As we head full-speed into 2013, who knows what the next 12 months will bring? Growth? A return to profitability and a stable European market? Here’s hoping. All we can be sure of is that, as far as the wind sector is concerned, there are some very strong and visionary views around…
“What politicians are saying and what they are doing is quite different – recent comments seem to be contrary to what’s actually happening; they’re confusing the situation rather than supplying clarity to it. They’ve invested so much to establish new jobs around the renewables sector and to make it competitive – it would be silly to not capitalise on that heavy investment”
Aris Karcanias, Management Consultant at Navigant
“When you’ve invested a lot of money and time to prepare three or four wind farms, but not been able to build a single turbine due to environmental regulation, you stop pushing for new projects… Regulatory issues and environmental aspects make onshore wind power investments in Finland even more challenging than constructing nuclear plants, indeed almost impossible. It’s a dilemma, since the areas with the best wind conditions are the most sensitive environment-wise”
Peter Tuominen, public affairs manager for Finland’s Fortum Oyj (FUM1V)
“O&M services have become an increasingly important revenue stream for manufacturers as the installed base of turbines has grown, and particularly during the industry’s current slowdown. Turbine manufacturers have been competing hard for service contracts, resulting in keener pricing…Wind power has done much to improve its competitiveness against gas-fired and coal-fired generation in recent years, via lower-cost, more technically advanced turbines, and more sophisticated siting and management of wind farms”
Bloomberg New Energy Finance Chief Executive, Michael Liebreich
“In North America and in Europe, the need for investment is a necessity to connect dozens of thousands of megawatts of solar and wind power. If we don’t succeed in developing networks properly, either the energy transition will remain a pretty expression that was never applied, or we will run the risk of living dangerously”
