The wind industry in Europe is at tipping point, Francesco Venturini, Chief Executive Officer of Enel Green Power, said in a statement following his appointment as chairman of the board of WindEurope, formerly known as the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA).
Venturini, who was elected for an 18-month term by WindEurope’s board of directors, added that, on one side there is a need to reform Europe’s electricity markets and to set out more ambitious policies for renewables in the post-2020 space and, on the other, it is necessary to unlock investor confidence and pave the way for a long-term strategy in the sector.
“In order to achieve these goals we must be more active in the deployment of renewables. To this end, WindEurope is calling for a more stringent, binding target of at least 30% renewables in the European energy mix by 2030. Not only will these priorities be important for WindEurope but they will also be key if Europe wants to get back its leadership position in the renewable energy sector,” he said.
EWEA Chief Executive Officer Giles Dickson added that the outlook for wind power in Europe was uncertain, with declining policy ambition and clarity in many countries. “Major changes are also needed in electricity markets and networks. The new EU proposals this year on market design and renewables are key to ensure a framework for further growth. Having one of the world’s largest utilities at the helm of WindEurope, with their expertise across the power sector, is a great opportunity for us to drive the further expansion and integration of wind in Europe’s energy system,” he said.
Source: © European Union, 1995-2016