WindEnergy Hamburg, the flagship fair of the global wind energy industry, had its opening ceremony today. At a press conference featuring high-ranking speakers, and at the subsequent official opening conference, panellists addressed the industry’s key topics, setting the agenda for the four-day event. Hamburg’s First Mayor, Dr Peter Tschentscher, delivered a welcome address underlining the importance of the international flagship fair. In their keynote speech, the two CEOs of Hamburg Messe und Congress (HMC), Heiko M. Stutzinger and Uwe Fischer, emphasised the outstanding role of the wind sector for a successful energy transition.
By Friday, around 43,000 participants from 100 nations are expected to visit Hamburg’s exhibition halls where over 1,600 exhibiting companies are showcasing their innovative products and services. Hamburg Messe und Congress Vice President Exhibitions Maritime & Energy, Claus Ulrich Selbach, said: “The energy crisis has worsened noticeably this year, developing an entirely new dynamic. The more important it is to take decisive steps now to curb its effects. Generating more energy from wind means reducing our dependence on imported fossil fuels while cutting CO2 emissions. WindEnergy Hamburg brings the key players to the table, lending fresh impetus to the industry.”
Independence, competitiveness, growth
Backing this notion, Dr Dennis Rendschmid, Managing Director at Europe’s leading machinery and equipment engineering association VDMA Power Systems, said: “WindEnergy Hamburg is the world’s foremost platform for the wind industry and a central meeting place for enterprises, policymakers and institutions along the entire value chain. At a time when the expansion of renewable energy must urgently pick up speed, this trade fair is a catalyst for the creation of a secure environment for investments, for innovation and international collaboration.” The President of the German wind energy association BWE (Bundesverband WindEnergie), Bärbel Heidebroek, believes this expo is taking place at just the right time: “WindEnergy Hamburg is one of the world’s key meeting places for the wind industry, bringing together companies, policymakers and experts from across the globe at a crucial time for the sector. As the German Wind Energy Association, we are committed to helping shape reliable conditions for further wind power expansion and to ensuring that wind energy remains a driving force of a secure, competitive and sustainable energy system. The fair is an important opportunity to exchange ideas, build partnerships and turn shared ambitions into concrete progress.” Tinne Van der Straeten, CEO of WindEurope, agreed that politics must ramp up its support: "We come to Hamburg with a clear message: wind is delivering for Europe. We are on track to install 24 GW this year – enough to power 20 million homes and avoid fossil fuel imports from 64 LNG tankers. That is the kind of momentum Europe needs for both energy security and competitiveness. But it won't sustain itself. Governments need to address grid bottlenecks, kick-start electrification and give us the coordinated auction volumes and 2040 target we need to keep investing,” said the former Belgian energy minister.
Asia and Europe as leading regions
“The transition to a clean, secure and affordable energy system begins with wind power,” explained Ben Backwell, CEO of the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), pointing to the current global challenges facing the wind industry. “In these uncertain times, countries, businesses and households increasingly favour wind power as the most reliable, cost-competitive solution for securing economic growth and energy security.” Backwell added: “WindEnergy Hamburg is an astonishing showcase for dynamic growth and innovation across the global wind industry. GWEC once again proudly hosts the Global Markets Theatre, bringing together policymakers, CEOs and industry experts to share insights on the future of wind energy worldwide.”
Lee Chuan Teck, Chairman of Enterprise Singapore, contributed his expertise on collaboration between Asia-Pacific and Europe as growth regions. He mentioned the government agencies Enterprise Singapore (EnterpriseSG) and Singapore Tourism Board (STB) as key partners of WindEnergy Asia-Pacific powered by RECHARGE, scheduled to take place in Singapore from 25 to 27 May 2027. “This successful cooperation reflects the dynamic and importance of Asia’s wind energy market,” said Claus Ulrich Selbach. “We were right on target as Hamburg Messe und Congress to take this step.”
Global players with ambitious plans
The common goal of driving the energy transition globally at scale was the subject of a discussion between leaders from major global players of the wind industry during the opening conference, including Vestas, Siemens Gamesa, EDP, ENERTRAG, Iberdrola, Ørsted, Flender and Vattenfall. GWEC was prominently represented by Chairman Michael Hannibal (Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners) and Vice-Chairman Girish Tanti (Suzlon Group). The new Wind Europe Chairman Rasmus Errboe (Ørsted) and his predecessor Henrik Andersen (Vestas) took part, as well. The Joint Secretary of the Indian government’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Rajesh Kulhari, and the Republic of Turkey’s Deputy Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Dr Zafer Demircan, reported on their countries’ ambitious goals. Beatriz Yordi, Director for Energy Security and International Relations at the European Commission, contributed the European perspective. Concluding the conference, the Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate, Stefan Rouenhoff, delivered a statement highlighting Germany’s efforts to support the European wind sector. He then officially opened WindEnergy Hamburg 2026.
With its panel of high-level experts, this opening conference gave a foretaste of the comprehensive supporting programme accompanying the expo. More than 300 top-flight speakers will lecture, present and discuss on six open stages. The main focus, however, will be on personal contacts at the exhibition stands and other locations. “Knowledge transfer and information exchange are a big part of what WindEnergy Hamburg is all about. This is why we have prepared a large number of networking opportunities,” said Andreas Arnheim, Director WindEnergy Hamburg and WindEnergy Asia-Pacific powered by RECHARGE. Participants can look forward to four expo days filled with inspiring information and activities.
