Wind of change

Energy is a hot topic. The supply of traditional fuels is in constant flux and prices are creeping unsteadily upward: oil hit 0 a barrel at the beginning of 2008. Moreover, climate change caused by CO2 emissions from burning coal and oil is a real threat to our well-being. A renewable energy source such as wind, which is indigenous, unlimited, has knowable costs and emits no CO2, provides a real solution to our problems. In 2007, EU heads of state and government set a binding target of 20 per cent renewables by 2020, which was divided into national goals in the commission’s recently proposed renewable energy directive.

Wind will be a major contributor to this target. The next few years present a window of opportunity in which, if the proposed renewables directive is swiftly adopted by the European parliament and by member states, the installation of wind power could be hugely increased and Europe’s energy future turned around. It is therefore an ideal time to learn more about wind energy, what its contribution to the energy mix can be and how to make this happen. The European wind energy conference and exhibition (EWEC) organised by the European wind energy association (EWEA), addresses all the technical, environmental, economic and political implications of wind power and offers a chance to make that happen.

EWEC 2008 has just started – it runs until 3 April in Brussels and is chaired by European commissioner for energy Andris Piebalgs. Keynote speakers in the conference opening session include the European coordinator for offshore wind power in northern Europe, Georg Wilhelm Adamowitsch, and the Slovenian minister for economy, Andrej Vizjak. Vizjak’s participation further underlines the programme’s European dimension, as Slovenia currently holds the presidency of the EU.

Energy and climate change issues are amongst the Slovenian presidency’s main priorities. At EWEC 2008, Vizjak will address the energy-related policy challenges facing the EU, such as the 20 per cent renewables target, and he will outline the presidency’s vision for the future of renewables. At the conference, 200 speakers from the wind industry, international institutions and national governments are presenting their latest ideas and projects. The 40 sessions are split into themed ‘tracks’, covering business, policy, finance, science and technology. They will provide a comprehensive insight into wind energy. There will also be 500 oral and poster presentations providing up-to-date, topical information on the subject.

EWEC 2008 marks the launch of its new report, ‘Pure Power: wind energy scenarios up to 2030’. The report considers the impact that the necessary large-scale integration of wind into the power mix will have. It presents possible development paths for wind energy in the next two decades and studies the probable effects on electricity, greenhouse gas emissions and the EU economy. A new feature at EWEC this year is the wind energy finance forum, a series of sessions featuring the key wind energy finance players from across Europe. Designed by specialists in wind energy financing, investment and risk analysis, this forum offers participants an opportunity to learn about topics such as public markets, project finance, risk assessment, private equity of wind farms and the impact of wind on electricity prices.

On 1 April, three of the conference sessions will focus on specific EU projects related to wind energy. One workshop will be based on the findings of TradeWind, a European wind energy industry study that looks at interconnector allocation and market aspects up to 2030, facilitating the integration of mainstream wind power generation. It will present recent results from ongoing European wind power integration studies.

Another workshop will be devoted to UpWind, an FP6 project that aims to develop and verify improved models of the main wind turbine components, which are needed by the industry for very large-scale future applications, such as offshore wind farms of several hundred megawatts. The UpWind workshop will address research and development issues, including material properties for blades, remote sensing and wind farm flow phenomena.

A third workshop will focus on the progress made so far by the European technology platform for wind energy (TPWind). After one year of operation, TPWind will present the executive summary of its first strategic research agenda (SRA) document. The SRA and the market deployment strategy document which complements it will contribute to the platform’s overall objective of identifying R&D areas for the wind energy sector, obtaining better funding and reducing overall costs.

On 2 April, EWEA is organising a specialised job fair at EWEC to promote employment in the wind industry. The event is targeted at companies interested in recruiting skilled students and professionals, and at students looking to boost their professional career. Over 30 companies, including Electrabel, Gamesa and Siemens wind power, have already confirmed their participation. The exhibition, which runs parallel to the conference sessions, features over 200 companies involved in wind energy. It provides an opportunity to examine the latest technologies and services that will keep wind energy moving into the next generation. Many side events, sponsors’ receptions and social events are also taking place, providing ample opportunities for meeting and networking, information-gathering and keeping up to date with the latest political and industry developments.

Combining increased political support for wind energy with a dynamic conference programme, EWEC 2008 offers a unique opportunity for business leaders, scientists, industry representatives and policy makers to engage in constructive debates to shape new ways of thinking about energy. 

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