WindEurope Bulletin
WindEurope Bulletin May 2025
8 May 2025
A word from the CEO
Dear WindEurope member,
Many thanks for all your input and support with our Annual Event in Copenhagen last month. 16,200 people came. 557 companies exhibited. 1,000 young people took part in the student programme. And there were 430 speakers from Government, industry, NGOs, banks and the military.
You can access the conference proceedings through the Members’ Area. Here are photos of the event. And the 3-minute post-event video is here.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the Copenhagen Call to Action we issued at the event. Three simple, immediate steps Governments can take to boost Europe’s energy independence and competitiveness:
- Apply the new EU permitting rules. They work wonders. Case in point: Germany is now permitting 7x as much onshore wind as 5 years ago. And filter out zombie projects from grid connection queues – they’re clogging up the system.
- Remove barriers to electrification. Get the money flowing from the Clean Industrial Deal to help industry electrify. Remove non-energy taxes and charges from electricity bills so renewables become an obvious choice for consumers.
- De-risk wind investments with a stable pipeline of 2-sided Contract for Difference auctions. CfDs mean lower costs of capital and visibility on revenues. And they’re good value for Governments. They help strengthen the business case for wind.
And here’s the short video on the Call to Action that we showed at the event.
Also in Copenhagen, 60+ companies issued a proposal for a New Deal for Offshore Wind. It asks Governments to build 10 GW a year of offshore wind from 2031-40 backed by 2-sided CfD auctions plus 5 GW of PPA projects a year. And to set a clear schedule providing for 10 GW of CfD auctions a year. In return the industry commits to cut the costs of offshore wind towards 2040. And to provide more high-quality jobs and lower energy bills for consumers.
Our aim now is to get Governments to sign up to this ahead of the summit of North Sea countries in Hamburg next January. More on our proposed “new deal” for offshore here.
A quick word about the blackouts in Spain and Portugal last week. We’re still digesting the full implications. But what is clear is it underlines what we’ve long said about the need to scale up and optimise our grids ASAP. You can read our observations here.
Finally a reminder that the annual WindEurope Technology Workshop on Resource Assessment and Analysis of Operating Wind Farms takes place in Istanbul from 19-20 June. The programme is live and you can register here.
Kind regards,
Giles Dickson
WindEurope Intelligence Platform
National Policy and Regulatory Developments
The National Policy and Regulatory Development feature provides an overview of the latest developments in general energy and wind energy policies by country in Europe.
Stay up-to-date with all significant policy and regulatory changes and get the information you are looking for by selecting the country, topic or technology of interest.
You will also find quarterly downloadable reports that compile the updates giving you a broad view of the policy landscape over the relevant period.
Members’ Successes
Illuminating wind power in the future energy landscape (Wood Mackenzie)
In an era of rapid energy transition, Wood Mackenzie stands at the forefront of industry intelligence and consulting. As a global leader in commercial intelligence for the energy, metals, and mining industries, Wood Mackenzie offers unparalleled insights to help businesses navigate the complexities of the power and renewable energy sectors.
From solar and wind to energy storage and grid edge technologies, its team of experts delivers in-depth research, data, and consultancy services. A new initiative in its Lens platform is Lens Wind, which provides a holistic view of the evolving wind energy landscape, with fully interconnected research and analytics that span wind market outlooks, economics, players, competitive dynamics, supply chain and technology themes. Industry-leading proprietary data and analysis that Wood Mackenzie has accumulated over 20 years in the wind sector allow users to assess opportunities and plan their next successful venture.
Søren Lassen, Head of Wind at Wood Mackenzie, emphasises the increased value of analysing wind not only in isolation but also in the context of the broader energy landscape. "As the share of renewables in our grids increases, we are seeing that factors outside the wind sector have a greater impact on the sector,” Lassen notes. “Tariffs, changing policies and declining capture prices are strong examples of that right now. Lens Wind is unparalleled when analysing the wind sector as it holds both in-depth analysis of the wind sector and a broader analysis of the wider energy landscape.”
Wood Mackenzie’s expertise spans the entire renewable energy value chain, from resource assessment and technology evaluation to market analysis and policy impact assessment. The team of analysts provides regular updates on market trends, competitive landscapes, and regulatory developments, ensuring clients have the most up-to-date information at their fingertips.
As the world accelerates towards a low-carbon future, Wood Mackenzie continues to play a crucial role in shaping industry understanding and strategy. Their insights inform investment decisions, policy frameworks, and technological innovations that are driving the global energy transition.
With a commitment to accuracy, innovation, and client success, Wood Mackenzie remains an indispensable partner for businesses, Governments, and organisations navigating the complex world of renewable energy. As the sector continues to evolve, their expertise and advanced digital solutions like Lens Wind are likely to remain at the centre of informed decision-making in the global energy industry.
BrestPort, Shannon Foynes Port Company, the Brittany Region, and Officials from Irish Govt Departments Strengthen Cooperation to Advance Floating Offshore Wind
On the occasion of the Floating Offshore Wind Turbines (FOWT) 2025 conference, a high-level working session convened key stakeholders — including BrestPort, the Brittany Region, Shannon Foynes Port Company, and the Irish Department of Transport, — to reinforce collaborative efforts in advancing the Atlantic offshore wind sector.
A central outcome of this meeting was the formalisation of a strategic partnership between BrestPort and Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC), underpinned by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This MoU establishes a framework for joint initiatives aimed at supporting the development of the floating offshore wind (FOW) value chain across the Celtic Sea and Atlantic corridors.
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering a resilient and integrated transnational supply chain dedicated to floating offshore wind energy. It further seeks to promote industrial cooperation, driving economic growth, technological innovation, and sustainability. The MoU provides a foundation for enhanced knowledge exchange and operational synergies, thereby facilitating the accelerated delivery of offshore renewable energy projects. It also remains open to the participation of additional ports to join this collaborative framework.
Representatives of the Brittany Region and the Irish Department of Transport reiterated their dedication to strengthening cross-border cooperation, underscoring the pivotal role of ports as industrial hubs essential to advancing the green transition and ensuring economic resilience.
Announced at FOWT 2025 — the world’s leading conference dedicated to floating offshore wind — this initiative highlights the strategic alignment between regional authorities, national Governments, and industry leaders to unlock the vast potential of offshore renewable energy resources in the North Atlantic ocean basin.
Mr. Christophe Chabert, Chief Executive Officer of BrestPort, stated:
"The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding with Shannon Foynes Port Company, alongside the high-level working session with the Brittany Region and Irish authorities, represents a significant milestone in the establishment of an Atlantic alliance for renewable energy. Through this partnership, we are forging a vital link between our ports to support the rapid deployment of floating offshore wind infrastructure and to position our regions at the forefront of Europe’s energy transition."
Mr. Pat Keating, Chief Executive Officer of Shannon Foynes Port Company, commented:
"This agreement underscores the strategic importance of Franco-Irish collaboration. By leveraging our respective strengths, we aim to develop a world-class supply chain that not only advances national objectives but also contributes meaningfully to European energy security and sustainable development."
About BrestPort
BrestPort, operator of Brittany’s principal cargo port, plays a critical role in supporting France’s offshore wind ambitions. The port features a 40-hectare terminal dedicated to the floating wind industry and is firmly committed to sustainable port development.
About Shannon Foynes Port Company (SFPC)
Shannon Foynes Port Company is Ireland’s largest bulk port operator and a designated Tier 1 Port of National Significance. Strategically located on the Shannon Estuary, SFPC is poised to serve as a key hub for offshore wind deployment along the Atlantic seaboard.
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!
Webinars
Horizon Europe 2025: What’s in it for wind R&I?
Join us for a free webinar as we look at what the 2025 calls under the Horizon Europe programme can offer for wind energy research and innovation (R&I).
Horizon Europe is the EU’s flagship funding programme for R&I. And this year the European Commission will launch new calls for proposals worth €1.2bn for Climate, Energy, and Mobility (Cluster 5). This will include significant funding opportunities for wind energy R&I.
In this one-hour session, the European Commission will present the upcoming calls and dive deeper into the specific calls dealing with the wind energy sector’s R&I priorities – as described in the latest ETIPWind report: From Innovation to Industrial Competitiveness.
Experts from leading wind energy companies will outline the sector’s R&I priorities, such as large-scale manufacturing, operations & maintenance, and sustainability. They will also share insights on how applicants can better align future project proposals with those priorities.
So join us on 22 May for a closer look at wind R&I funding!
Note: This webinar is organised in the framework of the SETIPWind project funded by Horizon Europe.
Events
WindEurope Technology Workshop 2025
WindEurope’s Technology Workshop, the European wind industry’s annual get-together of technical specialists is in the iconic city of Istanbul this year, from 19-20 June.
This is a chance to meet and listen to innovators, operators, students and wind energy enthusiasts on all the latest in wind resource assessment and analysis of operating wind farms – key to boosting our energy yield and getting us to net-zero. There’ll be…
- Two days of sessions looking at:
- Wakes;
- Climate change;
- Modelling;
- Annual energy production (AEP);
- LiDARs;
- Lifecycle optimisation;
- Curtailment;
- Monitoring & fault detection; and
- Forecasting.
- 400+ wind turbine experts and academics – a chance to share insight with the industry’s brightest minds.
- Posters – where you can hear directly from researchers and innovators and discuss their findings.
- Networking opportunities with industry colleagues right across the event.
Whether you’re new or experienced in resource assessment and operating wind farm analysis, this is an outlet for you to share ideas and bring attention to new discoveries or issues affecting the industry. We hope you can join us in Istanbul this June!
RE-Source 2025
Join us at Europe’s leading forum for renewable energy buyers and sellers – as we push for collaboration and innovation to accelerate the energy transition. By coming to RE-Source 2025 you can:
- Network with 1,400+ participants.
- Learn from and engage with 100+ senior political and industry speakers.
- Make the most of the 350+ prescheduled B2B meetings between clean energy buyers and suppliers.
More info on this in the coming months. Click here for a recap of the last edition of RE-Source. In the meantime, remember to save the date.
WindEurope Annual Event 2026 – See you in Madrid
The WindEurope’s next annual event is in Spain once again from 21-23 April next year – this time at the IFEMA in Madrid! You can expect a wide-ranging conference and exhibition with over 15,000 attendees, hundreds of speakers and plenty of networking opportunities. We hope you can join us!
A reminder that exhibition stand sales are still open! Check out the floorplan here and get in touch with the WindEurope team now to book your preferred spot.
Careers
By joining WindEurope, you will be working at the cutting edge of wind energy policy: what we do here positively affects the future of Europe and the wider world as well.
Become a part of our team and see how you can help shape Europe’s energy transition! Check out some testimonials from our team on our careers page – plus a full list of WindEurope benefits. And see our current job openings below:
Windflix
Giles & Pierre: WindEurope’s Call to Action on energy independence and competitiveness
As we digest this week’s events in Iberia, Giles and Pierre unpack Europe’s wind industry “Copenhagen Call to Action” – 3 simple steps for Governments to boost our energy independence and competitiveness. And they look at Germany’s new coalition agreement and the upcoming EU-UK Summit.
