Brussels, 26/10/2006 (Agence Europe) - The President of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), Arthouros Zervos, EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs and MEP Mechtild Rothe (PES, Germany) attended the launch of the 'Technology Platform for Wind Energy' in Brussels on 19 October. Known as TPWind, the platform's aim is to map out priorities for wind energy research up to 2030 and to direct public and private funding towards targetted research areas. 'Wind energy is already a European success story but it is still just a shadow of what it could be. Long-term R&D, and policy development to build markets must be undertaken if wind energy is to contribute to one fifth of European electricity supply in the coming decades,' explained Zervos, also Chair of TPWind's Advisory Council. The Technology Platform for Wind Energy' will define the priority of areas where innovation should be focussed in order to cut costs and will also draw up recommendations. (eh)