TPWind workshop:

“Funding wind energy R&D:
Achievements and future challenges”
17 April 2012 – 11:00-12:30
Room 18, Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

The European Wind Initiative (EWI) is a long-term, large-scale programme to develop wind energy technology in Europe, with a total budget (public and private) of €6 billion for the 2010 – 2020 period. The EWI was developed and is executed by the European Wind Energy Technology Platform (TPWind), in cooperation with the EU Institutions, Member States and the European Energy Research Alliance (EERA).

Published by the European Commission in 2009, the EWI was officially launched in June 2010. It is rooted in the Commission’s Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan) and is now one of the most important policy instruments supporting wind energy development. However, the issue of public financing for the SET-Plan’s initiatives, including wind, is not solved and the implementation of this crucial programme for Europe’s 2020 climate and energy goals is still unclear. The recently announced draft proposal on EU’s research and innovation programme for 2014 to 2020 – Horizon 2020 – puts the SET-Plan at the center of the energy chapter, however, the suggested €5.7 billion destined to non-nuclear energy and the further €1 billion through the “Access to Risk Finance” Facility may still not be enough to meet the financing needs of all the SET-plan – and other – energy technologies.

The European Commission’s energy 2050 roadmap highlights that wind energy will be the key electricity generating technology by 2050. Since the beginning of the Framework Programmes (FP1 to FP7), wind energy has received approximately €350 million, averaging around 5% of non-nuclear energy funds. Moreover, within the proposed Horizon 2020 programme wind energy will have to compete for public financing with all non-nuclear technologies

The wind industry has calculated that €1.3 billion is necessary to ensure the successful implementation of the European Wind Initiative. This money would need to be earmarked for wind energy research in the EU’s 2014 to 2020 budget and have, therefore, a dedicated budget line.

This event will provide participants with an update on the state-of-play in terms of EU funding for wind power R&D. The EWI’s main achievements and the funding challenges ahead. These issues will be discussed by a selected group of panelists. Participants will be actively invited to contribute with questions and ideas on the future of EU support for wind energy.

Programme
17 April 2012 – 11:00-12:30
Rom 18, Bella Center, Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Introduction by the workshop chair (5’)
    Henning Kruse, TPWind Chairperson, Siemens
  • Wind energy R&D: TPWind funding recommendations (20’)
    Jacopo Moccia, TPWind Secretariat, EWEA
  • The EWI: implementation and next steps (20’)
    Norela Constantinescu, European Commission – Directorate General for Energy, “Energy Technologies and Research Coordination” Unit

Panel discussion: “Implementation of the EWI and funding of wind energy R&D: achievements and challenges” (45’)
Chairs:

  • Henning Kruse, TPWind Chairperson, Siemens;
  • Jacopo Moccia, TPWind Secretariat, EWEA.

Panellists:

  • Norela Constantinescu, European Commission – Directorate General for Energy, “Energy Technologies and Research Coordination” Unit;
  • Allan MacAskill, TPWind Executive Committee,  MacAskill Associates;
  • Justin Wu, Bloomberg New Energy Finance;
  • Ana Estanqueiro, Laboratório Nacional de Energia e Geologia, (Member of the TPWind Member States Mirror Group).


Register to attend the TPWind workshop

Attendance at this workshop is free of charge, but you must also be registered to attend the main EWEA 2012 event, as a conference delegate, exhibition visitor or exhibitor. Register to attend EWEA 2012