Jochen Eickholt has criticised slow European wind permitting, auction models and lack of market volume in one of his first public addresses as Siemens Gamesa chief executive.
Addressing the 2022 WindEurope conference in Bilbao, Eickholt spoke of a concerning “short-term scenario” for the wind industry, which he argued is in need of “financial muscle”.
“Can anyone look at the wind industry today and say it is healthy?” he said.
He added that the industry “first and foremost” needs to increase market volume, with too few turbines being installed across Europe each year to meet 2030 targets.
Small volumes in European auctions means strong competition between developers, which in turn leads to low bid prices that puts pressure on the whole industry, he continued.
He also called on governments to steer away from “negative bidding”, adding that the higher costs are pushed onto consumers or the supply chain.