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WindEurope

WindEurope is the trade association representing the European wind energy industry.

Lobbying Activity

Meeting with Yvan Verougstraete (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Transport and Environment (European Federation for Transport and Environment) and

26 Jan 2026 · European Competitiveness Fund

Meeting with Monika Zsigri (Head of Unit Energy)

12 Dec 2025 · Exchange on offshore wind installations and critical infrastructures

Meeting with Eero Heinäluoma (Member of the European Parliament) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S and Elia Transmission Belgium

18 Nov 2025 · Energy grid cooperation

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S and Elia Transmission Belgium

18 Nov 2025 · Powering Integration: Regional Cooperation for the Future Grid Buildout

WindEurope urges EU waste codes and landfill ban for wind turbine blades

5 Nov 2025
Topic — EU Circular Economy Act aims to boost recycling and create single market for secondary materials.
Message — WindEurope requests dedicated waste codes for composite materials from decommissioned wind turbine blades and permanent magnets, progressive recycling targets, and an EU-wide landfill ban on blade composites. They seek streamlined cross-border transport rules and harmonized implementation across Member States.1234
Why — This would provide legal certainty for blade recycling, stimulate investment in recovery infrastructure, and help meet their voluntary 100% circularity commitment.567
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Meeting with Antonio Lopez-Nicolas (Head of Unit Energy)

22 Oct 2025 · Electricity Taxation (AEAP)

WindEurope Urges Focus on Actual Blade Recycling Over Theoretical Rates

14 Oct 2025
Topic — EU rules on environmental sustainability requirements for public procurement of net-zero technologies.
Message — WindEurope requests that minimum requirements focus on actual end-of-life practices rather than theoretical recyclability percentages. They want governments to require suppliers to submit end-of-life strategies describing how the industry's landfill ban commitment will be implemented.12
Why — This would reduce administrative burden while allowing market-driven approaches instead of arbitrary compliance targets.34
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WindEurope urges EU to prioritise renewables in energy security framework

13 Oct 2025
Topic — Revision of EU energy security regulations following Russia-Ukraine crisis lessons.
Message — WindEurope requests that the revised framework prioritise renewables-based electrification, require coordinated adequacy assessments across energy sectors, and include cybersecurity criteria in tenders. They emphasize that investors need certainty through full implementation of existing EU rules rather than reopening legislation.123
Why — This would strengthen wind industry's position as Europe's primary domestic energy source and reduce competition from imports.45
Impact — Foreign manufacturers lose market access as wind farms face investment screening and supply chain restrictions.67
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WindEurope urges faster electrification to boost renewable investment

9 Oct 2025
Topic — EU plan to accelerate switching from fossil fuels to electricity across industry, transport, and heating.
Message — The organization requests policies to accelerate electrification across industry, transport, and heating. They argue slow electrification is constraining wind farm investment and Europe must match China's 4% annual growth rate versus EU's 1%. They call for removing disproportionately high electricity taxes and levies that discourage switching from fossil fuels.123
Why — This would create stronger business case for new wind farms and help industry meet the EU's 425 GW 2030 target.45
Impact — Fossil fuel industries lose market share as electricity replaces gas and oil in heating and industrial processes.67
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Meeting with Joachim Balke (Head of Unit Energy) and Unknown Organization

9 Oct 2025 · Information exchange on the state of play of the Black Sea Submarine Cable project

Meeting with Chiara Galiffa (Cabinet of Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič) and IBERDROLA and

7 Oct 2025 · US and EU Trade Relations concerning tariff rates on the steel industry, specifically the wind energy sector

Meeting with Paula Rey Garcia (Head of Unit Energy) and Vestas Wind Systems A/S

3 Oct 2025 · Vestas presentation on wind turbines size developments

Meeting with Raphaël Glucksmann (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

17 Sept 2025 · Foreign Investments Screening regulation

Meeting with Wopke Hoekstra (Commissioner) and

17 Sept 2025 · The potential and challenges of Europe’s Wind Industry

Meeting with Victor Negrescu (Member of the European Parliament) and Microsoft Corporation and

3 Sept 2025 · LinkedIn/OECD session on skills-first hiring

WindEurope Urges Flexible Community Rules to Protect Wind Expansion

19 Aug 2025
Topic — An initiative to empower citizens and support vulnerable households during energy transitions.
Message — The Commission should avoid prescriptive rules that risk limiting project flexibility. They advocate for realistic community benefits based on each project's unique economic reality.12
Why — Flexibility protects the financial viability of projects in geographically challenging or remote locations.3
Impact — Inflexible ownership rules could harm less affluent communities by excluding them from project benefits.4
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WindEurope calls for increased funding and faster permitting for ports

28 Jul 2025
Topic — This consultation shapes a strategy for the security and competitiveness of European ports.
Message — WindEurope requests that ports be designated as critical infrastructure with simplified, fast-tracked permitting. They urge the EU to increase funding and recognize ports as net-zero acceleration valleys.12
Why — Streamlined rules and subsidies would lower the financial risks of expanding port facilities.3
Impact — Traditional port operators may face stiffer competition for space and financial resources.4
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Response to EU industrial maritime strategy

28 Jul 2025

Please find attached WindEuropes response to the European Commissions Call for Evidence on the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy. As the offshore wind sector continues to expand, the maritime supply chainparticularly shipbuilding and port infrastructureplays a critical role in enabling Europes energy transition. Our response outlines the key challenges the sector is facing and provides targeted recommendations to ensure the EU Maritime Industrial Strategy supports the growth and decarbonisation of offshore maritime operations.
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WindEurope urges exclusion of wind turbines from CRM recovery list

25 Jul 2025
Topic — Defining products and waste streams with high critical raw materials recovery potential.
Message — WindEurope requests that wind turbines be excluded from the list of high recovery potential products. They oppose mandatory recycled content for magnets and extended producer responsibility for infrastructure.123
Why — Exemption would prevent unnecessary compliance costs and avoid regulatory mismatch for large infrastructure.45
Impact — The European energy transition risks delays due to increased costs and regulatory fragmentation.6
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Meeting with Eva Schultz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

7 Jul 2025 · Skills and Workforce for the Wind Industry

WindEurope urges electrification focus and phased green material standards

4 Jul 2025
Topic — A legislative proposal to accelerate industrial decarbonisation and support clean technology investments across Europe.
Message — The group advocates for creating lead markets via public procurement and targeted tax incentives. They also request a gradual phase-in for green material requirements for turbines.12
Why — This strategy prevents deployment delays caused by the higher price of green steel.34
Impact — Producers of high-emission materials face exclusion from regulated markets and public procurement.5
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Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President) and

2 Jul 2025 · EU Clean Industrial Dialogue on Circularity

Meeting with Apostolos Tzitzikostas (Commissioner) and

1 Jul 2025 · Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy

Meeting with Stéphane Séjourné (Executive Vice-President) and

1 Jul 2025 · EU Strategic Dialogue on the EU Industrial Maritime Strategy.

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

1 Jul 2025 · Live PPA negotiation: understanding the benefits and potential of accelerating PPAs in Europe

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Jun 2025 · ITRE/SEARICA

Meeting with Paula Rey Garcia (Head of Unit Energy)

25 Jun 2025 · WindEurope Annual Summer Reception

Meeting with Beatrice Coda (Head of Unit Research and Innovation)

5 Jun 2025 · Exchange of views on how the EU can best support research and innovation in the wind energy sector

Meeting with Alexandre Paquot (Director Climate Action)

5 Jun 2025 · Proposal for a European Fund for Wind Research & Competitiveness and the future MFF

Meeting with Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Executive Vice-President) and

28 May 2025 · Wind industry

Meeting with Annalisa Corrado (Member of the European Parliament)

20 May 2025 · reneawble energy - Offshore eolico

Meeting with Martin Engell-Rossen (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

14 May 2025 · Implementation of Clean Industrial Deal

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Apr 2025 · WindEurope Annual Event 2025 - Offshore sustainability

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE and

8 Apr 2025 · Wind energy, electrification, competitiveness, permitting, grids

Meeting with Aleksandra Kordecka (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné), Laia Pinos Mataro (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné) and

7 Apr 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal, Electrification Action Plan, Affordable Energy Plan, CISAF

Meeting with Eva Schultz (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu), Paul Moley (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu), Vanessa Debiais-Sainton (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Roxana Mînzatu)

2 Apr 2025 · Skills and Workforce for the Wind Industry

Meeting with Bertrand L'Huillier (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné), Laia Pinos Mataro (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Stéphane Séjourné)

26 Mar 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal

Meeting with Cristina Lobillo Borrero (Director Energy)

19 Mar 2025 · Exchange of notes ahead of Baku Energy Ministerial

Meeting with Maria Teresa Fabregas Fernandez (Director Structural Reform Support) and

17 Mar 2025 · Discussion on EU Recovery and Resilience Fund and wind energy projects

Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

14 Mar 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal, Affordable Energy Action Plan and new State aid Framework (CISAF), Electrification Action Plan

Meeting with Vita Jukne (Cabinet of Commissioner Jessika Roswall)

12 Mar 2025 · Wind power projects – environmental permitting

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Mar 2025 · Technology sovereignty & the Clean Industrial Deal: Wind energy's contribution to European competitiveness and decarbonisation

Meeting with Ewelina Hartstein (Head of Unit Energy)

28 Feb 2025 · Disinformation related to wind energy

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament) and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S

28 Feb 2025 · Speaker at the High-Level Roundtable on EU Energy Policy "The Next Big 'How' for Europe

Meeting with Marzena Rogalska (Principal Adviser Climate Action) and Siemens Energy AG

25 Feb 2025 · Clean Industrial Deal

Response to Implementing Act on non-price criteria in renewable energy auctions

21 Feb 2025

With the Net Zero Industry Act, the European Union wants to strengthen its domestic clean tech manufacturing. The EU wants to have 420 GW of wind energy installed by 2030, up from 220 GW today. The European wind supply chain is ramping up to meet this demand. Over a year has now passed since the EU Wind Power Package with its 15 immediate actions to strengthen Europes wind industry and the EU Wind Charter in which Governments pledge to take the actions that fall to them. And a lot of good things have happened. In total 30 new factories are now under development in the wind and grid equipment supply chain. By the end of this year Europes annual wind turbine manufacturing capacity will be 32 GW. The challenge now is to ensure these factories are on a level playing field with non-European manufacturers and can produce equipment at the competitive prices wind farm developers require. At the heart of the NZIA are changes to renewable energy auction design with a stepwise approach. The law raises the bar for the participation in wind energy auctions by enshrining pre-qualification criteria on cybersecurity, responsible business conduct and the ability to deliver on projects. National Governments can also reward bids based on sustainability, energy system integration or supply chain resilience, and therefore reward projects based on the value they bring to Europe, rather than on cost only. WindEuropes answer to the public consultation aims at ensuring clear and implementable policy, consistent with the objectives of the NZIA to strengthen the European wind supply chain, while not delaying the roll out of wind deployment. The regulation must be fit for purpose and not create unnecessary complexity. Most importantly, the implementing act must be clear enough so that all Member States share the same interpretation of all non-price criteria. The industry simply cannot afford to comply with 27 different sets of rules. Please find the detail of our answer attached. This is valid for both the Implementing Act on Non-Price Criteria in renewable auctions and the implementing act on the list of net-zero technology final products and their main specific components.
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Meeting with Lukasz Kolinski (Director Energy) and

6 Feb 2025 · Discussion on the Clean Industrial Deal

Meeting with Dan Jørgensen (Commissioner) and

30 Jan 2025 · Affordable Energy action Plan

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and #SustainablePublicAffairs

22 Jan 2025 · Grids INI

Meeting with Anne-Maud Orlinski (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen), Martin Engell-Rossen (Cabinet of Commissioner Dan Jørgensen)

22 Jan 2025 · Wind Sector in the European Union New Energy Policy priorities

Meeting with Marzena Rogalska (Principal Adviser Climate Action)

16 Jan 2025 · Innovation Fund and Clean Industrial Deal

Meeting with Elisa Roller (Director Secretariat-General)

14 Jan 2025 · Policy priorities for the wind sector

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament) and European Community Shipowners' Associations and

14 Jan 2025 · SEARICA

Meeting with Teresa Ribera Rodríguez (Executive Vice-President) and

8 Jan 2025 · Situation of the hydrogen sector

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and Siemens Energy AG

5 Dec 2024 · Competitiveness and energy Transition

Meeting with Miguel Gil Tertre (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera Rodríguez) and ENEL SpA and

5 Dec 2024 · To discuss European wind industry

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Nov 2024 · Wind energy

Meeting with Benedetta Scuderi (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Nov 2024 · Renewable energy

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament)

13 Nov 2024 · Wind energy

Meeting with Peter Liese (Member of the European Parliament)

31 Oct 2024 · Austausch

WindEurope calls for robust standards for low-carbon hydrogen

25 Oct 2024
Topic — Defining a methodology to calculate greenhouse gas savings for low-carbon fuels.
Message — The organization demands full life-cycle assessments including all upstream methane and downstream hydrogen leakages. They want project-specific data and transparent reporting of the electricity used during production.123
Why — Strict standards for competitors help maintain the market value of wind-generated renewable hydrogen.4
Impact — Fossil fuel-based hydrogen producers face stricter compliance and potential loss of low-carbon certification.5
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Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament) and Climate Strategy

23 Oct 2024 · Wind Energy

Meeting with Yannis Maniatis (Member of the European Parliament) and BASF SE

17 Oct 2024 · Introductory Meeting

Meeting with Bruno Tobback (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Oct 2024 · Renewable Energy

Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament) and Eneco and Sif Holding NV

15 Oct 2024 · Wind Energy

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Oct 2024 · Unfair competition China wind industry

Meeting with Annalisa Corrado (Member of the European Parliament)

15 Oct 2024 · Renewable Energy

Meeting with Borys Budka (Member of the European Parliament, Committee chair)

10 Oct 2024 · Offshore

Meeting with Lynn Boylan (Member of the European Parliament) and Wind Energy Ireland

2 Oct 2024 · Renewable energy development in Ireland; EU support for renewables and electrification

Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament) and Wind Energy Ireland

2 Oct 2024 · Wind Energy

Meeting with Elena Sancho Murillo (Member of the European Parliament) and Plastics Europe

25 Sept 2024 · Relevant issues to the ITRE Committee

Meeting with Tsvetelina Penkova (Member of the European Parliament) and Orgalim – Europe's Technology Industries

25 Sept 2024 · Future priorities

Meeting with Radan Kanev (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Renewables and Wind Energy EU Policy

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Sept 2024 · Recognition of the off the value of European Manufacturing and European Grid policies

Meeting with Hildegard Bentele (Member of the European Parliament)

18 Sept 2024 · European Energy Policy

Meeting with Grégory Allione (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Sept 2024 · Réunion WindEurope

Meeting with Barry Andrews (Member of the European Parliament)

10 Sept 2024 · Wind Power

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament)

5 Sept 2024 · Politique européenne de l'énergie

Meeting with Bart Groothuis (Member of the European Parliament)

4 Sept 2024 · Green industry

Meeting with Christian Ehler (Member of the European Parliament)

31 Jul 2024 · Industriepolitik allgemein

Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

26 Jul 2024 · Exchange on renewables and grid infrastructure.

Meeting with Per Clausen (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Jul 2024 · Wind energy

Meeting with Lena Schilling (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Jul 2024 · Energy policies and energy transition, focus wind

Meeting with Kira Marie Peter-Hansen (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Jul 2024 · Energy policy and european wind industry

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and

3 Jul 2024 · The meeting has been introduced by the Renewable Hydrogen Coalition and focused of the state of play of the current renewable hydrogen market.

Meeting with Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament)

20 Mar 2024 · European Energy Politics

WindEurope urges EU to prioritize project value over price

1 Mar 2024
Topic — New EU guidance on designing renewable energy auctions to boost wind sector competitiveness.
Message — WindEurope calls for auction designs that value project quality rather than just the lowest price. They want governments to use price indexation to safeguard projects against rising costs and inflation. The group also opposes negative bidding where developers must pay high fees to win contracts.123
Why — This would reduce financial risks for developers and protect the wind supply chain's stability.456
Impact — National treasuries would lose the large upfront payments currently generated by uncapped negative bidding.78
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Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Executive Vice-President) and

26 Feb 2024 · Clean Transition Dialogue on EGD Infrastructures

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

26 Feb 2024 · Clean Transition Dialogue on EGD Infrastructures

Response to Guidance to facilitate the designation of renewables acceleration areas

21 Feb 2024

The European Union wants to be climate neutral by 2050. Wind energy will play the biggest role in providing clean and competitive power: it is set to generate 50% of Europes electricity by 2050. And wind energy will be key for Europes energy security as mandated in the EUs REPowerEU strategy and the Wind Power Package. However, the EU is building only just over half the wind volumes it needs to reach its objectives. The region built 16 GW in 2023 whereas it needs 30 GW annually to be in line with its 2030 renewables target. The European Commission is aiming at 420 GW of wind energy capacity by 2030 up from 220 GW today. The key challenge holding back installations remains permitting: our experience is that none of the Member States currently meets the legally binding EU permitting deadlines. Europe is not permitting enough new wind farms to meet the huge demand in renewables. Nor is it permitting them fast enough. EU law says new renewable energy installations should be permitted within 2 years and repowered ones within 1 year. There have been improvements in some markets since the introduction of the Emergency Regulation on Permitting in 2022 and the new rules agreed upon in the revised Renewable Energy Directive in early 2023. Last year saw a surge in onshore permits handed out. Germany has rigorously implemented the EU Emergency Measures on Permitting. The application of the concept of "Overriding Public Interest" has proven highly effective to expedite projects entangled in legal disputes. Germany also exempted new projects in specific zones, previously covered by a broader Strategic Environmental Assessment, from the usual Environmental Impact Assessment similar to how acceleration areas would work. Spain increased the number of people working in permitting authorities. France, Greece and the region of Flanders also saw significant increases However, many other Member States have not taken any action when it comes to implementing the new good rules. So Member States can improve permitting in many aspects. This could be by increasing staff, shortening deadlines and clearly defining steps and timelines within the administrative services involved, accelerating grid development, and facilitating flexible grid connection. Those improvements must continue to be implemented as a matter of priority and in parallel to Renewable Acceleration Areas designation. Streamlining renewables permitting both in and outside acceleration areas is key to Europe unlocking the renewables volumes required for its energy security and decarbonisation.
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WindEurope urges swift adoption of renewable hydrogen allocation rules

19 Dec 2023
Topic — The consultation reviews free emission allowance rules following the revised ETS directive.
Message — WindEurope supports removing the exchangeability factor. They call for adopting these rules as soon as possible.12
Why — This would lower costs and attract investments in renewable hydrogen production.34
Impact — Fossil-based producers lose their status as the only ones receiving free allocations.5
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Meeting with Morten Petersen (Member of the European Parliament) and Bruegel

15 Nov 2023 · Ongoing Parliamentary work related to the green transition

Meeting with Michael Bloss (Member of the European Parliament)

25 Oct 2023 · Strommarktdesign

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

23 Oct 2023 · Roundtable meeting with 10 Secretary Generals and CEOs of the Electrification Alliance on the revised Renewable Energy Directive (revised REDII), electricity market design, grids and storage.

Meeting with Stefano Grassi (Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson)

20 Oct 2023 · Preparation of the upcoming Wind Energy package

Meeting with Cristian-Silviu Buşoi (Member of the European Parliament)

17 Oct 2023 · NZIA

Meeting with Bjoern Seibert (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen), Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of President Ursula von der Leyen) and

31 Aug 2023 · Virtual exchange on the European wind sector

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and IBERDROLA and

31 Aug 2023 · Energy transition

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament)

24 Aug 2023 · Exchange on the Net Zero Industry Act (staff level)

Meeting with Kerstin Jorna (Director-General Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs)

26 Jul 2023 · Expose the difficulties of the situation in Europe of wind energy supply chain

Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur for opinion)

18 Jul 2023 · (APA) Net Zero Industry Act

Meeting with Tom Vandenkendelaere (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Jul 2023 · Net zero industry act; non-price criteria

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur)

12 Jul 2023 · Net-Zero Industry Act

Meeting with Franc Bogovič (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur for opinion)

10 Jul 2023 · Meeting on Critical raw materials

Meeting with Martin Hojsík (Member of the European Parliament) and European Chemical Industry Council

28 Jun 2023 · Circular economy and energy intensity of industries

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

20 Jun 2023 · Presentation of new report on smart electrification.

Meeting with Christophe Clergeau (Member of the European Parliament)

7 Jun 2023 · Filière éolienne en Europe

Meeting with Tsvetelina Penkova (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

23 May 2023 · Meeting between Mihael MIHOV (APA) and WindEurope on NZIA

Meeting with Damien Carême (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Bruegel

16 May 2023 · Echanges de vues sur NZIA (Staff level)

Meeting with Emma Wiesner (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe

4 May 2023 · Panel om framtidens energilagring

Meeting with Morten Petersen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and Green Power Denmark

26 Apr 2023 · Energy Market Directive

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament) and AXA

13 Apr 2023 · Green Deal

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

3 Apr 2023 · Discussion on how to strengthen the EU-US cooperation to increase the deployment of renewables.

Meeting with Morten Petersen (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur)

23 Mar 2023 · Energy Market Directive

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

21 Mar 2023 · Regulatory support to offshore foundation manufacturers and companies owning & operating vessels used to build & service offshore wind farms.

Meeting with Joan Canton (Cabinet of Commissioner Thierry Breton)

23 Feb 2023 · Preparation of net zero industry act

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Antoine Colombani (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

23 Feb 2023 · Wind industry: state of play and future challenges (including for supply chain)

Meeting with Pierre-Arnaud Proux (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager), Thomas Woolfson (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

21 Feb 2023 · European competitiveness, including of its wind sector, and the Green Deal Industrial Plan

Meeting with Stina Soewarta (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager), Thomas Woolfson (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

2 Feb 2023 · Green transition and the revision of temporary State aid rules

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

2 Feb 2023 · Hydrogen bank proposal and the Green Deal Industrial Plan

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and ENEL SpA and

1 Feb 2023 · Renewable energy

Meeting with Seán Kelly (Member of the European Parliament) and European Energy Forum

31 Jan 2023 · EEF Debate - “EU-UK co-operation: paving the way to net-zero and energy security”

Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

7 Oct 2022 · To discuss maritime spatial planning (MSP), co-existence and multi-use of the space, permitting, regional cooperation, sustainability and recycling.

Meeting with Tiemo Wölken (Member of the European Parliament)

29 Sept 2022 · REPower-RED

Meeting with Pascal Canfin (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe

23 Sept 2022 · Green Deal

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President) and ENEL SpA and

15 Sept 2022 · State of the wind energy industry and supply chain

Meeting with Christophe Grudler (Member of the European Parliament, Shadow rapporteur) and EPIA SolarPower Europe

14 Sept 2022 · Révision de RED II, REPowerEU

Meeting with Riccardo Maggi (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

13 Sept 2022 · Preparation for EVP meeting

Meeting with Niels Fuglsang (Member of the European Parliament) and Ørsted A/S

6 Sept 2022 · Energy

Meeting with Thierry Breton (Commissioner)

29 Jun 2022 · REPowerEU and implications for the wind manufacturing sector

Meeting with Pär Holmgren (Member of the European Parliament) and EPIA SolarPower Europe

19 May 2022 · Renewable Hydrogen (staff level)

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans), Sarah Nelen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans) and

28 Apr 2022 · EU’s security of energy supply

Meeting with Jens Geier (Member of the European Parliament, Rapporteur) and Shell Companies and

28 Apr 2022 · Exchange on the gas market directive

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

27 Jan 2022 · The CEOs of the leading wind energy companies presented the key barriers to renewable energy project permitting they had experienced, and suggest some possible good practices for the upcoming Commission guidance on this topic.

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

25 Nov 2021 · RED2 and RED3 follow up – RFNBO delegated act

Meeting with Anne Funch Jensen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager), Kim Jorgensen (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager)

19 Nov 2021 · Draft State aid Guidelines on Climate, environmental protection and Energy

Meeting with Morten Petersen (Member of the European Parliament)

8 Nov 2021 · Fit for 55-package

Meeting with Silvia Modig (Member of the European Parliament)

26 Oct 2021 · Fit for 55 -package

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy)

3 Jun 2021 · Videoconference discussion on the current challenges for the wind industry.

Meeting with Mauro Raffaele Petriccione (Director-General Climate Action)

29 Apr 2021 · Wind energy role in reaching climate neutrality

Meeting with Sofja Ribkina (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis) and Association des Constructeurs Européens d'Automobiles and

29 Apr 2021 · Steel safeguard review

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

15 Apr 2021 · WindEurope’s proposals on the revision to the Renewable Energy Directive (REDII review) within the ‘Fit-for-55’ frame.

Meeting with Charlina Vitcheva (Director-General Maritime Affairs and Fisheries) and RWE AG and

1 Feb 2021 · Meeting with the European offshore wind industry on the follow-up of the EU offshore renewable energy strategy adopted in November 2020

Response to Climate change mitigation and adaptation taxonomy

17 Dec 2020

WindEurope feedback to the “draft Taxonomy Delegated Act” 17 December 2021 WindEurope welcomes the draft Commission Delegated Regulation supplementing Regulation (EU) 2020/852 on the definition of the economic activities that could be considered substantially contributing to climate change mitigation or adaptation, while not significantly harming the other environmental objectives. Wind energy is generally well captured in the draft Delegated Act, recognising its positive impact to mitigate climate change in line with the EU Green Deal objectives. However, we would like to suggest some changes in the screening criteria in sections 3.1 and 4.3 of Annexes I and II, outlined in page 3 of this response. These would better reflect the higher expectations that investors, Governments, and society have on wind energy. The wind industry is committed to the transition to a circular economy in line with the new EU Circular Economy Action Plan . Already today the wind industry actively seeks to improve the wind energy’s (high) environmental performance and further reduce environmental impacts throughout the wind turbines’ lifecycle. For example: • Wind energy has one of the lowest greenhouse gases emissions throughout its life cycle compared with other energy sources ; • Wind turbines are long-life products - the standard design lifetime of a wind turbine is 20-25 years, with some turbines now reaching up to 35 through lifetime extension; • The environmental footprint of sourcing suppliers is considered in wind turbine’s life cycle assessments; • During siting and installation developers optimise the positioning of wind farms via environmental impact assessments as well as engagement with local stakeholders to minimise impacts; • Around 85 to 90% of wind turbines’ total mass can be recycled . Most components, for example the foundation, tower and components in the nacelle have long-established recycling practices. But challenges remain. Wind turbine blades are difficult to recycle. The available solutions today are not yet mature enough, widely available at industrial scale and/or cost competitive. Currently there are at least seven potential routes to treat wind turbine blades . The technology race is still open, and the coming years will show which will be the most economical and the most sustainable. Today, cement co-processing is one tested and available measure to treat composite waste. This technology avoids landfilling and makes the cement industry less energy intensive and more resource efficient , . Currently, only one plant in northern Germany treats decommissioned blades with this technology. More plants throughout Europe could potentially adapt to use decommissioned blades as one of the main input materials. But this activity would need to be recognised in the Taxonomy Delegated Act to facilitate investment flows. Therefore we call on the European Commission to include additional ‘do no harm’ criteria in the manufacturing of cement that favours the reuse of composite material from wind turbine blades (see page 4). Separately, wind energy uses a variety of advisory services (e.g. feasibility study, due diligence reports in all fields) which are not explicitly mentioned in Annexes I and II of the draft Delegated Act. We encourage the European Commission to clarify that these activities are covered within sections “4.3 Electricity generation from wind power” in both Annexes. And we want to note that in Annex I, activities might face difficulties to proof effective adaption by scenario analysis in line with the taxonomy requirements. As the EU initiative on climate related risk disclosure will ask for something similar alignment is required. In addition we noted that the draft Delegated Act does not explicitly mention the manufacturing electrical equipment. As the text stands, electrical equipment and components are mentioned across several activities of end-users (transmission, distribution of electricity, buildings, etc.
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Response to Revision of the Energy and Environmental Aid Guidelines (EEAG)

10 Dec 2020

[Please refer to attachment for full response] A successful delivery of the European Green Deal hinges upon Europe ramping up renewables-based direct electrification, the most cost-effective and energy efficient way to decarbonise final energy uses such as road transport, buildings and industrial processes. Europe needs to increase the share of electricity in its energy mix from today’s 24% to more than 60% to deliver on climate neutrality. Wind energy will be central to this as the most easily scalable and competitive form of new power generation in many countries in Europe today. The European Commission’s Long-Term Decarbonisation strategy says Europe will need up to 1,200 GW of wind energy from 192 GW today to be compliant with the Paris agreement. This means that wind will cover more than half of Europe’s electricity demand and will be the largest source of power generation in 2050. Revenue stabilisation mechanisms are indispensable to deploy the necessary wind volumes at least cost for society. Wind is a capital-intensive investment: it has high upfront costs but very low running costs. This makes financing a very significant share of the overall cost. Minimising finance costs is therefore essential. Having a predictable income from stable revenues is the most important way a wind farm can minimise its finance costs. Government auctions that offer stable revenues are crucial to attract investments and to provide cheap money to wind energy projects and thereby deliver lower electricity prices to society. Aligning EU state aid policy with the Green Deal objectives means for the European Commission to: 1.Ensure two-sided Contracts for Difference (CfD) are applied by Governments. They are the best revenue stabilisation model Governments can offer for renewable energy deployment. CfDs offer wind farms a fixed strike price for the electricity they produce. When the electricity price is higher than the strike price, the wind farm pays the Government the difference. When the electricity price is lower than the strike price, the Government pays the difference to the wind farm. Over the lifetime of a wind farm, a Government could well break even if not make a profit. And banks are happy to lend money to wind farms because they are able to predict their future revenues very accurately. Without revenue stabilisation the financing costs raise significantly, increasing massively the overall project costs and costs to society. For instance, an offshore wind farm supported by a two-sided CfD has a typical electricity cost of €50/MWh, whereas a wind farm built without such support typically has an electricity cost of €92/MWh. Importantly, the so-called ‘zero bids’ are an exception to the rule and not the new normal. They are only possible in certain markets, for some developers and under very specific project conditions. 2.Continue to support technology-specific auctions. These are the best way to provide this visibility to investors and is tailored to the generation specificities of different power sources. Technology-neutral auctions often result in one technology constantly winning over others, therefore not exploiting the complementarities of the different generation profiles across technologies. This complementarity is essential to guarantee a balanced energy system and flows as Europe electrifies its economy with renewables to fulfil the Green Deal. [continues in attachment]
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Response to Updating the EU Emissions Trading System

26 Nov 2020

[Please refer to attachment for full response] The European Emission Trading System (EU ETS) is the central EU policy to regulate CO2 emissions and deliver effective signals to support the energy transition and fight climate change. A well-functioning ETS creates effective price signals for market operators and investors. These signals impact investment decisions as well as the merit order of the wholesale power market - by pricing the externality of emitting CO2 per unit of power produced. Wind energy is today 15% of the European electricity and 300,000 jobs. It generates an annual turnover of €37bn. To be climate neutral in 2050, Europe needs at least 50% of its electricity from wind energy. A revision of the EU ETS Directive with a view at strengthening the system will contribute to reaching this target and is required to align it with the increased EU 2030 ambition. A high price on environmentally harmful emissions boosts investments in wind and other renewable energy technologies. This will create even more jobs and economic growth, contributing not only to decarbonisation but also to a European recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. [...] WindEurope sees a need for strengthening the EU ETS to ensure it supports the European climate neutrality ambition and the climate & energy targets put forward by the European Green Deal. And to improve its resilience to future unforeseen events such as world-wide pandemics or economic crises. In order to do so, WindEurope recommends that a revision of the EU ETS foresees: o An increase in the Linear Reduction Factor, currently set at 2.2%; and o A strengthening of the Market Stability Reserve, keeping the intake rate at 24% after 2023 – year when the Reserve should halve its intake rate to 12%. The Linear Reduction Factor and the Market Stability Reserve are the key mechanisms to address potential surpluses of allowances in the EU ETS market, creating the scarcity needed to keep the CO2 price at a level that is consistent with the European climate objectives. WindEurope appreciates that the revision of the EU ETS fits into a broader exercise of law- and policymaking and revision to achieve a higher European climate ambition. Ultimately, all legislation and policies in support of the Green Deal must be fully aligned to help deploying renewable energy capacity and promote renewables-based electrification in all final energy uses. The European Commission has also recently adopted the new ETS State Aid Guidelines that will be applicable as of January 2021. Importantly, these Guidelines now enable energy-intensive industry to qualify for indirect ETS cost-compensation when procuring renewable electricity. This is an important step in the right direction as it reflects the need of industrial and commercial consumers to transition to an electricity-based energy supply. [...]
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Meeting with Ruben Alexander Schuster (Cabinet of Commissioner Virginijus Sinkevičius)

11 Nov 2020 · The EU Offshore Strategy

Meeting with Andrea Beltramello (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

5 Nov 2020 · Offshore renewable energy strategy

Meeting with Wioletta Dunin-Majewska (Cabinet of Commissioner Elisa Ferreira)

30 Oct 2020 · Wind energy for post-COVID green recovery, jobs, EU technological leadership, benefiting communities.

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

20 Oct 2020 · Discussion on the future adoption of the Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy. Presentation of the sector coordinated by Wind Europe.

Meeting with Diederik Samsom (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

16 Oct 2020 · Virtual conference on “Wind energy and economic recovery in Europe”

WindEurope Urges Faster Permitting and Clearer Renewable Rules

21 Sept 2020
Topic — Review of the Renewable Energy Directive to meet 2030 climate goals.
Message — WindEurope calls for a higher renewable target of 55% and the removal of complex permitting bottlenecks. They also demand a clear European definition for renewable hydrogen and more transparent rules for tracing green energy.12
Why — These changes would provide the wind industry with stable revenues and the regulatory certainty needed for investors.34
Impact — The fossil fuel industry faces a phase-out of subsidies as renewables become the primary energy source.56
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Response to Offshore renewable energy strategy

12 Aug 2020

The EC Long-Term strategy calls for scenarios with 230 to 450 GW of offshore wind installed by 2050, this means building 10-20 times more the amount of wind we have built until today in the same amount of time (30 years). Only two scenarios limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C and require at least 400 GW. The strategy should be clear on selecting the scenario that goes in line with the Green Deal climate neutrality goals and plan for that capacity collectively. The roadmap includes key issues for urgent action: Maritime Spatial Planning as intermediary between different sea users, regional cooperation and planning of a common grid, and recognizes the importance of wind for the COVID-19 economic recovery. But it lacks other important elements: Factoring long term benefits of offshore wind for cost-benefit assessments and decisions, identifying permitting obstacles related to long term lead and complex execution due to nature of projects. And asking regional regulatory authorities (ACER, maritime authorities, TSOs) and governments to commit to the execution of offshore targets setting the right conditions for developers and investors to start the build-out now. It should identify technical challenges through the wind farm lifetime which need more work, including site allocation, health&safety and other standards, decarbonizing manufacture and operation activities. Regional cooperation will tackle all these through R&I and other fora. It also lacks a competitiveness strategy (export) for Europe to continue transferring knowledge in replicating offshore’ s wind success trajectory elsewhere. The initiative includes clear elements which are key for the scale-up of offshore wind with a holistic and integrated approach. Elements to be kept in the initiative include: revision of the TEN-E Regulation, assessing cumulative environmental effects for the selected scenario (to clarify at local, regional and global scale), coordinated planning including offshore grids and onshore landing points, sharing of experiences in auction design, ambitious R&I for wind farms and grids, skills and EU financial tools. However, other details are still missing within this proposal: the role of interconnectors as strategic sector coupling solution – together with renewable hydrogen and various storage types. Cross border projects require coordinated planning but also coordinated project financing (de-risk of investment) and execution. Long term cooperation should have a clear framework to oversee its execution and should modify existing frameworks (MSP) to recognize the role of renewables against climate change. The aspects of circular economy cannot be limited to the solutions and infrastructure needed to build out offshore wind capacity and should consider also a good O&M of the existing assets, including digitalization, life-time extension, repowering and decommissioning of projects – this requires an enabling policy framework too. The supply chain needs to have access to the Strategic Industrial Forum in line with the Industrial Strategy. It also needs links with the Chemical Strategy and clarity on the use of certain materials. Infrastructure upgrades for Ports (through allocation of CEF funding in agreement with TEN-T) should target small, medium and large size facilities to perform all activities in regional cooperation (production, assembly, installation, O&M) for fixed and floating wind. Finally, when outlining auction design in state aid guidelines the EU Commission should make clear that the best way to rapidly and sustainably develop offshore wind is with technology-specific auctions (bottom fixed and floating) together with long-term mechanisms (CfDs) that promote stability and technology improvement through market-driven competition over subsidies. The EC should make public the data collection with the comprehensive knowledge, data, models and studies mentioned in this section serve in the future as a transparency and planning tool.
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Meeting with Cecile Billaux (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan), Dermot Ryan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

3 Jul 2020 · Smart Sector Integration and Hydrogen Strategies

Meeting with Aliénor Margerit (Cabinet of Commissioner Paolo Gentiloni)

18 Jun 2020 · European wind industry on Smart Sector Integration & Hydrogen Strategies

Meeting with Wioletta Dunin-Majewska (Cabinet of Commissioner Elisa Ferreira)

16 Jun 2020 · Wind industry’s priorities for the Smart Sector Integration and Hydrogen Strategies

Response to Union renewable Financing mechanism

3 Jun 2020

[Please see attachment for full response] WindEurope, representing the entire European wind power value chain - 300,000 jobs and €25bn new investments p.a. - welcomes the consultation on the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism. Wind energy is the most cost-competitive source of new power generation today and already supplies 15% of Europe’s power demand. The European Commission foresees that wind will be half of Europe’s electricity in 2050 and will make a major contribution in delivering the European Green Deal. By 2030, renewables must account for at least 32% of the EU final energy demand - with wind power at the core of the 2030 ambition for many Member States, as indicated in the final National Energy & Climate Plans. The importance of the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism in ensuring that this happens is key to driving wind and other renewable energy investments in the years to come. With its double role as ‘gap-filler’ and ‘renewable energy enabler’, the Mechanism represents a fundamental instrument to provide visibility to investors and set the deployment of renewable energy in Europe back on track if and when needed. Importantly, this critical function should not replace the Member States’ efforts to deploy renewables in line with their National Energy and Climate Plans. It is essential that the implementing Regulation clearly spells out the functioning rules of the Renewable Energy Financing Mechanism. Without doing so, the Mechanism will fail to support the energy transition and to deliver on the principles enshrined in the Governance Regulation (Art. 33). As it currently stands, the draft implementing act is lacking substantial details. Our key considerations are in the attachment and partially listed below: •The industry considers that a well-designed Mechanism could play a role in the recovery post COVID-19 and welcomes in principle its dual role as both ‘gap-filler’ and ‘renewable energy enabler’. However, the implementing Regulation should provide further detail and distinction between the two roles envisaged, so to make the Mechanism actionable and attractive for renewable energy projects. •The possibility to combine different funding sources, including Union funds, may render the Mechanism effective in accelerating renewable energy deployment across Europe. Nevertheless, there should be more clarity as to what funds this mechanism will interact with and how this combination of funding sources will work in practice. Importantly, there should be more clarity as to how the Mechanism will be linked to the EU Recovery Instrument. •The ‘enabling’ function of the mechanism should not become a justification for Member States not to pursue their own targets via a properly designed national regulatory framework. The robust implementation and enforcement of the Clean Energy Package and the fulfilment of the National Energy & Climate Plans commitments remain key to unlock renewables’ investments. •Permitting is currently the biggest bottleneck for the deployment of renewable energy projects. Making sure that the projects under the Mechanism have the permit to build and operate, as it should equally be for all nationally-financed renewable energy projects, would serve as great incentive to attract investors. •With a view of increasing the renewable energy capacity over the next years, the repowering of existing assets will play an increasingly relevant role. This EU-wide Mechanism should ensure that repowering projects can access the bidding processes. •De-risking finance in countries with no or little renewable energy installations due to high cost of capital should remain a priority of the Mechanism. •In order to have clarity on the volumes and unlock investments, the tenders/auctions under the Mechanism should be technology-specific in line with EU legislation and ideally combined with a 2-sided Contract for Difference as revenue stabilisation mechanism [...].
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Meeting with Virginijus Sinkevičius (Commissioner) and

14 May 2020 · To discuss future developments of wind energy in Europe, relating to European Green Deal, Biodiversity Strategy and circular economy

Meeting with Frans Timmermans (Executive Vice-President)

20 Apr 2020 · Wind Energy in the European Green Deal: prospects and challenges from COVID-19 to recovery and beyond.

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

20 Apr 2020 · Wind Energy in the European Green Deal: prospects and challenges from COVID-19 to recovery and beyond

Response to 2030 Climate Target Plan

15 Apr 2020

[Please refer to attachment for full response and sources of figures] - WindEurope strongly supports the target of 55% Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission reduction by 2030. Pursuing this target is crucial to avoid backloading and postponing the bulk of efforts to the post-2030 period, which would create a risk of missing the 2050 climate-neutrality objective. Key elements of the energy transition such as the deployment of renewable energy technologies and grid infrastructures follow long investment cycles and need ambitious long-term investment signals. - A 55% GHG emission reduction target should reflect in a higher renewable energy target and a higher energy efficiency target. A first assessment shows that at least 40% renewable energy is needed in the final energy consumption of the EU-27 in 2030 in order to reach 55% GHG emissions reduction. - Today the energy sector is responsible for more than 75% of the total European GHG emissions. Decarbonising the way we produce and consume energy is of utmost importance to support the 2050 ambition, and renewable sources are best placed to help in this process. Wind energy is a source of clean electricity and is local, reliable and affordable. It adds significant value to the European economy while contributing to the objectives of energy independence and security. With 192 GW installed across the EU-28 , wind energy today supplies already 15% of the total European electricity demand and helps save €10bn/year in fossil fuel imports. The bulk of wind power is provided by onshore wind farms but 2% of the EU electricity is already provided by offshore wind farms. The wind energy sector brings local value and creates jobs and growth: contributing €36bn to the EU-28 Gross Domestic Product with €8bn exports, it employs 300,000 people across all regions of Europe. - Decarbonising the wider economy means significantly increasing the share of renewable electricity over the next decades. Today electricity covers only 23% of the final energy uses and most of it is fossil fuel-generated, as only approximately 32% of this electricity is provided by renewables in the EU-27 . Our assessment shows that it is technically feasible and economically viable to increase the share of electricity in the final energy consumption to 62%, with the bulk of it generating from wind and other renewable energy sources. - For sectors such as power generation, light-duty transport, rail, pulp and paper, aluminium, buildings and agriculture, policymakers should pursue direct electrification using renewable electricity wherever is available and whenever is possible. This will deliver the bulk of decarbonisation of the economy. In order to reach net-zero emissions, indirect electrification with renewables will play a crucial role in those hard-to-abate economic sectors such as cement, steel, chemicals heavy-duty road transport, aviation and shipping - where direct renewable-based electrification is not technically feasible or the solutions will be developed too far in the future. - The pivotal role played by renewables in the energy transition should be reflected in the Impact Assessment for the new 2030 GHG emission reduction target. The focus of the analysis should be on wind and solar PV deployment and not on other unproven technologies such as CCS – nor should the modelling try to reduce the cumulative emissions by introducing strong assumptions for LULUCF or other carbon sinks. Similarly to the Long Term Strategy, the Impact Assessment should elaborate different scenarios, each of them envisaging a specific 2030 renewable energy target and with clear pathways for the deployment of different renewable energy technologies (incl. offshore and onshore wind energy). Crucially, all scenarios should follow a trajectory towards climate neutrality by 2050.At least one of the scenarios should follow a trajectory towards 100% renewable energy and one scenario should focus on the electrification of the EU economy. [...]
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Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy)

3 Apr 2020 · Actions linked to recovery post-COVID-19 (phone call)

Response to Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

1 Apr 2020

As WindEurope we welcome the EU’s commitment to raising EU ambition on decarbonisation. Carbon Border Adjustment would help leverage increased climate ambition from the EU’s trading partners, for instance through the implementation of meaningful emissions reduction mechanisms. It should of course be developed in line with WTO rules, as the Commission has said. And the revenues of such a mechanism should be deployed to support the decarbonisation of EU industry. It will be essential to consider the impact of such a measure on value chains such as the wind industry, which relies on imports to deliver cost-competitive projects to tight deadlines. This includes consideration of how the measure might interact with existing trade defence measures on raw materials.
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Meeting with Cristina Rueda Catry (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

31 Mar 2020 · The role of wind energy needed to realise climate neutrality by 2050 and the importance of trade to the future of the wind energy industry

Response to Commission Implementing Regulation on the Modernisation Fund

16 Mar 2020

The Modernisation Fund (MF) is a key instrument for the achievement of the EU long-term energy and climate objectives, as it supports low-income Member States in decarbonising their economies, funding measures in important domains such as energy efficiency, electricity transmission and interconnections. Crucially, the MF helps boosting renewable energy deployment in those countries where the growth of renewable installations might be slower due to a higher cost of capital as compared to Countries with a higher GDP. To ensure these objectives are pursued and reached, the MF needs to be fully aligned with the European Green Deal. Funds under this mechanism should be allocated to those low-GDP countries that prove concrete efforts in decarbonisation in line with 2050 climate neutrality and show ambition in their 2030 renewable energy targets. It should be considered that, as the European Commission has pointed out in their recommendations in June 2019, some countries could raise the renewable targets they have proposed in the draft – and now final – National Energy and Climate Plans. This is even more important considering that the EU 2030 Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission targets will be raised to 50-55% from the current 40%, following the recent Climate Law proposal. The revision of this target represents an important opportunity for raising national ambitions in renewable energy and the Implementing Act of the MF should align with this process to support higher climate and energy objectives. Art. 10d of the ETS Directive prevents most of the beneficiary States from using the MF to support projects related to "solid" fossil fuel deployment. This wording is not in line with the Union climate targets as it only prohibits funding hard coal and lignite but allows for other fossil fuels to play a major role in those countries, without effectively boosting renewable energy deployment. WindEurope strongly recommends that funding of all fossil fuels is effectively excluded from the implementation of the MF. This would ensure policy coherence and be consistent with the European Investment Bank energy lending criteria preventing financing to all fossil fuels as of next year - and considering that the Bank will play a major role in the management of the Fund. The same article prescribes that the Fund can be used to boost renewable energy deployment and the use of renewable electricity. Following the most recent technology developments and reflecting the increasingly growing role of renewables in the EU energy mix, the Implementing Regulation of the MF should specify that storage solutions and ‘hybrid’ renewable energy power plants (plants with any combination of wind, PV and storage) are eligible as priority investment projects. Priority investments should also substantially cover electricity networks. Today only 24% of the final EU energy uses is supplied by electricity, out of which only 30% by renewables – with wind covering 15% of the EU electricity demand. Decarbonising our economies means significantly increasing the share of renewable electricity in the final energy uses, modernising industrial processes as well as buildings and the transport sector. Electricity can cover 62% of the EU energy demand in 2050, with renewables producing 78% of it . The electricity infrastructure needs to be reinforced and expanded to ensure that the use of renewable electricity is maximised in the energy mix. Funding under the MF – but also other important infrastructural funds such as Connecting Europe Facility or initiatives such as the Ten-Year Network Development Plan – should be consistent with these objectives. As to the functioning of the MF, WindEurope welcomes the importance of the role the EIB will play in managing it. This ensures impartiality in the assessment of the investments at the national level. Transparency and accountability at the national level will be crucial in the correct management of this Fund... [continues in attachment]
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Response to Climate Law

6 Feb 2020

WindEurope strongly supports the adoption of a Climate Law enshrining the objective of delivering a climate neutral European economy by 2050. The EU has a critical role to play in setting the course for decarbonisation at home as the basis for its global leadership on climate action. The Climate Law is crucial as it creates a commitment that will bind the EU beyond the current political mandate, setting a clear direction of travel for the next 30 years. All future legislative proposals – not only Climate and Energy but also Competition, Trade, Industry, Research and Innovation, Environment, Transport and Agriculture policies - should be tested on whether they are fully consistent with the delivery of this overarching objective. Crucially, any EU legislation or funding relating to infrastructure development must strictly adhere to the objective of delivering climate neutrality, thereby avoiding the societal costs linked to sunk assets. The wind industry is playing a central role in the decarbonisation of the European energy system and will be a primary driver to accelerate our decarbonisation efforts. Deploying wind energy adds significant value to the European economy while contributing to the objectives of energy independence and security. With 184 GW installed across the EU , wind energy today supplies already 15% of the total European electricity demand and helps save €10bn/year in fossil fuel imports. Wind energy offers citizens and businesses clean, local and affordable energy. The wind energy sector brings local value and creates jobs and growth: contributing €36bn to the EU Gross Domestic Product with €8bn exports, the wind energy sector employs 300,000 people across Europe . Onshore wind is today the most cost-competitive form of new power generation in most regions in Europe, thanks to technological developments and economies of scale. Offshore wind energy is not far behind: its costs have fallen 60% in three years only. Strike prices in offshore wind auctions in 2019 ranged between 40 and 50 Euros/MWh, meaning investing in offshore wind is now cheaper than building new gas, coal or nuclear plants. Higher ambition on renewables beyond 2020 and towards mid-century will offer even greater social and macro-economic benefits. By 2030, and with the right policies sustaining the European industry’s competitiveness, the sector could employ up to 569,000 people. This goes together with benefits for related sectors: every €1,000 invested in wind creates €250 value for the wider supply chain - e.g. chemicals, steel, construction. The European Commission’s 2050 Decarbonisation Strategy foresees that wind will be by far the largest source of power generation by mid-century. Its most ambitious scenario, which would put the EU on track to climate neutrality, sees 1,200 GW of wind energy installed, up from today’s 184 GW . In its latest reports, the IEA has stressed that onshore wind will become the largest source of power in Europe by 2027. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s European Green Deal and the objective to be climate neutral by 2050 offer an important policy signal to the market. But this requires wind energy to be at the core of the EU’s industrial strategy. The Green Deal must have an industrial policy component firmly embedded in it that allows the European wind industry to remain competitive – at home and abroad. The climate urgency requires a higher ambition in the shorter term, aiming at 55% GHG emission reduction target by 2030. This would trigger the deployment of more renewable energy over the next decade. The 2030 renewable energy target will need to be amended accordingly. It is critical that, as part of the modelling informing policy choices, the European Commission factors in the sharp cost reduction wind has experienced. Ambition in the final 2030 National Energy and Climate Plans will be crucial to deliver on the 2050 objectives. [Please see attachment for full response].
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Meeting with Tom Tynan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

5 Feb 2020 · Business discussion

Meeting with Aleksandra Tomczak (Cabinet of Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans)

30 Jan 2020 · Challanges and goals for the wind energy sector on the way to EU climate neutrallity

Meeting with Kadri Simson (Commissioner) and

28 Jan 2020 · European Green Deal, role of the wind industry to reach the Paris Agreement and the renewable targets

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

6 Nov 2019 · Keynote speech : powering the European Green Deal

Meeting with Ditte Juul-Joergensen (Director-General Energy) and EPIA SolarPower Europe

30 Sept 2019 · Potential of renewable energy in the context of the clean energy transition

Meeting with Kaius Kristian Hedberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska), Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska) and NOVE

6 Jun 2019 · trade defense measures

Meeting with Xavier Coget (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

5 Jun 2019 · Exchange on trade defence cases affecting EU wind industry

Response to Revision of the ETS State aid Guidelines

16 Jan 2019

WindEurope, representing more than 400 member organisations from the entire European wind energy value chain,welcomes the opportunity to answer this consultation. The EU ETS remains the central EU policy to regulate CO2 emissions and deliver effective transition signals. It is therefore essential that State aid in the form of compensation for indirect ETS is properly calibrated, considers impacts on broader EU Climate and Energy objectives and minimises internal market distortions. This consultation process is in particular an opportunity to ensure a consistent interpretation of the guidelines and notably their impact on the emergence of Corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs). Corporate PPAs enable large energy consumers in the IT, chemicals, heavy industries and other sectors to secure a supply of clean electricity at a competitive price. They also provide financial certainty for renewable energy providers and are therefore increasingly relevant as renewables become exposed to market dynamics. They will be essential to a cost effective energy transition. Corporate renewable PPAs are now routinely signed in Northern Europe and the UK - 2 GW in 2018 alone - but are struggling to take off in the rest of Europe. The Clean Energy Package agreed in 2018 (in particular the post 2020 Renewable Energy Directive) mandates the removal of administrative barriers to Corporate renewable PPAs. One such barrier is the interpretation of the guidelines by certain Member States currently impacting the way they provide compensation for indirect ETS costs. The current interpretation in some Member States of the State aid guidelines is locking electro-intensive companies out of the Corporate Renewable PPA market. As the State aid guidelines are interpreted in some Member States today, electro-intensive companies fear they would not get this compensation when signing a PPA with a carbon-free source. These concerns arise primarily from point 11 of the Emissions trading scheme State aid guidelines which says: “In case of electricity supply contracts that do not include any CO2 cost, no State aid will be granted”. When pricing a Corporate renewable PPA the underlying valuation is based on the expected future wholesale power price. The wholesale price in Europe will include carbon costs in the foreseeable future. Here is how it works: • Short term marginal costs are the foundation for long term market views • Market price forecasts are the basis for pricing of long term supply contracts • The long term forecast is then converted into a PPA pricing structure It is therefore incorrect to consider that the pricing of a corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreement is independent of carbon costs. In many cases, the guidelines are interpreted correctly. For example electro-intensive companies which sign corporate PPAs in Norway with hydro plants receive compensation for indirect carbon costs. However, in markets where Corporate renewable PPAs have yet to emerge, including Germany, the interpretation of point 11 of the guidelines is proving a major stumbling block. The interpretation of the State aid rules must be neutral to sourcing strategies for the companies eligible for aid. The current German interpretation is distorting the competition by restricting market options for sellers and buyers. It is also problematic from an internal market perspective, as the rules are not implemented in a consistent way across the EU. A consistent interpretation of point 11 enabling the update of Corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements would enhance the integrity of the Internal Market and advance the EU’s Climate and Energy objectives.
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Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

28 Nov 2018 · Wind Energy

Meeting with Nele Eichhorn (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström) and Siemens AG and Vestas Wind Systems A/S

16 Nov 2018 · safeguard investigation on steel products

Meeting with Soren Schonberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Margrethe Vestager)

18 Sept 2018 · EU energy market developments

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy) and Polish Wind Energy Association

8 Feb 2018 · Renewables in Poland

Meeting with Elżbieta Bieńkowska (Commissioner) and

24 Jan 2018 · Exchange of views on Industrial Policy

Meeting with Soren Schonberg (Cabinet of Commissioner Margrethe Vestager)

6 Jul 2017 · Wind Energy Sector

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Vice-President) and

6 Feb 2017 · discussion of Clean Energy Package with WindEurope members

Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

18 Nov 2016 · EC renewable energy package

Meeting with Miguel Angel Sagredo Fernandez (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

17 Nov 2016 · solar energy in energy union's objectives

Meeting with Astrid Ladefoged (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

17 Nov 2016 · Energy package

Meeting with Grzegorz Radziejewski (Cabinet of Vice-President Jyrki Katainen)

17 Nov 2016 · renewable energy

Meeting with Pierre Schellekens (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

17 Nov 2016 · Review of the renewable energy directive

Meeting with Patricia Reilly (Cabinet of Commissioner Tibor Navracsics)

16 Nov 2016 · Renewable Energy

Meeting with Mathieu Fichter (Cabinet of Commissioner Corina Crețu)

15 Nov 2016 · Renewable Energy Package

Meeting with Gints Freimanis (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

14 Nov 2016 · Governance system for the Energy Union ensuring Member States are accountable in delivering the EU-wide renewable energy target; An energy market design fit for variable renewable energy generation; Provisions to unlock investments for renewable energy deployment.

Meeting with Daniel Giorev (Cabinet of Vice-President Kristalina Georgieva)

26 Oct 2016 · Energy Union Package

Meeting with Peter Van Kemseke (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

13 Sept 2016 · The potential of geothermal energy for the Energy Union

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy) and European Biogas Association and

21 Jun 2016 · European renewables industry

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE and

5 Jun 2016 · policy framework post-2020: review of the renewable energy directive and market design

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and EPIA SolarPower Europe and

24 May 2016 · Business Forum EU-ALGERIA

Meeting with Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska)

18 Apr 2016 · renewable energy

Meeting with Christian Burgsmueller (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström)

13 Apr 2016 · TTIP; Energy

Meeting with Mathieu Fichter (Cabinet of Commissioner Corina Crețu)

11 Apr 2016 · Post-2020 renewable energy legislative package

Meeting with Andras Inotai (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella), Aurore Maillet (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

18 Mar 2016 · Energy Union, Circular Economy, Blue Growth

Meeting with Robert Schröder (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

17 Mar 2016 · Energy Union

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner)

15 Mar 2016 · post-2020 policy for renewable energy

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy)

1 Mar 2016 · Energy policy

Meeting with Bernd Biervert (Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič)

22 Feb 2016 · Renewables

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and BUSINESSEUROPE and

18 Feb 2016 · Market design

Meeting with Dermot Ryan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

12 Nov 2015 · Energy Union strategy

Meeting with Mathieu Fichter (Cabinet of Commissioner Corina Crețu)

12 Nov 2015 · State of the Energy Union Report

Meeting with Arianna Vannini (Cabinet of High Representative / Vice-President Federica Mogherini)

12 Nov 2015 · Energy Union Package

Meeting with Maria Da Graca Carvalho (Cabinet of Commissioner Carlos Moedas)

11 Nov 2015 · Energy Union

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and

1 Oct 2015 · RES

Meeting with Miguel Arias Cañete (Commissioner) and

22 Sept 2015 · • Making the EU a global leader in Renewables & reform of the wholesale electricity market

Meeting with Carlos Moedas (Commissioner)

21 Sept 2015 · Research & Innovation in renewable energies

Meeting with Maria Cristina Lobillo Borrero (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete), Yvon Slingenberg (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

10 Sept 2015 · Governance of the Energy Union; reform of the wholesale electricity market; revision of the renewable energy directive

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy)

7 Sept 2015 · Energy Union

Meeting with Dermot Ryan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

22 Jul 2015 · legislative proposal for the revision of the ETS Directive; Energy Union governance

Meeting with Laure Chapuis-Kombos (Cabinet of Vice-President Andrus Ansip)

14 Jul 2015 · ETS Revision

Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

12 Jul 2015 · Market Design

Meeting with Gints Freimanis (Cabinet of Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis)

29 Jun 2015 · Revision of the ETS Directive

Meeting with Yvon Slingenberg (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

19 May 2015 · Reform of the ETS

Meeting with Dominique Ristori (Director-General Energy)

10 Mar 2015 · European Energy Policy priorities

Meeting with Dermot Ryan (Cabinet of Commissioner Phil Hogan)

18 Feb 2015 · 1. Recognize the contribution of renewables, as home-grown sustainable energy sources, in enhancing energy security; 2. Pave the way for the Commission to propose a robust governance system implementing the 2030 climate and energy package; 3. Provide additional impetus to meet the 2030 interconnection objectives using the speedy completion of the Projects of Common Interest list as a benchmark; 4 Suggest a better coordination in national power system operation; 5. Ensure that funds allocated by the Junker investment plan are earmarked for projects that help meet the EU’s 2030 climate and energy objectives.

Meeting with Mathieu Fichter (Cabinet of Commissioner Corina Crețu)

16 Feb 2015 · Energy union

Meeting with Jon Nyman (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström), Maria Asenius (Cabinet of Vice-President Cecilia Malmström)

28 Jan 2015 · Climate policy in general & trade in green goods

Meeting with Juergen Mueller (Cabinet of Vice-President Karmenu Vella)

28 Jan 2015 · Energy Union

Meeting with Karmenu Vella (Commissioner)

27 Jan 2015 · Blue growth, marine renewable energy, maritimal spatial planning, Energy Union

Meeting with Carlos Moedas (Commissioner)

27 Jan 2015 · Future of Research and Innovation policies in the sector of wind energy

Meeting with Rolf Carsten Bermig (Cabinet of Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska)

14 Jan 2015 · Energy Union and energy security, International competitiveness issues, Internal market, regulatory framework and interconnectors

Meeting with Joachim Balke (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

19 Dec 2014 · Market Design

Meeting with Maroš Šefčovič (Vice-President)

8 Dec 2014 · Energy Union

Meeting with Yvon Slingenberg (Cabinet of Vice-President Miguel Arias Cañete)

5 Dec 2014 · EU Renewables Policy - EWEA

Meeting with Telmo Baltazar (Cabinet of President Jean-Claude Juncker)

20 Nov 2014 · EWEA - exchange of views on the European Energy Union