The Federal Environment Ministry, VDMA Power Systems and the German Wind Energy Association (BWE) have signed a memorandum of understanding for further cooperation on the expansion of wind energy in Central and Eastern Europe.
Together with industry, the Federal Environment Ministry wishes to export the success story of renewable energy sources to Central and Eastern Europe. Since November 2011 VDMA Power Systems and the BWE have been developing the wind energy initiative "Windtec" with political support from the Federal Environment Ministry. This initiative aims to give a significant boost to the development of wind energy markets in the region.
Katherina Reiche, member of the Bundestag and the Federal Environment Ministry's Parliamentary State Secretary stated: "The expansion of wind energy opens up new opportunities and perspectives for both Germany and its European neighbouring countries. We must now make use of this potential and subsequently bring climate protection in Europe a step further."
Important foundations in relation to energy policies are currently being laid down the region. The goal of this initiative is to contribute towards ensuring that wind power has a high percentage in the countries' mix of energy sources in the future. In doing so capacity building measures will be implemented and hurdles at a political level will be eradicated.
The wind energy markets in the region also offer great opportunities to German businesses. The potential is enormous. Alone in the year 2011 wind turbines with a capacity of 436 megawatts were installed in Poland. In Romania this capacity reached 520 megawatts and in Bulgaria 112 megawatts. Thorsten Herdan, Director of VDMA Power Systems states: "These countries have together stepped over the magic 1,000 megawatt threshold of annual installations. All three markets have each in the medium term got what it takes to expand into the gigawatt market."
Herman Albers, President of the German Wind Energy Association states: "Climate protection should not stop at the borders. It is for this reason that the international expansion of wind energy of utmost importance in order to work towards a clean energy supply. At the moment in Central Europe there is huge potential in this area, but also many challenges, which however can be overcome with the help of the Windtec Initiative."
In doing so German businesses can also call on their own previous experience. Whilst in Poland many manufacturers and some suppliers have already gathered experience in project management, facility installations and occasionally in service and production; however in Romania some only have experience with big projects. In Bulgaria businesses are still in the developing stages with sales offices on site. The industry can provide guidance, where there is a particular need for action, and shares its past experiences from the approval practice or network friendly turbine technologies in order to come up with possible solutions. The Federal Environment Ministry supports the Windtec Initiative on a political level.