return Exhibitors

The annual statistics published today by WindEurope show that the expansion of wind energy in Europe is progressing far too slowly. “No news that surprises you particularly. And yet it is always frightening to read in black and white where we stand and where we want to go - where we have to go in order to achieve the common European climate goals," comments BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm. “Supply risks can also be significantly reduced by using renewable energies. Given the current political situation, we should not forget that.”

Offshore, only 3,4 gigawatts (GW) of wind energy capacity has been added across Europe – of which more than 2 GW in Great Britain. “The only European countries that have installed offshore wind turbines at all, apart from Great Britain, are Denmark, the Netherlands and maybe just Norway. Otherwise, things look bleak,” says Thimm, summarizing the statistics. In an international comparison in particular – for example with the Asian region – Europe comes off badly. "It's a shame when you consider that Germany in particular was once one of the pioneering countries here," complains Thimm.

The expansion goals of the new federal government are at least a ray of hope. "Now, with the Easter package, all the important cornerstones for the accelerated expansion must be laid: This includes the legal anchoring of the new expansion targets, a new auction design and, above all, the release of additional areas for tender right next year in order to give investors the urgently needed planning - and to provide investment security," explains Thimm. "Especially with regard to the now badly hit supply chain, we urgently need to create a stable regulatory framework and pick up the pace as quickly as possible."

The entire German offshore industry has committed itself to the new national goals. The first joint talks with the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection have already taken place. "There is a noticeable change," says Thimm. “But we can only breathe a sigh of relief when the legal framework is in place and the goals are put into practice. This is the only way we can once again act as a role model for other European countries that are still at the very beginning when it comes to offshore wind energy.”

The WindEurope annual statistics can be found here here.