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R&D funding for wind energy

Wind energy contributes to the priorities set out by the Lisbon Strategy (2000). This strategy sets the European Union the goal of becoming “the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion” by 2010. These objectives were complemented in 2002 at the Barcelona European Council, where Heads of States agreed that research and technological development (RTD) investment in the EU must be increased with the aim of reaching 3% of GDP by 2010, up from 1.9% in 2000 (1.84% in 2006 for EU-27).

If the Barcelona3% objective is to be fulfilled, wind energy R&D investment would have to represent an average of EUR 430 million per year. Two-thirds of this budget should be invested by the private sector and one-third by the public sector.

Average public annual support would then be EUR 143 million per year. If 50% of this support is provided by national (Member States) programmes, and 50% from EC programmes, the average efforts for the EC and for the national programmes (total) should each be EUR 72 million per year and increase with market turnover. The following section investigates past and current funding levels for wind energy R&D.