WindEurope 2023: 'Together we are pushing forward the energy transition'

13-04-2023

WindEurope 2023: 'Together we are pushing forward the energy transition'

Jose Schaap
Account Director

'Instead of competing, we need to join forces to accelerate the transition to renewable energy.' So says Daniëlle Veldman of the Dutch Wind Energy Association (NWEA) ahead of WindEurope 2023. We speak with her about what it takes to realize big ambitions and how to use the exhibition floor to discover your own unique place within the chain.

This article has been automatically translated and may contain errors.

More collaboration, less competition

As Manager of Trade Promotion, Daniëlle is on the front lines of an exciting and ever-changing market. 'The wind sector is developing rapidly. Start-ups and scale-ups are standing side by side with established companies. What you will discover during WindEurope in Copenhagen is that more and more companies are joining forces and contributing together to the energy transition.'

Where does this intensive collaboration come from? 'It's because the demand for new wind turbines is enormous. Many countries have big ambitions. This puts pressure on the entire chain, because not everything can be done at once. Companies and governments must work well together to make all plans feasible.'

More impact as a collective

NWEA plays a key role in contacting foreign governments. 'We have a strong network at embassies in all posts,' says Daniëlle. 'For individual companies, it's difficult to know how the fences run. Because we approach it as a collective, the companies gain more insight and together we have more impact.'

By keeping control of which tenders are running, we manage to collectively put down more gigawatts. 'To do this, we bring the entire supply chain together, from installation to maintenance. The chain is only as strong as its weakest link. So we as an industry association continuously keep our finger on the pulse to hear where the potential bottlenecks are.'

Discover-your-spot in the chain

Shows like WindEurope are essential for discovering your own place in the chain. 'There is plenty of work in the market, so we don't have to compete with each other. You just need to identify your unique place in the chain. And you can do that here. In conversations, you quickly discover where your field lies to contribute to the development of sustainable energy,' says Daniëlle.

'At a show you gain an enormous amount of valuable insights and connections. Not only the time with foreign visitors is valuable, but also the time with the Dutch partners standing next to you at the fair.' So while it can be tempting to speak directly to developers, it is important to realize that some parties are at different levels in the chain. 'You learn that quickly,' adds Daniëlle.

Strengthen marine life

During WindEurope, the Dutch wind sector traditionally presents itself in the Dutch Village, a pavilion realized by Gielissen on behalf of NWEA. 'We really have a good story as the Netherlands. We have big ambitions, supported by strong policies. We think smartly about our roadmap and often approach things just from a different angle.'

'For example, we do not only look at the price, but also at other qualitative aspects, such as the ecology and integration of hydrogen systems. Look at Van Oord, for example. They showed at a previous exhibition in an aquarium how wind turbines can actually enhance marine life.'

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Jose Schaap

Account Director