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EU Wind Energy Strategy
The EU is dedicated to maintaining its position as a global leader in renewable energy. To further this commitment, it is proposing an expansion in wind energy production as a key strategy to accelerate the energy transition. This initiative is part of a broader effort to increase the use of renewable energy sources, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and achieve ambitious climate and energy targets set for the coming decades.
Wind Power Package
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The EU Wind Power Package, presented on 24 October 2023, is a comprehensive initiative aimed at significantly boosting the wind energy sector in Europe. It encompasses two main wind power initiatives, forming part of the broader European Wind Power Action Plan. This plan is structured around six pillars and involves urgent actions by key public and private actors.
The primary goal of the Wind Power Package is to accelerate the development and deployment of wind energy across Europe. This is in line with Europe's REPowerEU energy strategy, which targets increasing wind energy capacity from the current 205 gigawatts (GW) to 420 GW by 2030. This expansion is crucial for achieving the EU's objective of at least 42.5% renewable energy by 2030, with an ambition to push this figure to 45%. To meet these targets, a substantial increase in wind installation capacity is required, projecting a growth from 204 GW in 2022 to over 500 GW by 2030. The package addresses several critical challenges within the wind energy sector. These include streamlining the permitting processes, enhancing the auction systems throughout the EU, and focusing on aspects such as skills development, access to finance, and ensuring stable supply chains. These measures are designed not only to boost the production of wind energy but also to strengthen the overall competitiveness of the European wind energy manufacturing industry. |
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Additionally, the European Wind Power Action Plan includes immediate measures to ensure that the transition to renewable energy aligns with industrial competitiveness. This aspect highlights the EU's commitment to balancing environmental sustainability with economic growth and industrial development.
The Wind Action Plan
The European Wind Power Action Plan, presented as part of the EU Wind Power Package on 24 October 2023, is a strategic initiative aimed at significantly boosting wind energy deployment and manufacturing in Europe. The plan is based on six key pillars, focusing on a range of actions to be urgently undertaken by both public and private sectors to accelerate the growth of wind energy across the continent. Here's a detailed overview:
The European Wind Power Action Plan is a comprehensive approach to addressing various challenges in the wind energy sector. It aims to facilitate a significant increase in wind energy capacity, contributing to the EU's goal of achieving a substantial percentage of renewable energy by 2030. The plan's focus on permitting, auctions, skills, finance, supply chains, and competitiveness underscores the EU's commitment to not only increasing its renewable energy sources but also strengthening its energy independence and industrial base in the realm of renewable energy.
- Fast-Tracking of Permitting: One of the major challenges in the wind energy sector is the lengthy and complex permitting process. The action plan suggests streamlining these procedures to facilitate quicker deployment of wind energy projects.
- Improving Auction Systems: The plan emphasizes the need to refine the auction systems for wind energy projects across the EU. This would ensure more efficient allocation of resources and support the expansion of wind energy installations.
- Skills Development: Recognizing the importance of human capital, the plan includes strategies to enhance skills and training in the wind energy sector. This is crucial for maintaining a competent workforce capable of meeting the growing demands of the industry.
- Access to Finance: The action plan acknowledges the financial challenges in scaling up wind energy projects. It proposes measures to improve access to finance, making it easier for stakeholders to fund and invest in wind energy.
- Stable Supply Chains: Ensuring stable and reliable supply chains is fundamental for the consistent growth of the wind energy sector. The plan includes strategies to stabilize and strengthen supply chains, mitigating risks associated with disruptions.
- Industrial Competitiveness: The plan incorporates measures to ensure that the transition to renewable energy coincides with maintaining and enhancing industrial competitiveness. This involves balancing environmental sustainability with economic growth and industrial development.
The European Wind Power Action Plan is a comprehensive approach to addressing various challenges in the wind energy sector. It aims to facilitate a significant increase in wind energy capacity, contributing to the EU's goal of achieving a substantial percentage of renewable energy by 2030. The plan's focus on permitting, auctions, skills, finance, supply chains, and competitiveness underscores the EU's commitment to not only increasing its renewable energy sources but also strengthening its energy independence and industrial base in the realm of renewable energy.
Wind is a clean, free and abundant energy source that is used to generate electricity, as wind turbines capture the kinetic energy created by airflows to power a generator supplying an electric current. Several wind turbines are typically configured into windfarms that can cover several square kilometres of land or sea to harness both onshore and offshore wind.
Continued improvements in manufacturing and turbine design, as well as improved capacity factors, have driven down the costs of wind power and confirmed its position as a key driver of the clean energy transition.
In addition, the wind sector is a significant contributor to the European economy in terms of boosting growth and creating long-term sustainable jobs. The sector provided 356,700 full time jobs in the EU in 2017, out of the estimated 1.45 million people working in the renewables sector as a whole.
Permitting processes
In some Member States, permitting processes can be an obstacle to renewable energy projects in general, and of wind power in particular. To address the issue, the revised Renewable Energy Directive (2018/2001/EU) includes provisions that simplify permitting processes. This will help set in motion renewable energy projects, while taking into account legitimate concerns of citizens and respecting environmental standards.
Renewable energy communities
The revised renewable energy directive places a strong emphasis on citizens while also making it easier for them to consume and produce renewable energy.
By introducing provisions on renewable energy communities, the directive gives citizens the possibility to jointly engage in renewable energy projects, like windfarms. Empowering citizens in the clean energy transition may also help increase the local acceptance of renewable energy projects.
European Wind Charter (19 December 2023)
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At a signature ceremony attended by Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson, 26 national Energy Ministers and key wind sector representatives committed to the European Wind Charter. This Charter, supported by over 300 companies, is part of the European Wind Power Action Plan and aims to align and expedite actions from the Commission and signatories to enhance the EU wind industry.
Additionally, 21 Member States have pledged to increase wind energy deployment for 2024-2026, covering both onshore and offshore capacities, as part of their commitment to accelerate wind energy development in the EU. These pledges, though voluntary and not legally binding, provide a roadmap for wind energy deployment in the coming years. They are integral to achieving the EU's target of at least 42.5% renewable energy by 2030, as outlined in the revised Renewable Energy Directive (RED), which aims for a 45% target. To meet this goal, a significant increase in EU wind capacity is required. |
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Ensuring a resilient, sustainable, and competitive EU wind supply chain is essential to double the current deployment rate and ensure energy security. Despite being a success story, the EU wind power sector faces challenges that need collective action. The European Wind Power Action Plan and this Wind Charter represent coordinated efforts to enhance the conditions for the European wind industrial ecosystem, aligning actions between the European Commission, Member States, and the wind sector.
The signatories welcomed the Wind Power Action Plan and commit to prioritizing the implementation of actions outlined in both the Plan and the Charter, focusing on enhancing the EU wind power sector's growth, competitiveness, and employment.
The signatories welcomed the Wind Power Action Plan and commit to prioritizing the implementation of actions outlined in both the Plan and the Charter, focusing on enhancing the EU wind power sector's growth, competitiveness, and employment.
Overview of the Wind Charter
EU Renewable Energy Targets for 2030
Challenges and Opportunities
Commitment of Member States and Wind Sector
Deployment and Permitting
Collaboration on Permitting
Individual Pledges
Auction Design and Standards
Qualitative Criteria
Business Processes and Governance
Demand and Supply Predictability
International Environment
Manufacturing Capacity Scale-Up
EU Renewable Energy Targets for 2030
- Goal: At least 42.5% renewable energy by 2030, ambition to reach 45%.
- Requirement: Massive increase in EU wind installed capacity.
Challenges and Opportunities
- Historical Success: Wind power is an EU success story.
- Need for Collaboration: Address challenges collectively for clean energy transition and industrial competitiveness.
- Action Plan: European Wind Power Action Plan outlines immediate actions.
Commitment of Member States and Wind Sector
- Welcome: Acknowledge the Wind Power Action Plan.
- Commitment: Implement actions in the Plan and Charter as a priority.
Deployment and Permitting
- Goals: Ensure robust pipeline for wind energy deployment.
- Approach: Updated NECPs, faster permitting, and higher visibility for future wind deployment.
Collaboration on Permitting
- Focus: Identify and overcome barriers in permitting procedures.
- Method: Collaborate with the Commission to accelerate permitting.
Individual Pledges
- Commitment: Submit individual pledges for wind energy deployment for 2024-2026.
Auction Design and Standards
- Objective: Promote high-quality wind turbines with environmental, innovation, cybersecurity, and labor standards.
- Strategy: Improve auction design and address project delays.
Qualitative Criteria
- Focus: Ensure open, transparent interpretation and application of criteria.
- Compatibility: Coordinate with State aid rules.
Business Processes and Governance
- Standards: High qualitative standards related to environment, innovation, cybersecurity, and labor.
- Support: Facilitate conclusion of Power Purchase Agreements.
Demand and Supply Predictability
- Goal: Stabilize prices and ensure project implementation.
- Measures: Hedging against inflation, developing long-term partnerships.
International Environment
- Action: Monitor and address unfair trade practices.
- Cooperation: Invest in the wind sector under appropriate regulations.
Manufacturing Capacity Scale-Up
- Objective: Meet increased demand for wind projects.
- Plan: Increase manufacturing capacity and commit to net-positive employment impact.
Offshore Wind Power in the EU
The EU has contributed significantly to wind power development through ambitious policies and investments and is today a global leader in manufacturing in the sector, particularly for the offshore market. The installed offshore wind capacity in the EU was 14.6 GW in 2021 and is set to increase by at least 25 times by 2030, using the vast potential of the 5 EU sea basins.
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The Commission Communication (COM/2023/668) confirms the need to accelerate investment in offshore wind, as well as ocean energies.
With the cumulative offshore installed capacity amounting to 16.3 GW, new offshore installations must increase to almost 12 GW per year on average to reach EU countries’ commitments. That is 10 times more than the 1.2 GW installed in 2022. The communication identifies 6 areas where progress would help speeding up the roll out of offshore capacity:
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The European Union's ambitions for offshore renewable energies reflect a significant commitment to expanding offshore energy capacity and advancing green energy initiatives.Here are the key aspects:
- Strategic Goals Set in 2020: The strategy, published in November 2020, aimed to support the sustainable development of offshore energy and increase offshore wind capacity. The targets were to achieve 60 GW of offshore wind by 2030 and 300 GW by 2050. Additionally, goals for ocean energy were established at 1 GW by 2030 and 40 GW by 2050.
- Progress and Implementation: Since the strategy's launch, substantial progress has been made, and many of the proposed actions are either completed or underway. This advancement aligns with the EU's broader climate and energy targets, such as those in the Climate Law, the Fit-for-55 package, and REPowerEU, emphasizing offshore renewables' role in decarbonization and energy security.
- Updated Ambitions for 2023: In January 2023, EU Member States agreed on non-binding goals for offshore renewable energy generation by 2050, with interim targets for 2030 and 2040. These goals exceed the initial strategy, aiming for approximately 111 GW by 2030 (almost double the original target) and about 317 GW by 2050. The Ostend Summit in April 2023 further increased the ambition for the North Sea basin to at least 300 GW by 2050.
- Current Status and Future Challenges: As of 2022, the EU's cumulative offshore installed capacity was 16.3 GW. To meet the 111 GW target by 2030, the EU needs to install around 12 GW per year, a tenfold increase from the 1.2 GW installed in 2022.
- Ocean Energy Development: Progress has been made in developing ocean energy, with several advanced pilot projects in tidal and wave energy. The goal is to reach 100 MW by 2027 and 1 GW by the end of the decade or early 2030s.
- Regional Cooperation and Global Influence: Regional cooperation is crucial for achieving these goals, as evidenced by various offshore summits and the potential setting of a global renewable target at COP28 in November 2023. The G7 ministers have also agreed to increase offshore wind capacity by 150 GW by 2030.
- Continued and Enhanced Efforts: The Commission plans to continue implementing the strategy's actions and build upon them to meet the new offshore ambitions, emphasizing the rapid deployment of renewable energy sources.
This comprehensive approach signifies the EU's dedication to leading in renewable energy development and its role in global efforts towards a sustainable, climate-neutral future.
In order to bring offshore wind into deeper waters and explore sites with higher and more constant wind speeds, several European developers work on floating offshore wind turbines. The first pilot projects are in operation and the deployment is expected to accelerate towards the end of this decade.
To harness the full energy potential of offshore wind in the North Seas and foster cooperation between the countries in the region, the EU is also part of the North Seas Energy Cooperation (NSEC) and the Baltic Energy Market Interconnection Plan.
In December 2022, the NSEC and the United Kingdom established a cooperation framework to facilitate the development of cost-effective and sustainable offshore renewable energy.
Offshore wind power needs by 2050
The European Commission estimates between 240 and 450 GW of offshore wind power is needed by 2050 to keep temperature rises below 1.5°C. Electricity will represent at least 50% of the total energy mix in 2050 and 30% of the future electricity demand will be supplied by offshore wind.
