened efficiency but also bolster sustainability. Our Leading-Edge Protection (LEP) for wind turbines, Hempablade Edge 171, is one of the many Hempel products that actively support the ‘Power of Less’ narrative” says Lars Rindom, Head of Solution Wind Blades.
This product is an advanced solution designed specifically to protect wind turbine rotor blades. These blades, operating in high-speed airflow conditions exceeding 300 km/h, are susceptible to rain erosion and other elements.
“The impact of rain erosion is not just a cosmetic concern; it directly influences aerodynamic performance leading to efficiency loss and a subsequent need for maintenance, which represents the biggest operational cost in the wind industry. Hempablade Edge 171 is strategically formulated to tackle this challenge head-on,” Lars explains. “This best-in-class LEP protection system also offers the market’s best RET (Rain Erosion Test) to DFT (Dry Film Thickness) and has endured over 600 exhausting test sessions since 2019 in our in-house Rain Erosion Test facility, delivering an impressive level of quality and reliability.”
Designed for use in both onshore and offshore environments, whether for new blades or during maintenance, Hempablade Edge 171 serves as a top-coat application. Its main purpose is to provide durable protection against rain erosion, reducing blade maintenance costs, extending service intervals, and maximising turbine uptime.
Hempablade Edge 171 establishes the benchmark for erosion protection in wind turbine applications. Requiring the lowest dry film thickness on the market, just 150 microns in a single-layer application is enough for maintenance needs. What sets this solution even further apart is its easy application and rapid-cure system, making it ideal for scenarios which call for high productivity.
In summary, Hempablade Edge 171 serves as a practical and effective ally in the ongoing challenge against leading edge erosion, offering not just a protective coating, but a tangible solution to enhance the durability and performance of wind turbines.
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!
Member interview: TV95 Premier
This month, we sat down with Constancio Ballabriga, Technical Director at TV95 Premier, to discuss their role as a manufacturer of turbine towers, their partnerships across the sector, and their 30-year history in the market.
Events
Powering the Poll: Mobilising the clean energy workforce to vote in the EU elections
The EU – and the European Parliament in particular – make laws that impact Europe’s energy transition. The Parliament has been crucial in codifying the EU’s commitment to climate neutrality by 2050. And they’ve helped raise the EU’s renewable energy target to 42.5% of renewables in the EU’s final energy consumption by 2030.
But delivering this is not a given. The new European Parliament could end up being much less favourable to renewables and the Green Deal. It’s crucial that we all get out and vote.
Thousands of people across Europe work to make the energy transition a reality. How can we get them to encourage their colleagues, friends and families to use their vote this June?
Join us online to hear top speakers from the European Commission and the European Parliament explain what exactly the EU has done to support renewables and the energy transition, and how we can keep up the momentum.
In this webinar, we’ll share the tools we need to mobilise our community ahead of the upcoming European elections.
Technology Workshop 2024 – Less than one month to go!
WindEurope’s two-day technical deep-dive is back in just over a month, from 10-11 June at the Clayton Hotel Burlington Road in Dublin.
The Workshop is a chance to meet with innovators, operators, students and wind energy enthusiasts on all the latest in wind resource assessment and analysis of operating wind farms. So what’s in store this year?
- 14 sessions – on nearly a dozen technical topics.
- An intro/refresher session for newcomers – covering the big terms, concepts and challenges.
- 100+ posters – showcasing breakthrough research. You’ll have a chance to meet the authors at specific poster sessions as well!
- A special HIPERWIND project side event – click here to register.
- A chance to mingle and network with other attendees at Dublin’s iconic Guinness Storehouse!
Whether you’re a newcomer or a veteran attendee, it’s a unique opportunity to network, swap notes and hear unique insight into wind energy’s technical scene! Register here if you haven’t, and we’ll see you in Dublin next month!
RE-Source 2024 – Save the date
The 2024 RE-Source Event will take place later this year from 24-25 October in Amsterdam. Since our first event in 2017, RE-Source has become a key annual gathering in the renewables calendar. It is the ideal place to meet renewable corporate buyers and sellers.
What can you look forward to at RE-Source 2024?
- A chance to network with 1,400+ participants.
- Learn from and engage with 100+ senior political and industry speakers.
- Join one of the 350+ prescheduled B2B meetings between clean energy buyers and suppliers.
- Connect with 350+ corporate clean energy buyers.
Registration will open next month! Stay tuned!
WindEnergy Hamburg 2024
WindEnergy Hamburg, the world’s biggest wind industry event returns later this year, from 24-27 September. WindEurope will be present onsite as the event’s European Partner – with a dedicated stage and sessions during the conference.
Registration is now open!
Windflix
Giles & Pierre – WindEurope’s five asks of the EU for the next five years
It’s one month to the EU elections. Giles & Pierre set out the five things the new EU Parliament and Commission must do on energy over the next five years.
Check out the five asks here.
