The Federal Association of German Wind Farm Operators Offshore (BWO) has referred to the latest industry results presented in a WindEurope report. – It is no longer news that surprises anyone. And yet it is always shocking to read in black and white where we are and where we want to go – where we need to go to achieve the common European climate goals, says Stefan Thimm, Managing Director at BWO.
Annual statistics published by WindEurope clearly show that the development of wind energy in Europe is far too slow and inadequate to set targets. Thimm explains BWO’s opinion that energy supply risks can also be significantly reduced through RES. “We should not forget this in current political situation,” he stressed.
Across Europe, only 3.4 GW of offshore wind capacity was added, with more than 2 GW in the UK. Denmark, the Netherlands, and perhaps Norway, were responsible for the remaining capacity. In international comparisons – for example with the Asian region – Europe is doing poorly.
– This is a shame when you consider that Germany was once one of the pioneers in this field, Thimm complains.
A ray of hope are the expansion goals of the new federal government.
– Now, with the Easter package, all important cornerstones for accelerated expansion should be laid. This includes legally empowering new expansion targets, a new auction design, and, above all, making additional areas available for bidding as early as next year to provide investors with urgently needed planning and investment security, Thimm explains.
The BWO representative indicated that one can only breathe a sigh of relief when the legal framework is in place and the goals are implemented
