The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) has criticized recent trade barriers announced by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling them “the wrong tool for driving economic growth” and highlighting their potential negative impact on the global wind energy sector.
Ben Blackwell, CEO of GWEC, stated, “Fair and transparent trade is essential to achieving the goals of the global energy transition and delivering long-term economic benefits and prosperity.” He further emphasized that the majority of countries are seeking to avoid a trade war, which GWEC's research indicates would slow wind market growth, increase wind energy costs, and reduce the financial sustainability of the wind industry.
Blackwell cited a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA), which in 2024 estimated that import tariffs and non-tariff measures currently account for 9% of the cost of producing a wind nacelle, a key component of wind turbines.
“This moment instead calls for the coordinated development of trade-friendly industrialization policies, which create positive market conditions for wind power to grow and generate local industrial economies of scale,” Blackwell added. He stressed that such policies would balance fair trade practices with incentive-driven industrial relocation strategies.
Blackwell concluded, “The wind industry will continue to work with governments, institutions, and the private sector to deliver enabling policy that drives sustainable growth through strategic collaboration, global competitiveness, and non-restrictive and trade-friendly measures.
