In this issue we present a first for PES: we have gathered our panel of experts from wind associations across the planet for our roundtable interview. We’re proud to offer unprecedented analysis from those at the very forefront of the industry.
PES: Welcome to the magazine. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your organisation?
Thomas Becker: I have been CEO of the European Wind Energy Association since April 2013. Prior to this, I have held numerous positions with a strong international focus and often based abroad, including the OECD and IEA. I was also Deputy Permanent Secretary for Denmark’s Ministry of Climate and Energy from 2007 to 2010, and the EU’s lead negotiator on climate change to the United Nations from 2005 to 2008.
EWEA actively promotes wind power in Europe and worldwide. It has over 700 members from almost 60 countries makes EWEA the world’s largest and most powerful wind energy network.
Stefan Gsänger: I am secretary general of the World Wind Energy Association, a global umbrella organisation with non-profit status and with members in more than 100 countries. Our objectives are to promote wind energy on the global level, together with other renewable energy sources, and eventually to reach a 100 per cent renewable energy supply worldwide. In order to realise this vision, we are working on very different levels, e.g. with governments and international organisations but also with local communities, other NGOs and of course with our member companies. For WWEA, community power approaches are an essential element of a bottom-up strategy towards our final goals. And we have also co-initiated a Global 100 per cent Renewable Energy Campaign, together with other global organisations.
Anni Mikkonen: Finnish Wind Power Association (FWPA) was established in 1988 to promote wind energy and distribute knowledge on wind power in Finland.
I’ve been working as a managing director of the association since 2009. My background is on environmental sciences (MSc) and on corporate environmental management (also MSc) and on renewable energy.
