Wind energy is set to overtake coal, nuclear and gas to become the EU’s largest power source well before 2030 according to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) 2018 World Energy Outlook, but additional efforts are needed if the entire energy system is to be decarbonised, WindEurope said.
According to the IEA’s projections, wind energy will become the EU’s largest power source in 2027, much sooner than projected in the IEA’s 2017 World Energy Outlook, where the agency said this would happen “soon after 2030” .
According to the IEA, wind electricity generation in the EU will more than triple to 1,100 TWh by 2040.
“This is a resounding vote of confidence in the further expansion of wind power in Europe. We’ve long been saying that more wind makes economic sense, as we’re the cheapest form of new power. It’s great that the IEA now sees wind being the no. 1 source of electricity in Europe in less than ten years. That’ll mean new wind farms and modernisation of existing ones, all of which will bring jobs, growth and revenues to local communities,” WindEurope CEO Giles Dickson said.
Dickson, however, warned that electricity is only 24% of Europe’s energy and large amounts of wind and other renewables would need to be added into heating, transport, and industrial processes in order to decarbonise the entire energy system.
”It’s technically do-able and affordable. It just needs the right policies to drive investments in e.g. electric vehicles, heat pumps and electric boilers in district heating systems. The National Energy and Climate Plans for 2030 that EU Member States are now preparing are a great opportunity to push these policies,” Dickson said.
NOTE: The original article was edited on Tuesday, 13:00 CET.