The freshly rebranded WindEurope, former European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), has elected Francesco Venturini, Chief Executive Officer of Enel Green Power, as its new chairman.
Venturini, who has been CEO at the renewable division of the Italian utility Enel Group since May 2014, was elected for an 18-month term.
“We are at a tipping point, a critical moment in time for the wind industry and for the entire European energy sector,” Venturini said.
”On one side there is the need to reform Europe’s electricity markets and to set out more ambitious policies for renewables in the post-2020 space, on the other we shall unlock investor confidence and pave the way for a long-term strategy in the sector. In order to achieve these goals we must be more active in the deployment of renewables. To this end, WindEurope is calling for a more stringent, binding target of at least 30% renewables in the European energy mix by 2030. Not only will these priorities be important for WindEurope but they will also be key if Europe wants to get back its leadership position in the renewable energy sector.”
Venturini will succeed current WindEurope Chairman Dr. Markus Tacke, CEO of Siemens Wind Power & Renewables, who has served in the post since October 2014.
“The outlook for wind power in Europe is uncertain, with declining policy ambition and clarity in many countries,” WindEurope’s CEO Giles Dickson said.
“Major changes are also needed in electricity markets and networks. The new EU proposals this year on market design and renewables are key to ensure a framework for further growth. Having one of the world’s largest utilities at the helm of WindEurope, with their expertise across the power sector, is a great opportunity for us to drive the further expansion and integration of wind in Europe’s energy system.”