Sian Crampsie
WindEurope has called on European governments to allow continued operation of production lines in factories to help the wind industry cushion the impacts of the Covid-19 virus.
The organization says that the coronavirus pandemic now has “reaching impacts” on the wind energy supply chain and that it risks “grinding to a halt” as European governments apply measures to contain the outbreak.
Across Europe wind energy project developers have reported delays in the supply chain due to interrupted production lines in Asia and Europe. Workforce mobility and other logistical challenges are also holding up project development in the permitting, development and construction phases of projects.
WindEurope says that the wind sector “is organizing its workforce to protect health and safety, in many cases significantly reducing the number of workers on site” and that it is “critical” that equipment manufacturers can continue to produce essential equipment in factories.
“National governments need to allow for essential manufacturing processes to continue, in particular for the production of components without which global wind energy supply chains will grind to a halt,” WindEurope said, citing a March 26 statement from EU heads of government which said: “The EU (…) will also do its utmost to strengthen the sustainability of global integrated value and supply chains to adapt them as necessary and to alleviate the negative socio-economic impact of the crisis.”
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