20/10/2006
Andris Piebalgs, Energy Commissioner, Wind Energy for the Future. Opening ceremony of Wind Technology Platform, Brussels, 19 October 2006

It’s my great pleasure to participate today in the launching of the European Wind Energy Technology Platform. I would like to congratulate the members of the European Wind Energy Association for this initiative.

Wind energy is certainly one of the fastest developing technologies and it is playing an important role, contributing to a sustainable and competitive Energy Policy in Europe.

Our efforts for a new Energy policy for Europe mark a change in direction and are driven by consciousness that energy is truly a global issue – whether we are concerned with the need for new investment in oil and gas to meet the rapidly increasing world demand or the challenges of global warming.

EU citizens are worried by our dependency on imports and high, volatile prices and the impact of energy on the environment, notably the ongoing global warming.

The Commission therefore argues for 1) Preventing climate change 2)  Competitiveness of our industry and 3) Security of energy supply.

The Green Paper on Energy puts forward the overall framework for such a common policy and establishes three objectives: sustainable development, competitiveness and security of supply.

The blueprint for a new energy policy for Europe will be our forthcoming Strategic European Energy Review (SEER), which the Commission will present at the very beginning of 2007.

This Review will set out where Europe is heading under current policies, and where we need to make changes to achieve our goals. It will be the first step towards finding common answers to the challenges we face, and finding a way for Europe to pursue them collectively.

Europe’s energy policy needs to enable the EU to react intelligently and rapidly to the challenges of rapidly evolving markets.

It needs to find an answer to the question how to achieve our Kyoto and - much more challenging - future post-Kyoto objectives, in a manner that allow us to keep our industry competitive in a increasingly global economy.

And it needs to consider how to secure the massive investments needed to meet future EU energy demand. The International Energy Agency has estimated that investments of as much as two trillion euros will be needed in the EU alone over the next 25 years.

It needs to give an answer to the question: how should Europe react to its rising dependence on imported energy in a world where energy demand is rising quickly and available reserves are increasingly situated in few and often political unstable countries?

How can we reduce our exposure to the volatility of global oil markets and increase the number of gas suppliers we have. It must therefore emphasize the development of strategic partnerships based on mutual trust and interdependence, with the main producer, transit and consumer countries.

But it should also recognise that the answer to our external challenges lies in developing a workable, cohesive and fair framework at home. Only then can we pursue our objectives internationally, while we should of course be speaking with one voice.

The Strategic European Energy Review should become a catalyst for real change in Europe. To achieve this, I think that the Review should consider a strategic benchmark. Whatever this target becomes, the wind sector will be crucial to making it a reality.

Renewable energy sources are clearly important if we want to achieve a competitive, sustainable and secure energy supply in the future. The increasing contribution of renewables in the EU energy mix is a necessity that has to be realised along an ambitious and yet feasible time table.

With the Renewable Energy Roadmap currently being prepared by the Commission, the European Union intends to set out an important part of its strategic vision for the energy future of Europe.

The EU must capitalise on the strong reputation and leading role Europe currently holds in renewable energy. In doing this, the EU can and should convincingly confirm its position as world leader in this sector. Competition is intense and inaction and lack of vision would endanger Europe's position.

Most importantly, I believe this Road Energy Roadmap will provide the EU citizens with the assurance they seek from their policy makers: that the serious problems of climate change and environmental degradation and of security of supply are given equally serious answers.

In 2007, we will also elaborate a “Strategic Energy Technology Plan”, making best use of Europe’s resources, building on European technology platforms and with the option of joint technology initiatives or joint undertakings to develop leading markets for energy innovation: Issues to be looked at will be offshore wind, solar, biofuels and smart grids.

The Commission’s proposal for the 7th R&D Framework Programme 2007-2013 intends to stimulate research. Main energy priorities for the period are on technologies such as renewable power generation, hydrogen and fuel cells, fuel production, and heating and cooling, clean coal, CO2 capture and storage for near zero emission generation, as well as energy efficiency and savings.

It is very important to see the European Wind Energy Technology Platform in this general context. The Technology Platform is an example on the integrated approach, i.e. how to combine environment-research and innovation aspects.

European Technology Platforms have already been established for photovoltaic energy, smart grids, hydrogen and fuel cells, bio-fuels, clean coal and solar thermal.

The research agendas and most importantly the deployment strategies prepared within the context of the Platforms are of key importance.

I believe that the creation of the Wind Energy Technology Platform will be of great use for this sector in Europe where there is still a clear potential for improvement.

Due to its size, scale, speed of deployment and rapid market growth, wind power is essential for the EU to meet the targets set in the 2001 Renewable Electricity Directive, to increase the amount of renewable electricity from 13% in 1997 to 21% in 2010.

The sector has showed recently impressive performances, with more than 40.000 MW installed in Europe by end of 2005 which generates 2.6% EU electricity. This is the equivalent of the total electricity consumption of Denmark and Portugal together.

In addition, the impressive performance of the wind sector has encouraged the industry to set an ambitious target of 75.000 MW by 2010. If we achieve this figure, wind will make up half of the new renewable electricity which is needed to reach our renewable electricity target in 2010.

In order to achieve those objectives and to maintain the world technology leadership, the European Wind Energy will have to take up new challenges, in particular the rapid development of offshore wind and a more efficient integration of wind power into the European electricity transmission and distribution grid network.

In this context we must consider the need for a European Grid as well as the special challenges posed in terms of interconnections arising from large scale deployment of offshore wind farms.

We also need to consider the question of the different support mechanisms which undeniably have played an important role in making wind energy a success. These will need to be analysed in a fair and consistent way and I invite you to contribute to this analysis.

Development and demonstration of improved technologies and components in the wind energy sector are crucial in the attainment of costs reduction.

Development of more robust, reliable and low-maintenance turbines and power plants, combined with dependable output forecasting tools as well as with standards and certification schemes would reinforce the Europe’s position as the world’s undisputed leader in wind energy.

Therefore I am very pleased by the initiative taken through the leadership of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) to establish this technological platform. Technological Platforms contribute to the future technology developments.

It is essential that various actors of the market cooperate in establishing future perspectives. In particular, the gathering of experts from industry and research is a powerful driver for market development.

Moreover, the full commitment of the private industry in the Research & Demonstration activities can only help in reaching the objectives of the Lisbon strategy.

I think that this platform should be a real driving force in the European wind energy sector and I am pleased that the secretariat of Wind Technology Platform has been selected for support in the context of the recent Framework Programme Call.

Developing a European energy policy is a long term challenge. It requires understanding, commitment and collaboration from all stakeholders and industry.

Europe has a leading role in this sector. And the role of industry in facilitating so, from large energy consumers to the smallest of firms, is crucial.

I hope that this platform is the beginning of a successful co-operation for the benefit of the European citizens and industry.

I thank you for your attention!