Photo by Mike Setchell on Unsplash
Wind power is a key component of the green transition but there is an urgent need for expanded and modernised energy grids.
So says the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC).
A strong wind industry could improve the EU’s environmental, economic and social well-being, is the main idea of the EESC opinion drafted by Thomas Kattnig and adopted at the March plenary session.
The Committee says that, faced with growing pressure from international competitors such as China, the needs to step up its wind industry and promote its wind power development.
To achieve this result, the bloc must significantly expand, modernise and digitalise its grid infrastructure and, at the same time, it must create the corresponding storage infrastructure.
‘The European wind industry is an important pillar of the green transition. Developing grids for connecting, transmitting and distributing wind power will make it possible to integrate a substantially increased volume of wind power into the energy system,’ said Kattnig.
Companies should always abide by security, occupational safety, collective bargaining, social and environmental requirements such as the need to promote a circular economy.
Purely price-based auctions promote a race to the bottom that harms the environment and workers and puts companies that are eager to contribute, for example through investments in environmental and biodiversity protection, at a disadvantage.
The EESC says, “The participation of citizens and organised civil society remains essential. The energy transition will only be a success if they are invited to become active drivers. Without their involvement, the social acceptance of the transition is at risk, and wind power will be as well.”
“Energy communities, energy cooperatives and energy sharing are valuable vehicles to boost the dissemination of wind power and represent an interesting form of extended prosumption from three points of view: social (participation and acceptance), economic (mobilisation of additional capital) and energy (generation closer to demand).”
The Committee says the European Commission should therefore recognise their “important” contribution in social, economic and energy efficiency terms by including effective citizen participation as the 7th pillar of the proposed Wind Power Action Plan.
