The largest wind energy sector trade show in Europe, EWEA 2014, was held in Barcelona in March and gathered more than 10,000 visitors from 60 countries to discuss hot topics in the industry.

Those included promising new markets, technological breakthroughs and regulatory improvements.

With high attendance levels and a buzzing exhibition hall, the overall vibe at EWEA 2014 was a positive one. However, speakers noted that the industry still faces challenges including securing 2030 renewable energy targets, building better electricity grids, and cutting costs.
João Paulo Costeira, Chief Operating Officer of EDPR, was a speaker at the event, who helped define priorities for the industry going forward.
"We must continue to focus on the reduction of energy costs," he said, noting that there is pressure from regulators as well as the general public."It's also fundamental for the industry to clearly explain the advantages of wind power, not only economically, but also at the level of employment and taxes generated that it brings."
According to EWEA, the sector provides 250,000 people with work in Europe.
The "Act on Facts" campaign from EWEA aims to dismantle misconceptions about wind energy through real, proven empirical data. The campaign was launched in Spain during the trade show, using data from a recent study by EDPR, Acciona and Ernst & Young, as well as other macroeconomic studies by consultancies such as Deloitte and others.

Learn more about the campaign here:
EWEA 2014 also brought more than 150 companies and associations together to sign the "2030 declaration," which calls on EU leaders to agree to ambitious and binding renewable energy targets at national level and bring supply security to Europe.
Brazil, Mexico and South Africa shined as new markets brimming with potential for the wind energy industry. Also during the event 10 leading CEOs revealed their company's strategies for survival, attendees heard that Google is looking to make more investments in wind, and Maria van der Hoeven, Chief Executive of the International Energy Agency, talked about the IEA's support for 2030 renewable energy targets.
Meanwhile, EWEA released new material detailing Europe's fossil fuel import costs, the IEA got frank about the effects of fossil fuel subsidies, and a separate EWEA report delved into a less publicized field - the massive consumption of water in the fossil-fuelled power sector.
Andrew Garrard, EWEA President, warned that the current crisis in Crimea shows how dependent Europe is on fossil fuel imports. An ambitious 2030 renewable energy target would boost Europe's renewables fleet and, in turn, energy security. Every EU citizen pays €2 a day for fossil fuel imports - or a total of €1 billion every day, he told the audience at EWEA 2014.​