WindEurope’s board of directors has elected Sven Utermöhlen, chief executive of offshore wind at RWE Renewables, as its new chair for an 18-month term. It has also appointed Kresten Ørnbjerg, head of global public affairs at Vestas, as the new vice-chair.
The appointments were announced the day before the association launches its annual industry event in Bilbao, Spain, where participants will focus on how wind power can help deliver energy security.
The issue has risen to the top of the political agenda following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, a major exporter of gas to Europe.
“The EU is clear that increasing Europe’s energy security means an even faster expansion of renewables, from 190GW today to 480GW by 2030,“ WindEurope’s chief executive Giles Dickson said in a statement.
Dickson called for urgent action to facilitate the permitting of new wind farms and tackle the problems facing Europe’s wind energy supply chain.
“I am honoured to be elected to represent the full value chain of wind energy in Europe — an industry contributing, through jobs and innovation, to building a low-carbon future,” said Sven Utermöhlen.
“A faster expansion of wind energy is particularly important if we are to achieve the European climate targets and the goal of greater energy sovereignty... More than ever, energy policy is security policy. Delivering the Green Deal is a climate and security imperative. The wind industry is determined to deliver, even in these challenging times,” he added.
Utermöhlen has been working in the energy sector since 1993, holding positions at Shell, E.on and RWE Renewables.
“A thriving wind industry is key to strengthening Europe’s economy, and its energy security,” said Kresten Ørnbjerg. “I look forward to working closely with our members to ensure the right policy frameworks are implemented, so the wind industry can deliver our investment in Europe’s energy systems, and build the scale needed to meet Europe’s climate goals.”
Ørnbjerg has worked at Danish turbine manufacturer Vestas for more than a decade.
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