Brussels, 18/03/2009 (Agence Europe) - Meeting in Marseilles from 16 to 19 March for the annual conference of the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA), wind energy stakeholders call for financial support for an industry in full expansion that is not faced with declining demand but, like other sectors, does see its funding drying up. “The wind energy industry is fundamentally healthy”, said Michael Liebreich, analyst for New Energy Finance. The “fundamentals of the sector” are guaranteed under the Community agreement of December 2008 on the energy/climate package, which compels member states to cover part of their energy needs by using renewables, said Claude Turmes (Greens, Luxembourg). According to the MEP, the EU could in coming weeks look again at the share of renewable energies in energy projects as part of the European recovery plan. EWEA President Christian Kjaer regrets for his part that only 1.2% of the €90 billion devoted to recovery via the national plans are for green investment. Also, he deplores the fact that the EIB is granting €8-10 billon to the motor industry but less than one billion to renewables. Given the crisis and the drying up of funding, Mr Kjaer calls on the EU capitals to take inspiration from the UIS recovery plan which provides for loan guarantees for projects relating to renewable energies. In his view, all funding channels, including bank loans and export credit, must be wide open in order to meet the demand. Echoing the remarks made by the EWEA president, Nabuo Tanaka, who heads the International Energy Agency (IEA), confirms the need to base recovery plans on environmentally-friendly investment in order to give short term stimulus with benefits in the long term. Although he points out that wind power is attracting new sources of financing (a recent study points to the fact that 75% of institutional investors are likely to move towards the sector by 2012), Mr Liebriech stresses that the crisis will have an impact on 10 to 15% of the projects to be financed this year. “While the crisis worsens, it is particularly important to support the technological leadership and create new competitive exports and employment”, said Roland Sundén, CEO of LM Glasfiber, presiding the conference. “Wind power is an example that shows how to invest intelligently in a lasting economy turned towards the future by allowing thousands of people to find jobs. Wind power has become a driving force for our economies. Investment must be made now!”, added Mechtild Rothe (PES, Germany). The contribution made by wind energy to growth is analysed in a new report by EWEA, entitled The Economics of Wind Energy which compares the cost of wind to that of other electricity generating technologies. (E.H./transl.jl)