October 2025

A word from the CEO

Dear WindEurope member,

You may have seen that Brussels has just published an official report on the Iberian blackout. It was written by ENTSO-E, the official body of Transmission System Operators. It’s a factual report on what actually happened and why. It says very clearly that renewables weren’t to blame. The blackout was most likely triggered by excessive voltage – which caused a cascading loss of generation across the whole system. Fossil, nuclear and renewable plants isolated themselves automatically to protect their equipment from overvoltage.

ENTSO-E will produce a further report early next year with recommendations on how to prevent such outages in the future. But this first report already shows what we’ve long argued – that Europe badly needs to invest in smarter, more resilient grid infrastructure. Grid stability, voltage control, digitalisation, flexibility and cross-border interconnections – they’re all essential to boosting our energy security. You can read our reaction to the report here.

And the EU is acting on this. Next month the European Commission will unveil a Grids Package. It’ll ensure that planning for electricity grids and their supply chains fully underpin our energy & climate targets. And that national grid access rules are efficient – and don’t undermine the business case for renewables and new electrified demand.

There was another important side to this episode – the spread of dis- and misinformation. No sooner had the lights gone out in Iberia than online commentators began pinning the blame on renewables. But the facts speak for themselves. Wind is 20% of all electricity consumed in Europe. In Denmark it’s nearly 60% and Germany 30%. Wind has proven its role in strengthening Europe’s energy security – delivering home-grown electricity from technologies made in Europe. Far from being a cause of blackouts, it keeps the lights on – and at low costs for consumers.

But these false claims are a huge concern for us. Especially with far-right parties using them to undermine support for wind. We need to respond promptly and robustly wherever we can. To that end we’ve set up a dedicated hub, listing and fact-checking the biggest accusations made against wind in Europe. This is part of a wider campaign to tackle the spread of dis- and misinformation. Do share it with your colleagues. And please send us any feedback you feel might be useful.

Meanwhile there’s good news on auction design for offshore wind in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands. Up to now they ran their auctions using negative bidding. Now it looks as if they’re all moving to two-sided CfDs. They’re right to do this. Negative bidding makes offshore wind more expensive. It means higher upfront costs and higher financing costs. And these extra costs are passed onto consumers and/or the wind energy supply chain. Europe can’t afford any more failed wind auctions. So it’s good to see negative bidding on the back foot. You can read more about it here.

Finally a quick reminder that RE-Source – Europe’s biggest gathering of renewable energy buyers and sellers – is in Amsterdam from 4-5 November. Tickets are selling fast – you can register here.

Kind regards,

Giles Dickson

The fight against dis- and misinformation

Wind energy works – but what’s true, and what’s spin?

Our industry is working to deliver a competitive and net-zero future. But all over Europe, myths and propaganda are being used to cast doubt on the value of wind, and to roll back progress in favour of imported fossil fuels from Russia and elsewhere.

It’s time to take back the narrative. Tackling the biggest misconceptions and urban legends about wind turbines. And spreading the word about the importance of wind – for Europeans, for our economy, our livelihoods and our future.

Here’s our fact-checking page where we run through some of the biggest claims about wind energy. Do share it with your contacts and let us know if there’s anything to add!

Members’ Successes

JERA Nex bp

JERA Nex bp has entered the offshore wind sector with scale, focus, and urgency. Planning rigorously, executing safely, delivering reliably – then scaling. That is how confidence is built.

Backed by JERA and bp, the company combines global reach with decades of offshore wind expertise to deliver projects successfully. From the start, JERA Nex bp is intent on doing the fundamentals well – because credibility, cost reduction, and progress for the sector depend on it.

JERA Nex bp is ambitious not just to build the company but also to advance the interest of the sector. By working with industry partners and governments, the company aims to champion offshore wind in a decarbonising energy system – sharing commercial risk, advocacy responsibilities, operational insights, and investment in innovation.

JERA Nex bp believes the sector advances fastest when collaboration sits alongside competition. Developers, governments, and suppliers each hold part of the solution. When expectations are aligned and information is shared early, risks fall and outcomes improve. The energy transition is not a race against each other; it is a race against time- and the only way to win is together.

Formed through collaboration, JERA Nex bp will operate the same way: outward-looking, practical, and solution-oriented.

The company’s message to the industry is simple and shared:

• Keep offshore wind focused on what works.
• Treat collaboration as a core capability.

With headquarters in London and teams in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, the UK, and the USA, JERA Nex bp brings global capacity and leadership experience. Led by CEO Nathalie Oosterlinck – brining more than 20 years of offshore wind experience – JERA Nex bp looks forward to working with members of WindEurope to strengthen offshore wind as a dependable pillar of the energy system, and to meeting industry colleagues in Madrid next year at the annual WindEurope Conference.

Learn more about JERA Nex bp on their website: jnbp.com

Member Interview: TGS | 4C

This month, we spoke with Will Ashby, Executive Vice President of Business Development at TGS, about their journey to becoming a leading offshore wind market intelligence provider, the promising opportunities and policy developments in offshore wind across Europe, and the critical role of data and insights in driving the future of sustainable energy.

Read interview

Events

RE-Source 2025 – Register now before it sells out!

In just one month, 1,400+ clean energy buyers and sellers will meet in the historic halls of the Beurs van Berlage, buzzing with ideas, insights, new connections, and business opportunities.

Don’t miss this chance to:

• Network with 1,400+ participants, including 350+ clean energy buyers;
• Learn from and engage with 100+ senior political and industry speakers; and
• Be part of the 400+ prescheduled B2B meetings between clean energy buyers and suppliers.

Register now and join Europe’s number 1 event for clean energy buyers and suppliers.

Register here

EoLIS 2025 – What do we do with Europe’s old turbines?

22 GW of wind turbines in Europe will be decommissioned between now and 2030.

So what do we do with all these ageing turbines? Can we give them a second life?

EoLIS 2025, WindEurope’s End-of-Life Issues & Strategies Seminar, is the industry’s yearly gathering looking at opportunities and challenges that come with ageing turbines. And this year it’s in Lisbon from 20-21 November.

Join 250+ colleagues from across the wind industry and beyond for a packed 2-day schedule of learning and networking opportunities! Here’s the full programme – and you can register here!

Register here