Von der Leyen pledges support for EU wind industry

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced increased support for the EU wind industry in the annual State of the Union address this week.

Von der Leyen referred to the wind industry as "a European success story" but also highlighted various challenges impacting progress.

To mitigate these challenges von der Leyen put forward a European Wind Power package to promote collaboration with both industry and Member States with the aim to:

• Fast-track permitting to a greater extent
• Improve the auction systems across the EU
• Develop skills, access to finance and stable supply chains.

The gist of her message was that a strong European supply chain is critical to ensuring a competitive edge against countries like China. Said von der Leyen: "From wind to steel, from batteries to electric vehicles, our ambition is crystal clear: The future of our clean tech industry has to be made in Europe."

A statement released by WindEurope emphasised that policy change is essential to ensure Europe doesn't lose its manufacturing to China, especially as China provides cheaper turbines, as well as less stringent standards and finance mechanisms.

WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson said: “It’s very good the Commission are going to do this. It can’t come soon enough given the crisis our industry is facing now. And the President is absolutely right: it is essential that wind energy continues to be made in Europe.”

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EU Green Deal

Referring to the importance of the European Green Deal at the start of her term in 2019, von der Leyen emphasised the importance of the energy sector in enhancing Europe’s position as a competitive global player.

“Four years ago, the European Green Deal was our answer to the call of history and this summer, the hottest ever on record, was a stark reminder of that.”

Referencing the extreme wildfires and flooding experienced this year in Greece and Spain, as well as chaotic extreme weather in Bulgaria and other member states, von der Leyen emphasised how, although much has been done towards net zero, “our work is far from over.

“This is the reality of a boiling planet. The European Green Deal was born out of this necessity to protect our planet, but it was also designed as an opportunity to preserve our future prosperity.”

This article includes reportage from Smart Energy International used with permission