On 4 March, ETIPWind organised a high-level event at the European Parliament, bringing together over 40 representatives from the European Commission (DG ENER and DG RTD), European Parliament, industry leaders, and the research community. Hosted by MEP Thomas Pellerin-Carlin, the event focused on how the role of Research & Innovation (R&I) in strengthening Europe’s wind industry and accelerating electrification. Speakers also took stock from the recently published Clean Industrial Deal, and how it will help enhance EU’s energy sovereignty.
The first panel discussion explored how innovative wind technologies and R&I funding could boost the European wind industry’s competitiveness. Industry representatives, including Siemens Gamesa and ZF, highlighted the need for R&I projects in key areas such as automation of manufacturing processes or increased performance of turbine components. Bert Verdyck (Head of Product Portfolio at ZF Wind Power) summarised it by raising 3 key elements to safeguard technology sovereignty of the European wind sector: volumes, industrialisation/automation in factories, and more R&I coordination at EU level. MEP Bruno Tobback (S&D) also stressed the economic impact of clean technologies and the necessity of a more strategic approach to scaling up production and innovation. For that, “the Clean Industrial Deal needs to be more ambitious and provides a clear roadmap on strategic European industries like wind energy” he said.
A deep focus of the discussion was about EU funding for wind R&I and how it can be optimised. Rosalinde van der Vlies (Director “Clean Planet” at DG RTD, European Commission) highlighted three points in particular:
- Public R&I funding is very fragmented. We need to do much better to: align EU and national R&I funding, simplify the EU funding programmes and their access, set strategic priorities to deliver EU energy and climate targets.
- A new “Clean Industrial Deal call” of €1bn will be launched in Horizon Europe to support fit-for deployment projects. The call will be less prescriptive and will aim at accelerating the path from R&I to commercialisation.
- New funding mechanisms should also be piloted in the next Horizon Europe Work Programme. The “SET Plan calls” could help optimise funding for strategic energy sectors through a co-investment from the Commission, the industry and the EU Member States.
The second panel discussion then focused on accelerating wind power system integration and electrification. Experts pointed to regulatory challenges, grid capacity and investment needs as key barriers to speed-up on this front. MEP Lidia Pereira (EPP) emphasised the importance of a unified energy market to prevent fragmentation and dependence on external actors like China. Henk-Jan Vink (President of the European Energy Research Alliance) provided examples of innovative solutions we can develop to optimise and digitalise the grid but also to better integrate offshore wind energy (e.g. HVDC technologies). Representatives from GE Vernova and the Commission finally discussed the measures announced in the Clean Industrial Deal, including the Grid manufacturing and the European Grid Packages which will help mobilise grid investments, streamline cross-border planning, and modernise grid infrastructure.
Throughout the event, speakers called for immediate actions and a stronger collaboration to maintain Europe’s leadership in wind energy. This is even more urgent considering that, as Thomas Pellerin-Carlin described, wind energy is a “freedom energy” crucial for Europe’s energy sovereignty amidst global uncertainties.
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