The European Technology & Innovation Platform on Wind Energy (ETIPWind) has outlined a strategy to maximise the impact of European funding for wind energy research and innovation (R&I). In its new report, From Innovation to Industrial Competitiveness, ETIPWind urges the European Union to establish a dedicated European Fund for Wind Research & Competitiveness under the next EU budget, aiming to strengthen the competitiveness of Europe’s wind industry and ensure the continent’s technological sovereignty in clean energy.
The wind sector employs over 370,000 people across Europe and contributes more than €52 billion to the EU GDP. With 99% of the wind turbines installed in Europe being produced locally, the wind energy supply chain continues to expand, with over €11 billion invested in new and upgraded factories. To further accelerate the industry’s growth, ETIPWind stresses that R&I funding is essential for scaling up manufacturing, improving installation processes, and advancing fit-for-deployment designs.
However, the EU currently lacks the appropriate R&I policies and tools to translate its academic and innovation strengths into industrial competitiveness. ETIPWind identifies five key challenges:
1. Insufficient EU spending on wind energy R&I.
2. Fragmented EU funding for wind.
3. A lack of focus and direction in EU wind funding.
4. Bureaucratic hurdles in securing EU funding.
5. An underdeveloped supportive financial ecosystem for wind energy.
To address these issues, ETIPWind recommends the establishment of a European Fund for Wind Research & Competitiveness. This fund would centralise EU funding for wind energy R&I, covering everything from basic research to large-scale deployment. ETIPWind proposes that the fund be allocated at least €600 million annually, with simplified administrative processes to support greater efficiency.
