Wind Power Will be a key Building Block for Economic Recovery: Industry

Corporates and wind associations have released a statement highlighting wind power’s role in the global economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis

The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) along with key signatories representing all the major wind industry corporates and associations across the world have released a statement highlighting wind power’s role in the global economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis and laying out the key policy actions that must be put into motion in order to realise a sustainable economic recovery. As per the statement, wind power is a key building block for economic recovery from the impact of COVID-19, which will enable governments to renew critical infrastructure for a sustainable future. The wind industry will help to deliver jobs, clean and affordable power and energy security needed for a sustainable economic recovery.

Ben Blackwell, CEO at GWEC said the COVID-19 pandemic has had an unprecedented social and economic impact around the world, and how we recover from the crisis depends on the actions that we all take over the coming months.

“We have the opportunity here to ‘re-build back better’, help kick-start sustainable economic recovery, and build the energy infrastructure of the future. Young people, in particular, will bear the financial, social, health and environmental costs of the stimulus plans now being designed, and carry the debt associated with this spending, so we must make sure they are able to benefit from today’s decisions. At the same time, governments should establish a principle of “no harm” for economic stimulus spending and ensure that this does go to reviving fossil fuel industries that need to be phased out to achieve the energy transition and head off the threat of dangerous and irreversible climate change.”

Calling on governments, intergovernmental bodies, and global lending institutions, the statement suggests key actions policy makers can take to put wind energy investment at the centre of their economic recovery and growth plans with three overarching themes: investment for a sustainable and resilient future, an enabling environment for clean energy, and empowerment of people to drive the energy transition forward.

Giles Dickson, CEO at WindEurope added that the long-term impact of COVID-19 depends on the political action that is taken now. “In Europe, the Green Deal offers the route to economic recovery.  Jobs, growth and sustainability – a clear vision for all countries to pursue. Governments should align their recovery packages with climate goals and invest in the job-creating potential of onshore and offshore wind.  Their economies will bounce back stronger and more resilient.”

The statement has been signed by the major corporates in the wind sector including Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, Iberdrola, Mingyang Smart Energy, MHI Vestas, Acciona, Nordex, ReNew Power, EDPR, ZF, Orsted, Goldwind, Envision as well as wind and renewable energy associations such as WindEurope, American Wind Energy Association (AWEA), Chinese Wind Energy Association (CWEA), and more.

To read the full statement click here.