The WindEnergy Hamburg conference has once again highlighted the role of wind energy in Europe. There, manufacturers, developers, and suppliers agreed that this technology is a cornerstone for reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels , although its expansion cannot be sustained solely with wind turbines: stronger grids, ports, logistics, and supply chains are also essential. This message resonated in Spain as well, where the sector faces a complex array of operational, administrative, and territorial challenges.
In Spain, recent weeks have clearly demonstrated that the electricity system needs more than just renewable energy production. Wind power can cover a significant portion of demand , but its variability necessitates anticipating potential imbalances, reinforcing the grid, and implementing flexibility mechanisms. Meanwhile, regions like Navarre and Galicia emphasize that the wind energy industry is a driving force for industry, not just energy, and are calling for stable investment conditions.
Hamburg as a barometer of the European wind energy sector
The German trade fair brought together thousands of professionals from over a hundred countries and served as a forum to analyze how to maintain the sector's growth. Discussions focused on high costs, pressure on margins, and bureaucratic procedures that slow down projects . International competition, particularly from China, was also a key topic, forcing Europe to defend its industrial base and manufacturing capacity.
For the sector, energy security no longer depends solely on installing more power. It also requires a European industry capable of reducing its external dependencies and limiting the use of critical raw materials. In this context, the trade fair showcased technologies that aim to avoid scarce resources, although the challenge remains scaling up manufacturing and maintaining competitiveness.
Navarra showcases its industry at the fair
Navarra participated once again in WindEnergy Hamburg with a group stand featuring a dozen companies. The regional government aimed to demonstrate its support for this strategic sector and facilitate business contacts for the participating companies. Among the key messages conveyed was the need to strengthen the "Made in Europe" label in the face of competition primarily from China.
The region boasts over a hundred companies linked to the green energy industry, with a combined turnover of nearly €4.500 billion and approximately 6.400 jobs, according to data from the Navarre government. Their presence in Hamburg is seen as a catalyst for opening markets , identifying trends, and generating business opportunities across the entire wind energy value chain.
Networks, storage and flexibility: the bottleneck
One of the most frequently discussed topics in Hamburg has been the grid. Increasing generation capacity is insufficient without the infrastructure to integrate and transport that electricity. Several European markets still lag behind in capacity and connectivity, and offshore wind power requires ports , logistics, and supply chains adapted to increasingly larger wind turbines. In Spain, this concern translates into concrete situations: when renewable energy production exceeds demand or wind power falls short of forecasts, the system must react.
Red Eléctrica has activated its Active Demand Response Service on several occasions, a mechanism that asks large consumers to reduce their consumption to balance generation and demand. In one of the most recent activations, the cause was a deviation in wind power output from the forecast: almost 9 GW were expected, but actual production fell far short. The company has ruled out any risk to supply, but the incident highlights the importance of better managing variability.
At the same time, the Spanish electricity market is experiencing periods of zero or negative prices, concentrated in the middle of the day, and some solar and wind power production is wasted because the grid cannot always absorb all the energy generated . For the sector, the profitability of power plants depends less and less on how much they produce and more on when they are available and at what cost. Intelligent maintenance management, using sensors and data analysis, can help avoid losing avoidable production hours, although it does not, on its own, solve grid saturation or price fluctuations.
In Hamburg, energy storage has gained prominence with its own dedicated pavilion. Combining wind farms with batteries and smart management systems can improve the efficiency of energy generation and facilitate its integration into grids with more renewable energy sources. This idea aligns with the challenges facing Spain, where flexibility and grid capacity are key priorities.
Galicia: Blocked projects and territorial debate
In Galicia, the Galician Wind Energy Association has emphasized that the region possesses its own resources, business infrastructure, and technical expertise to produce more renewable energy. Wind energy development is linked to reindustrialization and energy independence , as well as contributing to cost containment. The sector is calling for the unblocking of projects it considers strategic, while acknowledging that deployment is accompanied by debates surrounding landscape, biodiversity, public participation, and socioeconomic impact.
The association maintains that there is broad public support for renewable energy and that wind farms have been coexisting with municipalities for decades, generating revenue. It also calls for greater legal certainty for investments and argues that environmental procedures offer guarantees. In contrast, groups and organizations question some projects due to their potential environmental or territorial impacts, meaning that the future of wind energy in Galicia will continue to be shaped by administrative and judicial decisions, as well as by public debate.
An industry that also looks at the value chain
The European meeting served as a reminder that wind energy is not just about generation. Behind the scenes, there are factories producing blades, towers, nacelles, components, and providing installation, operation, and maintenance services. Navarre brought a group delegation of a dozen companies to Hamburg and championed the "Made in Europe" label to ensure a competitive edge. This value chain is what sustains employment and industrial capacity in the regions where wind farms are located.
The sector also faces the challenge of maintaining growth despite high financing costs, pressure on margins, supply chain issues, and administrative processes that continue to slow down numerous projects. Combining wind farms with batteries and smart management systems can improve generation efficiency and facilitate their integration into electrical systems with a growing presence of renewables.
The European and Spanish wind energy sectors are entering this phase with a shared understanding: their role in energy security and emissions reduction is undeniable , but growth depends on robust grids, storage, supply chains, and streamlined regulatory processes. In Spain, generation variability, zero or negative prices, and the need for flexibility demonstrate that integrating more wind power requires planning. In Navarre and Galicia, industry and local communities are demanding certainty to ensure projects don't fall by the wayside. The next edition of WindEnergy Hamburg, scheduled for 2028, will be another indicator of whether these conditions are in place.
