Kategorie: Industry News

News about the renewables scene

Feb 19

Wind industry breaks records in Europe but faces unclear outlook

Europe added a record 15.7 GW of new wind energy capacity in 2017, according to WindEurope’s annual onshore and offshore wind statistics released today.

New wind farm installations were up 20% on 2016. Onshore wind capacity grew by 12.5 GW and offshore wind by 3.1 GW. Six EU Member States had a record year in new wind energy installations: Germany (6.6 GW), UK (4.3 GW), France (1.7 GW), Belgium (476 MW), Ireland (426 MW) and Croatia (147 MW).

Wind was 55% of all power capacity installations in 2017. Renewable energy as a whole accounted for nearly all new EU power installations in 2017: 24.1 GW out of a total 28.5 GW.

Feb 17

European Solar Market Grows 28% in 2017

Turkey leading solar market

European countries installed at least 8.61 GW of solar power
systems in 2017 – that is a 28% increase in comparison to the 6.72 GW added in 2016,
according to a first estimate from SolarPower Europe, the association of the solar power sector
in Europe. EU member states grew by around 6% to 6.03 GW in 2017 from 5.69 GW in
2016. 

Feb 16

Vindenergi sætter europæisk rekord

2017 blev rekordår for vindenergi i Europa, da mere end 15,7 GW ny vindkapacitet blev installeret på tværs af Europa. Europæerne kan nu glæde sig over en samlet land- og havvindskapacitet på 169 GW, viser WindEurope i ny rapport.

Opgørelsen over udbygningen med vindenergi efterlader ingen tvivl: 2017 var det bedste år for udbygningen med vindenergi til dato i Europa. Generelt var 2017 rekordernes år, for både landvind og havvind slog nemlig rekord med henholdsvis 12,526 MW og 3,154 MW. Udbygningen med vindenergi steg med 20 pct. i forhold til 2016. 

Samlet set stod installationerne af alle nye vindmøller for 55,4 pct. af al nyinstalleret energikapacitet i Europa i 2017. Vedvarende energi stod samlet set for 24,1 GW af i alt 28,5 nyinstalleret energikapacitet i året. Ved udgangen af 2017 havde vindenergi en markedsandel på 18 pct. af den installerede elproducerende teknologi i Europa, hvilket kun overgås af gas. Vindkapaciteten svarer til ca. 12 pct. af Europas elforbrug i 2017.

Feb 16

WindEurope CEO tells industry stakeholders: investment costs are coming down in on- and offshore wind

On February 7 WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson delivered a keynote address at Dentons European Renewables Workshop 2018 in Frankfurt am Main. The workshop discussed the drivers and constraints for investing in renewable energy projects in Europe.

Dickson told attendees that costs are coming down in both on- and offshore wind. “We are financing the same capacity as in previous years for much lower costs,” he said.

He compared offshore wind investments in 2015 and 2017. In 2015, investments of 2.5 GW capacity cost over €13bn – in 2017, investments for this same capacity cost only €7.5bn. This is a cost reduction of almost 60%. Offshore wind, Dickson said, is now attracting major investors, particularly in the financial sector. The financial services industry, including infrastructure funds, pension funds, asset managers and diversified financial services, owned 35% of the offshore wind capacity traded throughout 2017. This compares to only 27% in 2016.

Jan 28

WindEurope CEO tells EU Industry Commissioner: Wind energy can help drive industrial transformation in Europe

On 24 January WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson joined representatives of the Industry4Europe group to meet Elżbieta Bieńkowska, European Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.

Ms Bieńkowska convened the meeting to discuss the Commission’s Industrial Policy Strategy with the Industry4Europe group (representing 126 manufacturing sectors).  The latter presented a series of recommendations to the Commission on finance, research innovation, and skills training.   Dickson explained how wind had grown into a major manufacturing sector in Europe with factories in nearly every Member State, employing over a quarter of a million people, providing 11% of Europe’s electricity.  He said access to affordable finance is key to unlocking investment in capital-intensive factories in all sectors.  Which means strengthening EU finance mechanisms such as EFSI.

Jan 19

European Parliament gives strong backing for future of renewables

Members of the European Parliament today gave a resounding vote in favour of renewables in Europe.

MEPs called for a renewable energy target of 35% for 2030 – rather than the 27% which the European Commission proposed in 2016.

Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO, said: “Good on the Parliament. 35% makes sense economically. Consumers benefit – wind is now the cheapest form of new power generation in Europe. And wind is a key part of European manufacturing and exports – it supports 263,000 jobs in Europe industry and contributes €36bn to EU GDP. A 27% target puts all that at risk. And 27% carries a major opportunity cost.

Jan 17

ENERGY TRANSITION TO BE ACCELERATED – EXPANSION OF OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY UP TO 2020 PROGRESSING ACCORDING TO PLAN

Utilize cost reduction trend – raise cap for offshore wind
2017: 1.25 GW newly installed, a total of more than 5.3 GW connected to the grid
Prompt use of free converter capacities necessary
Increased efforts for grid expansion and sector coupling required 
“With a total output capacity of more than 5.3 GW, offshore wind turbines make an increasing contribution to the security of Germany’s energy supply. They deliver clean power almost around the clock, every day of the year,” industry representatives from AGOW, the BWE, the German Offshore Wind Energy Foundation, VDMA Power Systems and the WAB explained in Berlin during the presentation of the latest expansion figures for offshore wind energy. “The expansion of offshore wind energy is running to plan.”

Jan 03

Corporates call for greater government ambition on renewables ahead of EU Energy Council Meeting

Major multinationals and energy companies call for greater EU policy ambition to unlock the potential of renewables in Europe’s energy mix.

Some of the world’s largest multinationals and energy companies today issued a joint declaration urging EU Member States to support a renewable energy target of at least 35% by 2030. The declaration was signed by members of RE100, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Solar Power Europe and WindEurope. It includes Google, Amazon, Microsoft, Unilever and Ikea.

The declaration states that corporate renewable power purchase agreements (PPAs) are key to building Europe’s clean energy transition. But in order to do so across Europe, the companies urge EU Energy Ministers to help them by adopting effective provisions in the new Renewable Energy Directive.

Nov 28

The outlook for wind in Europe

Political frameworks and technological developments are key to wind energy success in Europe. This was the main message in a wide-ranging, high-level panel discussion at the WindEurope Conference & Exhibition this morning in Amsterdam.

The session, which addressed the outlook for wind in Europe and future business models, was chaired by Dagmara Koska, Member of Cabinet of Vice-President Maroš Šefčovič, European Commission.

Nov 28

European Parliament paves the way for increased ambition on 2030 renewable energy laws

WindEurope today congratulated the Industry Committee of the European Parliament for backing a binding target of at least 35% renewable energy for 2030 and more stringent renewable energy laws.

Members of the European Parliament voted this morning on the Committee’s position on the post-2020 Renewable Energy Directive, steered by Spanish MEP José Blanco López. The Committee made important improvements to the original European Commission proposal. These also include: visibility to investors on public support for renewable energy deployment; a reinforced investment protection clause; and an improved framework for Guarantees of Origin and corporate renewable Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs).

Okt 18

WindEurope CEO talks priorities for the Clean Energy Package to EU policy-makers

This morning in Brussels, WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson spoke to policy-makers at the annual high-level expert conference organised by the European Forum for Renewable Energy Sources (Eufores).

Okt 11

Wind and solar could power business all over Europe

The private sector accounts for around half of Europe’s electricity consumption. Powering corporate consumers with renewable energy could deliver massive reductions in CO2 emissions, save businesses money and make it easier for people to invest in renewables.

Large energy consumers such as chemical and aluminium producers, ICT and food & drink companies gathered in Brussels today with renewable energy producers to consider how to unlock this potential. The RE-Source 2017 event brought together industry leaders such as Google, Mars, IKEA and Alcoa with energy players EDF Energies Nouvelles, ENEL Green Power, Envision and Vestas with policy makers.

The volume of ‚Corporate Renewable Power Purchase Agreements‘ (PPAs) – which allow companies to purchase renewable energy directly from an energy generator – almost tripled in Europe in 2016, with over 1 GW of capacity contracted. Globally, more than 100 top companies have now committed to procure 100% renewable elegctricity via the RE100 initiative,together accounting for 150 TWh of yearly consumption.

Okt 04

Solar PV grew faster than any other fuel in 2016, opening a new era for solar power

New solar PV capacity grew by 50% last year, with China accounting for almost half of the global expansion, according to the International Energy Agency’s latest renewables market analysis and forecast. For the first time, solar PV additions rose faster than any other fuel, surpassing the net growth in coal.

Boosted by a strong solar PV market, renewables accounted for almost two-thirds of net new power capacity around the world last year, with almost 165 gigawatts (GW) coming online, according to the new report, Renewables 2017. Renewables will continue to have a strong growth in coming years. By 2022, renewable electricity capacity should increase by 43%.

“We see renewables growing by about 1,000 GW by 2022, which equals about half of the current global capacity in coal power, which took 80 years to build,” said Dr Fatih Birol, the executive director of the IEA. “What we are witnessing is the birth of a new era in solar PV. We expect that solar PV capacity growth will be higher than any other renewable technology through 2022.”

This year’s renewable forecastis 12% higher than last year, thanks mostly to solar PV upward revisions in China and India. Three countries – China, India and the United States – will account for two-thirds of global renewable expansion by 2022. Total solar PV capacity by then would exceed the combined total power capacities of India and Japan today.

Sep 29

France can be no. 2 in wind in Europe by 2030

WindEurope CEO, Giles Dickson, addressed the annual conference of the French Wind Energy Association (FEE) on Wednesday 20 September. He highlighted the positive outlook for wind energy in France thanks to the policies being put in place by the new French Government.

The positive outlook applied both to onshore and offshore wind. France was the leading country in the EU on floating offshore wind with 4 projects under development. And progress on floating wind would benefit the development of fixed-bottom offshore wind in France as well. The two technologies would learn from and feed off each other.

Sep 29

With the right policies, wind could provide 30% of Europe’s power by 2030

Wind energy has the potential to provide up to 30% of Europe’s power by 2030 according to figures released today by WindEurope in its Outlook to 2020 and Scenarios for 2030 reports.

According to WindEurope’s projections, Europe could be on course for an average installation rate of 12.6 GW per year in the years up to 2020. This would take Europe to a total of 204 GW by 2020. By this date wind would be Europe’s largest renewable energy source, surpassing hydro and providing 16.5% of Europe’s electricity demand. However, this growth is likely to be concentrated in just six countries (Germany, UK, France, Spain, Netherlands and Belgium), with Central and Eastern Europe lagging well behind.

Aug 24

Legally defined civic energy again almost entirely dominates the second round of “Wind on Land” invitations to tender

As was expected, the second round of invitations to tender for “Wind on Land” is dominated by players who fulfil the civic energy requirements specified by the EEG, with 95% of the award-winning submissions. As a result, there is greater uncertainty as to whether the extension corridor can be achieved in the years after 2018, both in terms of time and with regard to volume. Suppliers and producers, as well as ancillary building trades, logistics providers and project planners, find themselves under strong pressure as a result of this insecurity.

Prices are decreasing and clearly reflect the strong competitive pressure. It will only be possible to assess in two years’ time at the earliest what the effect of this price pressure will be on actual realisation.

Aug 01

NWEA-manifest: Windenergie in Nederland

In 2025 heeft windenergie niet langer overheidssteun nodig. Nieuwe windprojecten op land worden voor 50% opengesteld voor participatie door de omgeving, door burgers en bedrijven. Verder moeten regio’s financiële verantwoordelijkheid krijgen voor de opwekking van duurzame energie. Deze uitgangspunten en voorstellen heeft NWEA in een manifest naar de informateur gestuurd.

NWEA-manifest: Windenergie in Nederland

Windenergie is onmisbaar voor de transitie naar een duurzame energievoorziening. De inzet van windenergie versterkt onze economie, vermindert onze afhankelijkheid van energie uit het buitenland en zorgt ervoor dat wij onze afspraken in het Klimaatakkoord van Parijs kunnen nakomen. Uit opinieonderzoeken blijkt steevast dat driekwart van de Nederlandse bevolking voorstander is van meer windenergie.

Jul 28

Expansion figures for the first half of 2017 in Germany Onshore wind energy – Strong expansion in transition, significant risks in 2018/2019

Gross expansion of onshore wind energy by 2,281 megawatts (MW), which equals 790 wind power plants, as high as expected in the first half of 2017 Industry implementing the projects approved through the end of 2016 – transition effect will cease in 2018

Prospect following the first round of tendering for onshore wind energy:
Considerable planning uncertainty due to the success of non-approved projects
Cost reduction continues
Lawmakers must stipulate the Federal Immission Control Act (BImSchG) approval as the uniform prequalification; the respective provision for the two tendering processes in 2018 must become permanently valid
It is vital that capacities in non-implemented projects be retendered to achieve a successful energy transition

Jul 27

Europe adds 6.1 GW of wind energy capacity in first half of 2017

6.1 GW of extra wind energy capacity was installed in Europe in the first half of 2017, according to figures released today by WindEurope. The figure puts Europe on course for a bumper year for installations, although hides some worrying trends.

A total of 4.8 GW of onshore wind capacity was installed in the first half of 2017, although it was heavily concentrated in Germany (2.2 GW), UK (1.2 GW) and France (492 MW). There has also been a flurry of activity in offshore wind: 18 projects in four EU Member States (Germany, UK, Belgium and Finland), which saw a total of 1.3 GW installed.

Jul 20

Offshore wind energy in Germany: growth figures for the first half of 2017

Offshore wind energy: Two new offshore wind farms come online – Capacity expansion is essential

108 offshore wind turbines with a combined capacity of 626 megawatts (MW) were brought online by 30 June 2017
Sandbank and Veja Mate, offshore wind farm projects in the North Sea, were completed on schedule, and expansion is progressing steadily
Results from round one of the offshore auction reached a milestone, demonstrating high investor confidence in offshore industry innovation and cost-cutting plans
Politicians are urged to seise opportunities that could have a positive impact on industrial policy and the energy industry. This would require raising minimum offshore capacity targets to 20GW by 2030 and 30GW by 2035
Annual offshore wind energy production: 2015: 8,285GWh, 2016: 12,365GWh, First half of 2017: 8,480GWh[1] (already roughly 70% of last year’s total output)

Jul 18

Large energy consumers hungry for green power

Google, Norsk Hydro and Facebook are leading the growing trend of major companies looking to secure reliable and competitive power from renewable energy and reduce the risks associated with fossil fuel-based power supply. 100 top companies including leading industrial players are already committing to procure 100% renewable power in the short term through Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

Jul 14

Google signs new PPA with Eneco

As the energy transition gathers pace, more and more corporates are procuring their energy from renewable energy suppliers. Just last week came the announcement of Google’s second power purchase agreement (PPA) with Eneco, one of the leading electricity providers in the Netherlands.

Jul 13

FINANCIERING WINDPARK KRAMMER ROND

Windpark Krammer heeft de financiering voor het project rond. Hoewel de bouw al is begonnen, is dit een grote mijlpaal voor het project waar lang naar is toegewerkt. Onderdeel van de financiering is een burgerparticipatie.

De totale investering bedraagt ruim 200 miljoen euro. Aandeelhouders Zeeuwind, Deltawind en turbineleverancier Enercon nemen het eigen vermogen voor hun rekening. De projectfinanciering wordt verzorgd door ASN Bank, ING Bank, Rabobank en SMBC.

Jul 04

Windpark Bouwdokken mag bouw voltooien van rechter

De rechtbank in Utrecht heeft besloten dat Windpark Bouwdokken de bouw van haar vergunde windturbines mag voltooien. Het naastgelegen Delta Park Neeltje Jans probeerde in een civiel rechtelijke procedure de bouw van 2 van de 9 vergunde windturbines tegen te houden. In een andere procedure had de kantonrechter in januari jl. bepaald dat de Staat 2 turbinelocaties aan Windpark Bouwdokken niet in gebruik mocht geven, vanwege aantasting van het huurgenot van Delta Park Neeltje Jans. Windpark Bouwdokken is blij met de recente uitspraak van de rechtbank in Utrecht en verwacht dat het Hof, in hoger beroep, de gronduitgifte door de Staat aan het Windpark wél zal toestaan.

Uitspraak Rechtbank Utrecht

De meervoudige kamer van de Rechtbank in Utrecht stelt Delta Park Neeltje Jans nadrukkelijk in het ongelijk op alle aspecten van geluid, slagschaduw of veiligheid, waarvan Delta Park Neeltje Jans vindt dat dit onrechtmatige hinder oplevert. Bovendien geeft de rechter aan dat de bouw en overdraai van de turbines en haar rotorbladen niet plaatsvindt op grond welke exclusief in gebruik is door Delta Park Neeltje Jans. Ook in dat opzicht worden haar rechten niet aangetast, aldus de Rechtbank. De gehele uitspraak is hier in te zien.

Jun 22

WindEurope furthers the interests of wind during EU Sustainable Energy Week

As part of EU Sustainable Energy Week, WindEurope has been at the heart of several events promoting the interests of the wind industry.

On Tuesday, WindEurope organised an Energy Day event on A (C)lean energy transition: Innovative approaches to the offshore wind supply chain. The event focused on some of the key questions related to the impacts of innovative approaches to the offshore wind supply chain, including job creation and growth opportunities, market creation potential, environmental impacts and community engagement. These are themes developed in the framework of the EU-funded LEANWIND project. LEANWIND is working to bring cost reductions to the offshore wind energy industry through the application of lean principles to key aspects of an offshore wind farm and supply chain.

Mai 24

Community projects steal the show in German onshore wind auction

The first onshore wind tender in Germany, under the reformed “EEG” renewable energy law, awarded 807 MW at an average price of EUR 57.1/MWh (weighted average) according to results announced on 19 May 2017.

Of the 70 successful bids, 65 came from community projects, confirming the key role of citizens in the German energy transition model.

Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO, said: “Public engagement and the involvement of citizens is a key ingredient of a successful energy transition. We are delighted that the German wind sector is successfully handling the transition to the auctioning system, with a key role for community projects.”

Mai 09

European wind power investments rise to €43bn in 2016

WindEurope’s Financing and Investment Trends 2016 show Europe raised a total of €43bn last year for the construction of new wind farms, refinancing operations, project acquisitions and public market fundraising – up 22% from €35bn in 2015.

New asset financing for wind power projects reached €27.6bn in 2016 with a record breaking €18.2bn in offshore wind. Onshore wind investments dropped by 5% to €9.4bn, the first decrease in five years. The UK was the biggest market in 2016 with €12.7bn raised for new onshore and offshore projects, Germany came second with €5.3bn.

Apr 20

The Wind Industry Is a Strong Employer in Germany

A GWS analysis shows that the onshore and offshore wind industries support 143,000 jobs directly and indirectly throughout all German states.

Berlin. The onshore and offshore wind industries directly and indirectly supported a total of 143,000 jobs in 2015, generating revenues of about EUR 13 billion. The wind industry has become a vital employer from Schleswig-Holstein to Bavaria. This is the finding of an analysis, “Beschäftigung in Deutschland durch Windenergie” [Employment in Germany’s Wind Industry], presented by the German Wind Energy Association (BWE), VDMA Power Systems and the Offshore Wind Industry Alliance (OWIA). The analysis was carried out by the Institute of Economic Structures Research (GWS) for 2015. It supplements the total figures published at the end of 2016 by Germany’s Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.

Mrz 31

Evolution of Wind Power Over the Years

The team behind Breeze has just released an interactive infographic showing the cumulative installed wind power capacity per country, continent and the world as a whole between 1997-2016. Building 300 GW of capacity in 17 years is an amazing accomplishment for an alternative* energy source and there is more to come! But don’t take our word for it, try it out for yourself. *Alternative energy was the term energy experts used to dismiss renewable energy sources as experimental.

Mrz 31

The Evolution of Solar Power

Global expansion of solar PV has been following an exponential curve for more than two decades, going as far as doubling over the past two years. Safe to say, solar power has a very bright future, but let’s see what its evolution looks like on the world map.

Greenbyte has just released an interactive map showing the cumulative installed solar power capacity per country, continent and the world between 1992-2015. The Evolution of Solar Power is the result of a cooperation between Greenbyte and SolarPower Europe.

Mrz 20

Daily Wind Power Numbers

Daily Wind Power Numbers

How much wind was in Europe’s electricity yesterday?

Mrz 08

WindEurope talks auctions for South East Europe

WindEurope participated in a one-day workshop on auctions organised by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna. The workshop aimed to provide guidance to the Energy Community members on the key elements for efficient auctions and to present best practices from around the world. Participants included the European Commission, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, government and industry representatives.

Mrz 01

Member States agree on general approach on post-2020 ETS reform

The Environment Council has agreed a general approach on reforming the Emissions Trading System after 2020.

Member States proposed to strengthen the Market Stability Reserve, a facility designed to take excess carbon permits out of the market from 2019 onwards. The rate at which it will take permits out of the market would be doubled. And permits stored in the reserve would be cancelled if a certain threshold is reached.

The linear reduction factor will remain at 2.2%, up from 1.74% today, in line with the Commission’s original proposal.

Feb 20

Wind in power: 2016 European statistics

Europe installed 12.5 GW of gross additional wind capacity in 2016. This was 3% less than the new installations in 2015. With a total installed capacity of 153.7 GW, wind energy now overtakes coal as the second largest form of power generation capacity in Europe.

2016 annual figures

12.5 GW of new wind power capacity was installed and grid-connected in the EU during 2016, a decrease of 3% compared to 2015 annual installations. 10,923 MW were installed onshore, and 1,567 MW were installed offshore.

Feb 16

Le photovoltaïque en 2016: un marché en croissance dans les 3 Régions

Relance généralisée du marché belge. L’année 2016 se caractérise par une croissance annuelle de 70 %. Cette relance est portée par les petites installations en Flandre et les grandes en Wallonie et à Bruxelles. Le parc a produit 2,9 TWh, soit un peu moins de 4% de la consommation électrique totale du pays.

Sur base de son Observatoire et de sa Météo renouvelable, l’APERe dévoile le bilan statistique 2016 du solaire photovoltaïque en Belgique.
Quatre éléments marquants en 2016 :

1. Le marché belge se relance grâce aux placements de petits systèmes, essentiellement en Flandres et grâce aux grandes installations en Wallonie;

2. Le parc a produit sur l’année 2,9 TWh d’électricité solaire ;

3. Le parc photovoltaïque est très contrasté entre les trois Régions ;

4. Il faudra doubler les efforts pour atteindre les objectifs 2020.

Feb 09

Onshore wind energy: Analysis of the German market in 2016 and outlook for 2017

After good expansion, there are now challenging times ahead. Further high onshore expansion figures for the fourth year running have underlined the continued excellent performance of the German wind industry. The German wind industry grew by about 4,625 megawatts (4,259 MW net), thus reaching the anticipated increase of almost a quarter over the previous year, and very nearly the 2014 level.

Thanks to further technological development it has been possible to install system-supporting and highly efficient turbines in all regions of Germany. Success is also increasing on the world market. Challenges are posed by the changeover to the tendering process in Germany and difficult conditions in important exporting countries.

Dez 15

WindEurope welcomes ENVI Committee vote to reform ETS

On 15 December, the European Parliament’s Environment Committee passed a series of changes to the Emissions Trading System, a majority of which would come into effect after 2020.

These include:

Measures to speed up the removal of pollution permits from the market. The committee agreed to increase the annual linear reduction factor from 2.2% to 2.4% in an effort to better address the EU’s long term decarbonisation objectives.
Doubling the take-out rate of the Market Stability Reserve (MSR) from 12% to 24% for the period 2019-2022 to reduce the EU ETS surplus.
Cancelling 800 million allowances from the MSR in January 2021.
Cancelling up to 200 million allowances.
Transferring auction allowances to the innovation fund.

Okt 25

IEA raises its five-year renewable growth forecast as 2015 marks record year

The International Energy Agency said today that it was significantly increasing its five-year growth forecast for renewables thanks to strong policy support in key countries and sharp cost reductions. Renewables have surpassed coal last year to become the largest source of installed power capacity in the world.

The latest edition of the IEA’s Medium-Term Renewable Market Report now sees renewables growing 13% more between 2015 and 2021 than it did in last year’s forecast, due mostly to stronger policy backing in the United States, China, India and Mexico. Over the forecast period, costs are expected to drop by a quarter in solar PV and 15 percent for onshore wind.

Okt 13

WindEurope Summit 2016: powering the transport and heating sectors with wind energy

Strengthening markets for wind energy includes looking beyond the current power system. To secure a continuous and sustainable deployment of wind energy, new sources of demand for clean electricity will be crucially needed. Sector coupling is the key word in this discussion. Heating and transport represent the largest shares of energy demand across Europe. In order to fulfil the EU’s climate and energy goals, these sectors need to find solutions for decarbonisation. The good news is that an increasing number of motor manufacturers are rapidly developing electric vehicles. And that technologies for renewable heating are readily available.

The electrification of these sectors will increase power demand and direct new investments into renewable technologies such as wind energy. It will allow for greater flexibility in our power system and could increase the range of storage options. Synergies across the entire energy system need to be identified to maximise the cost-efficient decarbonisation and modernisation of Europe’s economy.

But the question is how to do all this? Does the EU have an answer? The European Commission has had its say as it published strategies on the decarbonisation of both the transport and the heating sector. Delegates at the WindEurope Summit 2016 convened in a dedicated session on sector coupling to discuss the road ahead for combining renewable power and the uptake of electric vehicles and an increased use of renewable heating.

Okt 06

11 companies call for investor protection in the EU: Statement of the Investment Protection Coalition

The signatories of this declaration gather investors in the energy sector, who share the conviction that the rule of law principle underpinning investor protection is one of the European Union’s key advantages in the global competition for quality investments. All too often, this principle has failed investors in recent years.

While the industry acknowledges the need to adjust regulatory frameworks over time to respond to declining technology costs and market developments, retroactive changes are a misguided answer and erode investor confidence in the EU energy infrastructure sector where costs are sunk from the moment of the investment and there is very limited ability to improve profitability thereafter. Accordingly, investors in the space have no choice but to expect long-term regulatory stability for renewable energy plants. Thus any regulatory change should be concerted, non-retroactive, non-discriminatory, and avoid any legal gaps that would undermine investor certainty.

The renewable energy sector has provided many examples of sharp policy reversals since 2011. These range from retroactive tariff cuts for existing investments in Spain, Romania, the Czech Republic, Greece, and Italy, to abrupt policy reversals and rapid withdrawal of support to projects under construction or development in Finland and Poland. The EU’s lack of action in these cases has led investors to bring legal claims in national courts, and increasingly in international arbitration under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) which was created and spearheaded by the EU in the 1990s. 50 investor – state disputes have been recorded in the last three years under the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT), with Spain alone facing more than 25 lawsuits.

Sep 27

No gold medal for Europe in renewables without more ambitious policies

Europe number 1 in renewables? Successful energy transition? Not without more ambitious policies, innovation and electrification, according to a new WindEurope report.

‘Making Transition Work’ outlines a number of specific policy recommendations for Europe’s decision makers to ensure the EU meets its energy and climate goals over the next two decades.

First, the EU should raise its ambition to at least 30% of renewables in final energy consumption by 2030. Second we need continued innovation to reduce costs and support the integration of renewables in the energy system. Third, electricity markets need further reform: to make them fit for more renewables and provide the necessary conditions for investment. And we need to push the electrification of heating, cooling and transport with power playing an important role in reaching the European climate and energy targets.

Sep 26

People can power the energy revolution

Over half of citizens in the European Union could be generating their own renewable electricity by 2050, according to new research released today.

The research outlines the potential for citizen-owned renewable energy projects in Europe, where 264 million „energy citizens“ could generate 45% of the European Union’s electricity needs by 2050 – as part of a democratised energy system.

Molly Walsh, community power campaigner for Friends of the Earth Europe, said: „This shows that people have the power to revolutionise Europe’s energy system, reclaiming power from big energy companies, and putting the planet first. We need to enshrine the right for people to produce their own renewable energy in European and national legislation.“

Sep 25

WindEurope: Behov for ambitiøs klimapolitik i EU

EU er ved at falde bagud på vedvarende energi – Kina har større volumen, Indien mere ambitiøs klimapolitik og USA indhenter os teknologisk. Sådan lyder konklusionen i en ny rapport fra WindEurope, der opfordrer til en mere ambitiøs klimapolitik, innovation og øget elektrificering, hvis EU fortsat skal have global konkurrenceevne og forblive nummer ét inden for vedvarende energi.

EU bør hæve ambitionen til mindst 30 pct. vedvarende energi i det endelige energiforbrug i 2030, lyder konklusionen i rapporten fra den europæiske vindorganisation WindEurope.

“Med al snakken om omstillingen til et samfund med lavere CO2-udslip, skulle vindindustrien have gode forhold i Europa, men sådan ser det ikke ud. Klimapolitikken på tværs af EU er mindre klar og ambitiøs end den var før. Kun 7 ud af 28 EU medlemsstater har mål og politikker, der går længere end 2020. Vi har et dysfunktionelt elektricitetsmarked. Omstillingen til auktioner har været mindre jævn end den skulle have været, og vi mangler langsigtede signaler for investeringer,” lyder det fra direktør for WindEurope, Giles Dickson i en pressemeddelelse.

Sep 21

Største nationale vindpavillon på WindEnergy Hamburg

Hamborg har i de seneste år etableret sig som en vindklynge i hastig fremmarch. Flere af den globale vindindustris største virksomheder har derfor stort fokus på den nordtyske delstat. I år gentager DWEA det succesfulde 2014 set-up for Den Danske Pavillon og samtidig udvides størrelsen af pavillonen, der bliver den største nationale vindpavillon nogensinde etableret.

Vigtigheden af at være til stede ved dette års største vindmesse ses også tydeligt blandt de danske virksomheder. Flere end 90 virksomheder har tilmeldt sig hos Vindmølleindustriens og Eksportforeningens fælles eksportplatform DWEA, der er værter for den verdenskendte Pavilion of Denmark.

Vindmølleindustrien vil ligeledes være til stede på WindEnergy Hamburg 2016, der ventes at få ca. 33.000 besøgende fra 80 lande. Torsdag d. 29. september kan du svinge forbi loungen i Den Dansk Pavillon, hvor vi i samarbejde med Invest in Denmark og State of Green afholder to workshops med fokus på standardisering, test og validering.

Jul 27

Expansion of onshore wind energy in Germany in the first half of 2016

With a net capacity of 1,892 megawatts in the first six months of the year, 2016 looks like being a good year for land-based wind energy expansion. This strong expansion is being driven by the allocation of suitable sites and priority areas in many federal states. There has also been a surge of permits in order to secure the option of installing turbines with legally fixed EEG remuneration rates. In Germany the wind industry is working hard to develop innovation and production bases further. It also aims to use its leading technology to further expand its strong position in what are generally stable markets abroad.

Onshore wind energy in Germany was extended by a net capacity of 1,892 megawatts in the first half of 2016, representing a growth of 73 per cent over the same period the previous year (1,093 megawatts). Factoring in the number of dismantled turbines and the 161 megawatts of repowered turbine capacity in the first six months, this gives a gross capacity increase of 2,053 megawatts. This means a third strong year in a row for reasonably priced onshore wind energy. Taking projects that have already been granted planning permission into consideration, the industry associations VDMA Power Systems and German Wind Energy Association BWE predict a net volume of between 4,000 and 4,400 megawatts for the whole year.

Jul 08

Germany EEG reform a mixed bag for wind energy

Germany’s parliament approved a plan to reform the country’s renewable energy law by ending feed-in tariffs in favour of competitive auctions and putting clear volumes on wind energy deployment.

Lawmakers have agreed to cap the annual auctions for onshore wind at 2.8GW and offer fluctuating tenders for offshore wind in order to control renewables installations over the next decade. The limit for onshore wind is expected to increase after 2020 to 2.9GW a year. The offshore cap, which will apply from 2021-2030, will vary from year to year to ensure that Germany reaches its 15GW wind energy target in the next 15 years.

The reforms are expected to come into effect in January 2017.

Jul 07

Brexit: what it might mean for the wind industry

The full impact and implications of the UK referendum, and what it means for the wind industry short and long term, are impossible to assess properly at this stage. But there are some points we can make with a degree of clarity today.

First, the UK wind market retains a number of strong fundamentals. The UK has lower reserve margins than most other countries in Europe so it needs new generation capacity. The current government has committed to 1GW a year of new offshore wind up to 2030.

Jun 15

Wind Industry Celebrates One Million Jobs

Global wind employment grew 5% last year to reach 1.1M

Worldwide, 15 June. Record wind industry growth was reflected in a 5% increase in employment in the sector, which now employs 1.1 million1 people. Today, on Global Wind Day, GWEC highlights the socio-economic benefits generated by the global wind industry, in addition to supplying clean power. Global Wind Day is a worldwide event that occurs annually on 15 June: a day for discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies, build new industries and create new jobs.

The increase in employment figures is mainly due to strong installation rates in China, the US and Germany. New job creation is being driven by declining renewable energy technology costs and enabling policy frameworks. As governments continue to struggle with high unemployment rates in many parts of the world, both the current reality and future potential for employment in the wind industry has become increasingly significant.

Mai 20

Energiewende travel guide published in English

Discover and explore the Energiewende – the transformation of the German energy system – in English. The new travel guide “Germany – Experience Renewable Energy“ allows readers to do just that. Edited by the German Renewable Energies Agency (AEE) and funded by the Federal Foreign Office, the travel guide will be published just in time for the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue conference which starts tomorrow. The richly illustrated guide includes some 200 destinations and a large number of maps. The German version was last published in 2014 as an updated edition.

Commenting on the first translation of the Energiewende travel guide into English, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “Other countries are following the comprehensive transformation of our energy supply very closely. Scarcely anybody deemed it realistic ten years ago, but today we know that the energy transition is technically and financially feasible.” AEE Managing Director Philipp Vohrer added: “In many ways, Germany is a pioneer when it comes to switching to renewables. This is illustrated in our new travel guide.”

Mai 13

Wind power can meet a quarter of EU power demand by 2030, WindEurope CEO tells Flame

Wind energy can serve a quarter of Europe’s electricity demand by 2030 if policymakers take ambitious measures to reform EU power markets , WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson told the Flame conference in Amsterdam today.

Electricity market reform is the most important way of managing a higher share of renewables in the power mix. “We can achieve this through more intraday trading, fostering demand response, balancing the system across a wider geographical area and allowing renewables to participate in these markets,” Dickson said.