According to the SRA, wind energy could cover 12-14% of the EU’s electricity consumption by 2020, with a total installed capacity of 180 gigawatts (GW). This could increase to 22-28% of consumption and 300 GW by 2030.
The SRA points out that fulfilling this vision will be a major industrial and technological challenge for Europe, and that public and industry research resources across Europe must be mobilized through the coordination of investment at European and country levels. The report also lays out research priorities and actions for the sector to that could help ensure that it develops new and better technologies successfully.
TPWind is coordinated by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). It was set up in 2006 with the support of the European Commission in order to identify research tasks and reduce the social, environmental and technological costs of wind energy.
“TPWind’s vision and action plan for research, as presented in the SRA, are hugely important steps forward for the future deployment of wind energy in Europe. The time has now come to begin putting the action plan to effect, and for this the support of the European Commission and Member States will make all the difference,” said Henning Kruse, chairman of TPWind.
To download the report, click here.