European industry and EU leaders meeting in Antwerp must prioritise rapid electrification if Europe is to strengthen its competitiveness and secure affordable energy, WindEurope has said.
WindEurope chief executive officer Tinne Van der Straeten said wind can deliver large volumes of competitive electricity but warned that heavy industry needs political support to electrify production processes.
“Wind is a strong partner for Europe’s industry and an integral part of the solution to Europe’s competitiveness problem,” stated Van der Straeten.
“Together with the EU and national Governments we now need to agree on targeted measures to align electricity supply and industrial demand.”
Wind is already one of the cheapest sources of electricity in Europe, and the industry said that removing barriers to development would allow onshore and offshore projects to scale quickly while supporting energy security and predictable power prices.
WindEurope highlighted progress in Germany, where accelerated permitting has seen more than 20GW of onshore wind approved and over 14GW auctioned last year with strong demand and falling prices.
The group said offshore wind can also supply large volumes of competitive renewable power when supported by effective auction design and de-risking tools, citing the UK’s latest Contract-for-Difference awards of 8.4GW.
Recent commitments at the North Sea Summit in Hamburg, where governments pledged a major offshore wind build-out backed by Contracts for Difference and industry vowed to cut costs by 30% towards 2040, were also flagged as evidence of momentum.
WindEurope said the EU now needs to focus on making this electricity available to industry, warning that Europe’s electrification rate is stagnating at 25% while China accelerates.
The group called for targeted measures to match supply and demand, reduce the risks of direct electrification investments, and ensure industry can procure wind energy at competitive prices.
It said the European Commission should publish guidance on electricity taxation, after which national governments must lower taxes and levies on power to incentivise electrified industrial processes.
Note to editors: WindEurope is the voice of the wind industry and has more than 600 members from across the supply chain.