Ørsted CEO Rasmus Errboe Assumes WindEurope Chairmanship, Demands Policy Shift as Europe Prepares for Record 24 GW Wind Expansion

Rasmus Errboe, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of Danish offshore wind developer Ørsted, has formally taken office as the Chair of WindEurope for an 18-month tenure. Errboe, alongside newly appointed Vice-Chairman Salvatore Bernabei (CEO of Enel Green Power) and WindEurope CEO Tinne Van der Straeten, assumes leadership during a critical period for European energy security, industrial policy, and market design.

The leadership rotation coincides with strong deployment forecasts across the continent. According to WindEurope market analysis, Europe is on track to install a record 24 GW of new wind capacity in 2026—a capacity addition equivalent to the annual power consumption of 20 million European homes. Wind energy currently supplies approximately 20% of Europe’s total electricity generation and supports 480,000 industrial and engineering jobs.

Despite positive installation metrics, trade group leadership warned that high build-out targets remain vulnerable to supply chain bottlenecks, grid interconnection backlogs, and regulatory uncertainty.

Key Priorities for the 18-Month Term

• Grid & Infrastructure Expansion: Accelerated deployment of high-voltage transmission lines and substation capacity to relieve regional grid congestion.
• Industrial Electrification: Expanding power purchase agreements (PPAs) and direct electrification across heavy industry and transport sectors to ensure long-term demand stability.
• Framework Stabilization: Streamlining national permitting timelines and establishing predictable, coordinated offshore and onshore auction schedules across EU member states.
• Supply Chain Capacity: Strengthening local manufacturing capabilities to counter global supply chain volatility and protect European industrial competitiveness.

Internal modeling provided by Ørsted indicates that transitioning to a wind-heavy European power grid could decrease total systemic electricity costs by up to 30% by 2040. As Chair, Errboe will head WindEurope’s Board of Directors and manage regulatory engagement with European Union policymakers and national governments on behalf of developers, OEMs, component suppliers, and national energy trade bodies.