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At the recent WindEurope Annual Event in Copenhagen, ETIPWind unveiled its latest report, “From Innovation to Industrial Competitiveness,” outlining a unified European strategy for wind research and competitiveness, developed in collaboration with the wind industry, academia, and national government representatives.
Wind energy remains Europe’s leading clean tech sector, employing over 370,000 people and contributing more than €52 billion to the EU’s GDP. With 99% of turbines installed in Europe being domestically manufactured, the sector’s industrial base continues to expand, supported by over €11 billion in investments into new and upgraded factories.
Despite this strong foundation, current wind energy installations are not keeping pace with EU targets. In 2024, only 13 GW of new wind capacity was added—well below the 35 GW annually required to achieve the EU’s 2030 goal of 425 GW.
Research and innovation (R&I) funding is critical to scaling up and accelerating wind deployment. EU public R&I investments need to focus on automating manufacturing, improving installation methods, and developing new deployment-ready designs, alongside strengthening the supply chain and infrastructure such as grids and ports. However, the current EU R&I approach falls short, lacking effective policies and tools to convert Europe’s academic strengths and innovation in wind energy into industrial competitiveness.
ETIPWind has outlined five key challenges:
- EU investment in wind energy research and innovation is insufficient.
- Funding for wind energy projects is too fragmented.
- There is a lack of clear focus and strategic guidance in EU funding.
- The funding process is burdened by excessive bureaucracy.
- The financial ecosystem supporting wind energy development remains underdeveloped.
In its latest report, ETIPWind offers recommendations to address these challenges and enhance the EU’s public R&I funding for wind energy, aiming to keep the European wind sector competitive while supporting clean technology sovereignty and energy security across Europe.
A key proposal is the creation of a European Fund for Wind Research & Competitiveness within the next EU budget cycle (2028–2034). This dedicated, technology-specific fund would serve as a central hub for all EU wind energy R&I funding, covering everything from basic research to large-scale deployment.
The Fund should be backed by a significant increase in EU and national funding for wind energy R&I—at least €600 million annually—and be accompanied by major simplifications in administrative procedures. It would also be responsible for implementing the unified strategy for wind research and industrial competitiveness set out in the new report.
Adrian Timbus, Chair of ETIPWind and Vice-President of Portfolio and Market Strategy at Hitachi Energy, emphasized that wind energy can be a cornerstone of Europe’s industrial competitiveness and energy security. He stressed the need to prioritize wind in Europe’s industrial strategy, invest heavily in innovation and industrialization, and strengthen collaboration between the wind sector, the European Commission, and Member States.
