At WindEurope 2026 in Madrid on April 21, ForWind Executive Director Dr. Stephan Barth participated in a high-level panel discussion on the topic “A New Approach to Funding Wind R&I and Competitiveness.” The panel, moderated by Alexander Vandenberghe (WindEurope), brought together representatives from European research policy, industry, and the energy sector—including Mechthild Wörsdörfer from the European Commission, Erika Velazquez from Hitachi Energy, and Miguel Rodrigo Gonzalo from the Spanish institute IDAE.
The discussion focused on the question of how Europe can translate its technological leadership in wind energy into industrial competitiveness through targeted measures in the upcoming EU budget. A key argument was that establishing a European fund for wind energy research and competitiveness is necessary to ensure affordable and clean energy for European industry and households in the long term.
Barth also brought to the discussion perspectives relevant to the ongoing research at the 70 GW Offshore Wind living lab—such as the question of how research structures must be organized to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and industrial application.
