The renewables sector has expressed strong support following the re-election of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. Von der Leyen secured the backing of 401 Members of the European Parliament in a recent secret ballot held in Strasbourg, securing another five-year term after first taking office in 2019.
Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, commented, “President von der Leyen's re-election offers a welcome stability for Europe, recognising her critical role in guiding the continent through the wave of crises in recent years.” Hemetsberger added, “The President's speech in plenary confirms that delivering the Green Deal remains a priority under the new Commission mandate, with a focus on implementation and investment. This is good news for Europe and for the energy transition.”
Hemetsberger also highlighted the importance of accelerating energy system flexibility and electrification. “Green competitiveness is the launchpad to sustainable growth,” she said. “We're pleased to see the new EU Clean Industrial Deal, reflecting our June letter supported by over 550 signatories from across society and the economy.”
She further noted, “Our modelling shows that renewables and flexible electrification will reduce energy costs by 25% in 2030 and 33% by 2040, structurally shielding European business and industry from further fossil fuel volatility and building a new era of clean competitiveness and prosperity.”
A spokesperson from WindEurope also welcomed the new developments, stating, “It's great (von der Leyen) has announced a new EU Clean Competitiveness Deal. Europe's energy-intensive industries want to decarbonise and they want to do it with the help of cheap wind energy.”
The spokesperson added, “The wind industry is ready to make this happen – and we're partnering with energy-intensives to help deliver the goals of the Antwerp Declaration. But it needs strong public policy support.”
The spokesperson noted that von der Leyen's first term had already made significant strides, citing the 2023 Wind Power Package as a positive development. However, they emphasized the need for continued support to increase the number of new wind farms and strengthen supply chains. “Wind is 20% of Europe's electricity – the EU wants it to be 35% by 2030. Nearly all the wind turbines built in Europe are made in Europe. To keep that, the EU needs to further strengthen its wind supply chains and relevant logistics infrastructure,” they concluded.
