The WindEurope Board has elected Ørsted CEO Rasmus Errboe as its new Chair and Enel Green Power CEO Salvatore Bernabei as Vice-Chair. Today marks the start of their 18-month tenure. Europe is on track to install a record 24 GW of new wind capacity in 2026. But this success cannot be taken for granted.
Europe is on track to install a record 24 GW of new wind capacity in 2026. That’s enough to power 20 million European households.
The case for more wind energy could not be clearer: a renewables-based power system will save Europe up to €1.6 trillion by 2050 – even after accounting for the additional costs of grids, storage and system integration. Wind already provides 480,000 jobs in Europe. It’s one of the few clean technologies where Europe still leads from end to end – from the research lab to the factory floor and to the blades that spin on our lands and off our coasts.
But structural problems persist. Cumbersome permitting procedures, slow grid build-out and insufficient electrification undermine investment in new wind projects. Poor auction design and uncertainty about the EU’s 2040 renewables target threaten Europe’s energy and security targets.
The new Chair of the Board Rasmus Errboe said: 'Wind energy is key to addressing the challenges facing Europe. We need secure, renewable, and affordable energy that strengthens our competitiveness, supports jobs, and drives innovation. Europe has built a world-leading wind industry as part of the solution to these challenges. We now need to turn ambition into action by accelerating electrification, expanding our grids, and creating the right conditions for investment across Europe. As Chair, I look forward to working with policymakers and industry leaders to deliver the potential of wind for the benefit of Europe.'
As Vice-Chair of the Board, Salvatore Bernabei also assumes the Chairmanship of the WindEurope Management Committee. Alfredo Parres of Hitachi Energy will take on the role as Vice-Chair of the Committee.
Salvatore Bernabei said: 'I am honoured by the trust placed in me by WindEurope’s members, in a pivotal moment for Europe’s competitiveness, industrial resilience and energy security, with wind energy poised to provide a strategic contribution to all. As Vice Chair, I am committed to fostering stronger cooperation among institutions, industry and stakeholders to ensure that the energy transition advances with pragmatism, speed and impact.'
WindEurope thanks its outgoing Chair Henrik Andersen, CEO of Vestas, for his leadership and commitment throughout his tenure as Chair.
