EWEA 2014 is the annual event of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA). This year, the highlight of the industry calendar is heading to Barcelona, and is shaping up to be a must for all companies wanting to understand how they can play a leading part in the energy revolution.
The last few years have not been kind to the global economy and many challenges remain. But it is beyond doubt that a thorough modernisation of the world’s energy supplies must play a key role in solving economic woes in the EU and across the globe. The wind industry is central to this and it must be ready to assert its importance and demonstrate its benefits to the economy and to society as a whole.
As the highlight of the year in the European wind industry calendar, this event draws a number of high quality visitors, which includes CEOs and decision-makers from regional branches and corporate headquarters, from across the globe. And in addition to leading lights in the wind industry, professionals from a wide variety of sectors, not least pioneering companies such as Google, are set to attend.
“Participating in new wind projects is critical to Google’s objective to directly supply our data-centres with 100 per cent new renewable energy,” says Francois Sterin, Director of Global Infrastructure at Google. “The EWEA Annual Event is the place to understand where the markets are going, and meet developers and suppliers about new opportunities. Without EWEA’s annual gatherings, our recent project in Sweden would not have happened.”
This year’s event, which will take place in sunny Barcelona in Spain from 10-13 March 2014, will be the first to take place under the dynamic leadership of Thomas Becker, who took over as Chief Executive of the Brussels-based organisation in April 2013. He is determined for the industry to show regulators, fossil-fuel competitors and utility companies that wind is without a doubt the energy supply of the future. And that the EWEA 2014 event is the best place to do just that.
“Working together we can show that wind is the future,” says Mr Becker. “We need to put pressure on EU decision-makers to adopt a strong 2030 renewable-energy target to give the EU a chance of achieving its aim of creating a carbon-free society by 2050 and to provide the much needed certainty to ensure that wind keeps on growing. Our event is also the perfect opportunity to encourage key players from outside the EU to encourage their governments to put in place similar targets.”
“Wind power can compete with fossil fuels and nuclear without any subsidies if we have a level playing field,” insists Mr Besker. “We need to get this message out loud and clear, and the best way of doing this is to work together. EWEA 2014 offers a unique chance for companies to learn, discuss and plan.”
