Competition in the global wind market has never been greater. Therefore, the Danish wind industry is aware that new technology development is more important than ever. Also at the governmental level, there is a common interest to secure Danish workplaces and Danish exports.

After last year’s shocking staff reductions at Vestas, the Danish government presented a proposal for a future New Energy policy that represents a long trail towards 2050 and comes with a number of concrete initiatives for 2020. The proposals have been received with praise in the wind industry.

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This week, The Switch participated in the 2011 Delhi Sustainable Development Summit. A number of leading minds gathered here this week, including heads of state, economists, CEOs and other private sector representatives, to discuss sustainable development and economy from local perspective.

The notion of a Green Economy has gained momentum in recent years due to increased understanding of the links between the environment and the economy, and the emergence of climate change as a major global priority. If our future is to be in any way assured, our economies need to achieve human well-being without destroying the environment on which that well-being depends.

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In 2010, China’s speed in wind power development was probably one of the most discussed topics in the global wind power industry. Based in Beijing and looking at the development from this part of the world, I have made a couple of observations about the Chinese market trends in 2011. One thing is clear. While China continues to focus on building its own renewable energy infrastructure and establishing Beijing’s ambitious wind power capacity goals, the Chinese wind power industry has definitely started to gear up and they are eyeing West.

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China announced last week that it would restrict its rare earth export quota and the news came unwelcome for the Western renewable energy industry. In Beijing, a representative of a Chinese Ministry of Commerce think tank commented: “Foreign nations do not make sense when they blame China for reducing exports. Some of them can produce rare earth themselves. Nations that own rare earth resources should take the responsibility of producing and help supply global demand.”

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