WWEA2010 Volker Thomsen

Dear Colleagues and Friends:

Like most of our World Wind Energy Conferences the WWEC2010 did showcase our unique position and our role of integrating all countries into our mandate to promote wind power generation and to cooperate with all technologies in a “Symphony of the Renewables” and in a close partnership with IRENA. There were many highlights and even some historical moments we need to celebrate and acknowledge.
First of all a warm thank to our host country Turkey and Istanbul the fascinating gate between the Orient and the Occident. Tanay and his team was a great host that together with a great leadership from Stefan Gsaenger in a very charming way lead us through a labyrinth of impressions in this great conference in one of the worlds most historic places and Europe’s biggest city with a vibrant population of 20 million.I expected a chaotic big city with lots of challenges and was pleasantly surprised how well the trafic and how resaonable well the events were flowing.
There were many highlights of which I want to mention a few of the most significant:
Giving IRENA  the 2010 World Wind Energy Award. IRENA was represented by the DG Helene Pelosse who has showcased with her small and dedicated team that they are truly committed to their mandate and the ambitious task to integrate the entire world including all small, medium and big size countries on the transition into sustainable future of RE of all kinds everywhere.
Together we identified some exiting joint areas of activities between IRENA and the WWEA. This is not the right place and moment to get involved in details, but one of the most pressing and rewarding areas where IRENA and WWEA can support each other and where IRENA even at the beginning of their journey can be active and become successful right away is to help prepare and train a global workforce and introduce standards for a never ending demand for skilled labour in the field. Windenergy generation installed capacity will grow from 200,000 MW in 2010 to 2,000,000 MW in 2020. In order to make this an economical, social and cultural lasting success it is crucial that the production, erection, operation and maintenance is efficient and reliable by developing and securing a first class trained workforce within this relatively new industry.  It makes me very happy and confident that this and other concrete tasks where identified for our joint effort all of them projects that meet an immediate global need.
It is crucial that IRENA’s first projects are going to be successful. It is therefore great that we have identified several areas where our mutual support will benefit all of us. IRENA is like a young delicate flower that is challenged by many interest of many colours and forms. WWEA members placed everywhere in the world have a unique opportunity to become happy and highly rewarded “gardeners” that will help IRENA to flourish and prosper.
The “Symphony of the Renewables” was another highlight and it became obvious that we together with our colleagues from all technologies are united in our goal to create a world of 100 % clean reliable and sustainable supplies and developments that will ensure prosperity even in the smallest village in the most remote area.
This brand new conference venue at this historic location where sultans used to reside was a great place for this years theme and also a good example of the challenges or better opportunities Wind Energy is facing in many countries including Turkey.
The courages Wind Generation Industry in Turkey has to be commended for their vision and determination. They also deserve a warm thank you for a most wonderful gala dinner in a great university and fascinating location. The delicate food & drink combined with passionate folklore made us all energized and encouraged to move on with our exiting journey.
The evening boat cruise was another memorable event with many big impressions. The dramatic scenery by night moved us back into 1000 and one nights, as well as into the future being right in the gate between the East and the West.
My personal highlight was the honour to speak the laudatio for IRENA getting the 2010 WWEA Award. It also reminds all of us about our unique opportunity together with IRENA and our colleagues from the other RE technologies to make a big difference in a badly suffering world full of wars for oil and oil spills that show us how badly mother Earth is bleeding from its wounds.
My warm regards and best wishes go to all delegates and organisers. To all the members around the world that for one or the other reason were not able to participate you should know that we badly missed you!
I encourage you already now to start planing your participation at the WWEC2011 in Cairo in May 2011 that without any doubt promises to be another exiting event.
Bless you!
Volker


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