WWEC2013 Conference Resolution: 12th World Wind Energy Conference and Renewable Energy Exhibition

The World Wind Energy Association and the Center of Study for Renewable Energy Technologies (CETER), welcome the presence of those 560 participants from 42 countries attending this Conference, from wind and all other renewable energy technologies.

The Conference covered all aspects of wind utilisation, related policies, manufacturing, development, operation as well as economic and social issues, with a special focus on how to accelerate the deployment of wind power in the Caribbean region.

The Conference appreciates the support of the governments and governmental as well as non-governmental organisations, especially the Government of Cuba including the Ministry for Energy & Mines, CUBASOLAR, the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation & Nuclear Safety, IRENA, UNESCO, UNDP, IDB, GIZ, the International Renewable Energy Alliance, REN21, the World Future Council, OLADE and all organisations and individuals enhancing the Conference.

The Conference welcomes in particular the strong commitment and important contributions of the International Renewable Energy Agency, IRENA, to the event.

The conference applauds the scientifically substantiated statements made that a 100 % renewable energy supply can be reached worldwide in the foreseeable future and it encourages all renewable energy stakeholders to join the Global 100% Renewable Energy Campaign which was launched during the event.

The Conference appreciates that the French wind turbine manufacturer Vergnet Eolien has been awarded with the World Wind Energy Award 2013 for the capacity that it has shown to adapt the wind technology to the necessities of millions of people, in rural areas and in the areas of developing countries. Vergnet has become the most successful manufacturer of wind turbines in France, a manufacturer which has introduced in the Caribbean market its machines adapted to the Caribbean conditions.

The Conference appreciates the Special Recognition for Dr. Fidel Castro Ruz. The Conference recognises Dr. Castro’s leading role in the introduction of wind power and renewable energy. Almost two decades ago, Dr. Castro started to shift Cuba’s energy supply towards renewable energy and energy efficiency. No other country in the Caribbean region has so far presented a similar progressive renewable energy programme like Cuba. Already in the early 1990s, Cuba created the first renewable energy programmes. In 1999, the first grid-connected wind farm was installed, and in 2005, the “Energy Revolution” was launched. It has also to be appreciated that most of the so called developed countries hesitate to present similar ambitious programmes even if they have a much better economical basis than Cuba to push renewable energy on a large scale. In this context, the Conference appreciates in particular that other countries can see Cuba as a pioneer in renewable energy and Conference hopes and expects that many other countries will also launch similar programmes in the future.

The Conference also appreciates the Special Recognition for Dr. Prof. Conrado Moreno Figueredo. Since 1975, Prof. Moreno has been involved in academic and research activities related to wind energy, such as wind energy assessment and the design and manufacturing of wind turbines. With this long history, he is one of the most experienced wind scientists and professor not only in Cuba, but in the region. Since 2005, he has been a member of the National Wind Energy Group.

The Conference recognizes that the Caribbean region is currently heavily dependent on fossil fuel combustion, with petroleum products accounting for an estimated of more than 90% energy consumption so the environment in the region is very vulnerable to climate change. The Conference encourages all Governments in the Caribbean, Central and Latin America to remove the barriers to renewable use in the region and develop a comprehensive long-term strategy that includes community power and local integration of renewable energies as key components.
The Conference recognises that training and education have to be key elements of a strategy that aims at mainstreaming wind power .and support the initiative focused to create the Latin American Center for Capacity Building, Research and Scientific Information launched by CETER.

In addition the Conference supports the following objectives, policies and actions to:
1. Remove gradually all subsidies and introduce the internalisation of all externalities to achieve a level playing field;
2. Pursue compensatory regulatory frameworks such as sufficient and effective feed-in tariffs that encourage renewable energy developments until this is achieved, and that provide sufficient financial security to promote long-term investment, especially for smaller and community based investors;
3. Focus on the integration of wind power into existing power systems also on the local and community level, create smart grids and enhance decentralised synergies between the various renewable energy solutions in order to achieve an integrated 100 % renewable energy supply in the foreseeable future;
4. Intensify the close cooperation with IRENA on the implementation of its work programme and contribute to its further refinement;
5. Raise the political and social awareness on all levels of society and in particular amongst local communities and enable them to obtain access to the necessary knowledge and technologies;
6. Create a stronger focus on community power in existing governmental, international, education, research and financial institutions;
7. Reduce overall costs for energy supply by an increasing share of renewable energy power and by a stronger focus on least-cost decentralised options for 100 % renewable energy;
8. Develop and expand national, regional and international financing mechanisms for renewable energy, especially making use of funds provided as part of the international climate change negotiations, and ensure that the Global Green Climate Fund gives priority to renewable energy and community based projects;
9. Support communities especially in developing countries in obtaining easier access to technology and finance;
10. Encourage all wind energy stakeholders to participate in the next World Wind Energy Conference which will be held in Shanghai, China, 7-9 April 2014.