From renewable to reliable: How to unlock wind power for a secure energy future

The document positions wind energy as a primary solution for energy security and independence, citing its ability to reduce reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets. It highlights the role of wind in Ukraine's recovery and the EU's efforts to avoid fossil-fuel imports. To unlock full potential, the author calls for streamlined permitting, ambitious industrial policies to support manufacturing, grid modernization, and strengthened cybersecurity for digital energy assets.

• Wind energy is presented as a vital resource for energy security and resilience because it is local, decentralized, and fast to build, which helps countries stabilize electricity prices and reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets.
• In Ukraine, wind power is central to rebuilding the energy system and supporting long-term recovery, exemplified by the Tyligulska project by DTEK, which is intended to be the country's largest wind farm with 498 MW across two phases.
• The European Union has used Renewable Energy Directives (REDs) to expand wind and solar power, which now provide nearly half of the EU's electricity and have saved an estimated €59 billion in fossil-fuel imports over five years.
• Bureaucratic permitting processes in Europe typically take five to seven years, though Germany saw an 85% increase in permitting and an 18% year-on-year reduction in power prices in 2024 by applying the RED III mandate.
• The European wind industry supported over 370,000 jobs across the value chain in 2024, with companies like Vestas expanding manufacturing footprints in Italy and Poland.
• Energy infrastructure requires urgent modernization to avoid failures like the 2025 Iberian blackout, and digital wind assets need robust cybersecurity frameworks to protect against attacks on grid stability, noting that implementation of the NIS2 Directive in Europe remains slow and uneven.

APA

Andersen, H. (2026). From renewable to reliable: How to unlock wind power for a secure energy future. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/wind-power-for-a-secure-energy-future/

Chicago

Andersen, Henrik. From renewable to reliable: How to unlock wind power for a secure energy future. World Economic Forum, 2026. https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/wind-power-for-a-secure-energy-future/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Andersen |first1=Henrik |title=From renewable to reliable: How to unlock wind power for a secure energy future |publisher=World Economic Forum |date=15 January 2026 |url=https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/wind-power-for-a-secure-energy-future/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{andersen2026from, author = {Andersen, Henrik}, title = {{From renewable to reliable: How to unlock wind power for a secure energy future}}, publisher = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2026}, month = jan, url = {https://www.weforum.org/stories/energy-transition/wind-power-for-a-secure-energy-future/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }