WindEurope will hold its “WindEurope Conference & Exhibition” at Bilbao Exhibition Centre from 2nd to 4th April 2019. The conference and exhibition is the most important event in Europe for the wind industry and is one of the reference events of the association, with an average of 8,000 professionals attending from all over the world and over 400 exhibitors from 50 countries. In recent years, wind power has undergone intensive development and is the fastest growing energy source, so the exhibition comes at a key moment for the commitment to innovation, networking and awareness of the future trends of a sector under marked expansion. In this respect, the combination of exhibition space and interesting conferences over three days will respond to the need for knowledge transfer and commercial exchange between professionals of the sector.

Arantza Tapia, Minister for Economic Development and Infrastructures of the Basque Government, President of Bilbao Exhibition Centre and the Basque Energy Board, EVE, has highlighted that  “today we start the path towards Bilbao-Basque Country in April 2019” during a press conference held at midday at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre. I am confident that we will be able to design and host a major and benchmark event for the European wind industry”.

The Minister added “I think that the Basque Country will meet your standards. Global business figures of Basque companies in the field clearly show the competitiveness and level of development achieved so far both industrially and technologically. There are 105 wind energy companies, creating over 15,000 jobs (976 of them related to R&D) and with a global turnover of 7,322 million Euros”.

“However, apart from the above-mentioned figures in such a small country like ours, I believe that the attractiveness of the wind power industry lies precisely in its potential throughout the entire chain, where strong leading businesses in the field coexist with many auxiliary companies”, she added.

In this regard, Arantxa Tapia stated, “I would like to take this opportunity to emphasise the role played by the Basque Energy Cluster as consolidator, guide and lubricator, if I may use that expression, for companies in the sector. From the cluster, in collaboration with the Basque Energy Board and Spri, we are working to strengthen the value chain of the wind energy sector in the Basque Country. This is about continuing to supply systems, components and high value-added services to the main sponsors and manufacturers of wind turbines at global level”.

Finally, Arantxa Tapia pointed out, “a wind farm contains numerous components and systems, and there are many opportunities emerging from industrial activities in this field in the Basque Country. Soon, announced the advisor, we will learn the details of a new industrial activity coming to the Basque Country, and more specifically, to Bizkaia; a breath of fresh air as well as new industrial activity and the generation of new jobs”.

Giles Dickson, CEO of WindEurope, explained the decision to choose Bilbao for its event, saying that “the Basque Country has made a conscious decision to invest in wind power and is a clear example of economic strength and potential for the wind power industry, a sector with 330,000 jobs throughout Europe. The region has become a significant energy industrial hub which is creating real economic value in this sector and new jobs. In spite of the fact that it is not an area with important natural wind power resources, it is benefiting tremendously by producing and exporting equipment and technology to the whole of Europe and other international markets. Beyond this, Spain is a leading production centre with 22,000 jobs and billions of euros in exports. Following some difficult years, the Spanish wind power market is back on the map and our commitment to Bilbao is proof that confidence in this industry has been regained”, he highlighted.

Some current examples illustrate the strength of companies in the sector. Haizea Wind, a new company currently undertaking new investments and which will soon present its initiative. The decision of the recently created Siemens Gamesa Energías Renovables to locate its headquarters in Bilbao is also a clear example of the importance of the industrial sector in this area.

Spanish Wind Energy Association (AEE) Chairman Juan Diego Díaz said that “the more than 20 industrial centres that our members have in the region not only make Bilbao a reference point for the celebration of this conference but also highlight the Basque Government’s commitment to our industry. AEE considers the Basque Country to be a strategic area for the development of the domestic and international wind power industry and the most important offshore hub of Spain.

“After a few years at a standstill, Spanish wind power is now in full growth and 2019 will mark a key year in the installation of new megawatts, with more than new 3,500 expected. Spain is, therefore, the country of Southern Europe that is showing greater commitment and is strongly betting on the industry, which is why the celebration of this event in our country has AEE´s full support and our desire for its continuity in the future.

“Also, 2019 will be perfect timing for the analysis of the technological challenges the sector is facing such as hybridisation, storage or repowering; topics that will be addressed during the conferences of the annual Spanish Wind Power Congress that will coexist and integrate with the Exhibition. This will be the ideal framework to keep deepening the main challenges and solutions to move forward in the path of Spain´s energy transition and in achieving the European objectives with a regulation that must guarantee visibility, stability and predictability for investments ensuring their profitability”.

Bilbao City Council’s Councillor of Economic Development, Trade and Employment, Xabier Otxandiano, has expressed his satisfaction with hosting an event of these characteristics “as it is undoubtedly the most important event in Europe in its speciality, once more putting our city’s organisational capacity to the test at all levels”.

The Councillor has announced that in addition to attracting large events, the challenge is to turn Bilbao into a focus of scientific and economic attraction in strategic sectors, as is the case of wind power. “We want to strengthen the city’s image and consolidate it as a destination for economic activity. We want companies and research centres to see the Basque Country and Bilbao as a place of interest thanks to its organisational excellence. But also thanks to our international positioning as a hub for knowledge, innovation, uniqueness, entrepreneurs and industrial reference centre. With state-of-the-art equipment and facilities. And all of this here, at the BEC”.

The last city to host the “WindEurope Conference & Exhibition” was Paris, and this year it will be held in Amsterdam from 28th to 30th November. In Bilbao, the candidature was presented by the Bilbao Convention Bureau (Bilbao City Council) and the Bilbao Exhibition Centre with the collaboration of the Basque Government and EVE-Basque Energy Board and the support of Iberdrola, Gamesa and EDP Renovables.

In addition to participating in Marine Energy Week, as well as in previous editions, WindEurope organised its Technological Workshop on “Analysis of operational wind farms” at Bilbao Exhibition Centre in April 2016. Over 250 professionals from 26 countries addressed the optimisation of the operation and maintenance strategies for such facilities. WindEurope is made up of over 450 members, turbine manufacturing entities and companies, suppliers of components, research institutes, national wind power and renewable energy associations, developers, electrical suppliers, insurance and finance firms and consultants.

For additional questions, please contact:
Andrew Canning, WindEurope Press & Communications Manager, [email protected]
+32 2 213 18 67