EWEA Blog - European Wind Energy Association 2013 to start on an optimistic note

One person in this frame of mind is Thomas Becker, EWEA’s recently appointed CEO who will begin in April.

“I am certainly looking forward to working for EWEA, an organisation with an outstanding reputation”, he said.

“I want to turn the crisis facing the wind industry today into an opportunity to show how wind energy could contribute to jobs, exports and green growth. The wind industry is here to stay. It is now a mainstream industry and a major employer, and as its leading voice EWEA has to be heard even more clearly in these difficult times. I see a strong post-2020 European renewable energy policy as the key to investor security and thereby the industry’s future”.

The wind industry is feeling the pain of the economic crisis, like all industries – but EWEA 2013 has some solutions. Take one of the sessions – the Pleanry Panel on Monday at 11.00. The Panel is called Financing Challenges and New Solutions. Finance track chair Tom Murley, Director and Head of Renewable Energy, HgCapital says “In a break with the past where most panellists have been advisors or investment bankers, this year about 75% are people who write checks…. Our goal is to educate the industry as best we can as to the current state and give some ideas how finance will evolve”.

Capitalising on real opportunities is the main focus of EWEA 2013 this year. The fertile emerging markets of eastern Europe will be examined – especially in the publication of Eastern Winds: Emerging European wind power markets. The report deals with the prospects for wind power in central and eastern Europe, tackles financing and provides an in-depth analysis of 12 emerging wind power markets. Eastern Winds will also be a tool for decision-makers highlighting bottlenecks, regulatory challenges and providing policy recommendations.

There are many reasons to feel optimistic about the year to come, and EWEA 2013 will help you discover them all.
If you are not attending, follow the event on ewea.org, the EWEA 2013 website, or on EWEA’s social media pages on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google Plus and the EWEA Youtube channel. Wind Power Monthly TV will also be reporting live from the event and REcharge will produce a special daily EWEA 2013 magazine.