Exclusive debate by WindEurope on EU Elections: What do they mean for Wind?

We’re bringing you the exclusive debate between Giles Dickson, WindEurope CEO and Peter Tardieu, WindEurope CPO

GD: So Pierre, the people of Europe have spoken, the EU elections have taken place. What do they mean for wind?

PT: Well, first of all, the mainstream political parties still have a majority in the European parliament. Smaller than it used to be, but still a majority despite

GD: The rise of the far right.
PT: Exactly. Now for wind, the main pieces of legislation under the EU Green deal in the last five years were approved by the socialists, the liberals, the greens, and wherever possible, the EPP or at least bits of the central Right.Now, going forward in the new European Parliament, the EPP has gained seats. It’s much more influential and we will need basically all of the EPP to pass anything going forward. So the center right is really central now to the political game.

GD: Okay. And do the EPP support the green deal?

PT: Yes. By and large they do. They support renewables, accelerated renewables, uh, deployment. They support the electrification agenda and in particular the electrification of industry. There are bits of the green deal that they are less comfortable with. Uhhuh, anything having to do with farmers, Uhhuh,the internal combustion engine banned by 2035 Yeah. Is something that they’re gonna want to look at, potentially delay or even reverse.And then anything having to do directly impacting households, for example, the extension of the emissions trading system to households is something that will, will get a second look.

GD: And the center right. Support not only the expansion of renewals, also the expansion of the grid, don’t they?

PT: Exactly. Yes. Very important. That’s okay.

GD: So maybe we can ringfence that within a slightly more nuanced approach. They will take across the board to the green deal.

PT: That’s it.
GD: Okay, fine. Now, heavy industry, they want to electrify. They’re telling us they want more wind farms as soon as possible. They’re in the same place as us. What are we doing with the energy intensive industries?

PT: We are working specifically with the electro intensive industries. Steel cements chemicals. Yeah. Aluminum and copper. Uh, essentially on a joint, uh, agenda, joint statement to begin with. Uh, and then we’re gonna be working together to map out what the electrification of those sectors is going to look like. So that’s gonna be key to the competitive and decarbonization agenda of Europe’s economy.

GD: And they, and many others are saying the focus of the EU this five years now needs to be an industrial deal. Yes. And competitiveness. And we are saying, yes, we support that.It’s an industrial deal which compliments the green deal.

PT: Yes. The industrial deal and the, the green deal need to go hand in hand.

GD: Okay, fine. Now, fall out of the EU elections at national level, what is happening in France, Pierre?

PT: Right. Immediately as the result of the European election came in, in France, the President Emmanuel Macron decided to dissolve the National Assembly. So there were gonna be parliamentary elections in France,uh, with the first round on the 30th of June, second round on the seventh, uh, of July. It’s very hard to tell what is going to happen now. Parties had very little time. They coalesced. So we have a block on the right, a block on the left,essentially stuck in the middle with his party. So it’s, it’s very hard to tell how this is going to pan out. One possible scenario is that, you know, is political paralysis with none of these blocks commanding a majority on their own.

GD: Okay. But there is a small risk that the right win. Yes. Which would be bad for wind ’cause they don’t like onshore wind.Maybe don’t like offshore wind either.

PT: There is a risk which should not be minimized. Indeed. Yes.

GD: Yes. Okay. Thank you.Now the Netherlands, they shifted to the right with their last elections. Yes. And now the new government has formed comprising these four parties on the right of the spectrum, including at least one far right party. But their government program is quite pragmatic and they’re sticking to the ambition on offshore wind The previous government have, just because a government shifts to the light doesn’t necessarily mean bad news for wind energy.

PT: Yeah.

GD: Okay, fine. Good,Now we have another election coming up here.

PT: Of course,The UK Indeed.

GD: In 4th of July.

PT: Yes. Looking forward to that.

GD: Quite so as things stand, everybody’s expecting labor to win.They will pursue a very different policy on onshore wind in England. They want it, the conservative governments that we’ve had for the last 14 years, they have stopped it. So that could be very positive. They will have the same ambition,if not more ambition on offshore wind. And they’re gonna set up this new state-owned entity, GB energy to coordinate the energy transition,especially in electricity, which could be very interesting for us. They wanna unlock the more difficult in investments in grids, port infrastructure. And so on. Let’s talk about that more next time perhaps.

PT: I look forward to it, Giles.

GD: Thank you, Pierre.

PT: Thanks.