The offshore wind energy industry does not believe the objectives set by the European Union. Only 7% of the executives in the sector surveyed declare full confidence in these objectives, therefore they demand that the community institutions guarantee the continuity and materialization of the projects.
Senior executives warn that measures such as the requirements to have European manufacturing and trade restrictions can generate significant difficulties for companies, by causing an increase in costs in an environment already conditioned by strong inflationary pressures.
The respondents point out three key areas where projects are particularly impacted: supply chains, local content requirements, and international trade limitations.
Three out of four doubt the planned deadlines
According to the conclusions of this study, almost three out of four participants consider it unlikely that the EU will manage to launch the planned initiatives within the announced deadlines and dimensions.
The document emphasizes that Europe has intensified its efforts to strengthen its strategic autonomy, increase energy security, and boost the production of clean technologies. To this end, it has tightened regulatory requirements for companies in their economic activity, with rules ranging from trade instruments to cybersecurity provisions.
In this context, the interviewees express broad support for the new cybersecurity requirements and support, albeit with nuances, mechanisms such as the "Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM)", provided that its implementation is manageable and is applied in a stable and predictable manner. On the other hand,
Faced with this scenario, the report proposes eliminating instruments such as tariffs and taxes designed to protect national production, with the aim of addressing the scarce availability, in the short term, of alternatives for essential components and services. At the same time, it calls for a broader regulatory framework that prioritizes stability and certainty for investment, as well as faster processing and execution of projects.