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here\u2019s less than one month to go to the annual WindEurope event in Copenhagen on\u00a023-25 November\u00a0<\/strong>(\u201cElectric City<\/a>\u201d). Over 380 companies will be exhibiting. And we\u2019re expecting at least 8,000 people. The event will cover all the key aspects on onshore wind and offshore wind and will focus also on the electrification of the energy system and how wind can help drive it. So alongside the wind industry there\u2019ll also be people there from the transport, heating and hydrogen industries and from heavy industry. The stands have now sold out \u2013\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0is the floorplan.<\/p>\n Safety is our No. 1 priority<\/a>\u00a0for the event. We\u2019ll be doing everything to ensure things happen as comfortably and responsibly as possible. You can read our Health & Safety protocol\u00a0here<\/a>. You need a COVID certificate or recent test to attend. But there are no restrictions on movement \u2013 or stand receptions \u2013 once you\u2019re in the venue. You can register\u00a0here<\/a>\u00a0\u2013 and you do have to register before coming. There won\u2019t be any on-site registration.<\/p>\n Now, energy prices\u2026 The high energy prices across Europe are a top issue for Governments, citizens and businesses right now. Governments are doing different things to try to manage the impact. Many are reducing taxes on electricity and\/or shifting the tax burden from electricity bills to general taxation. This is good. Not least since it will help deliver a more level playing field between the tax treatment of gas and electricity. For too long electricity has been taxed more than gas per unit of energy consumption, and this has held back the electrification of heating and transport. Some Governments are also compensating consumers, household and industrial, for their higher energy costs. But some Governments have tried taxing wind farms and other generators more because they figure we\u2019re benefitting unfairly from higher wholesale power prices. This is bad. Spain tried it. Now Romania is trying it as well.<\/p>\n Meanwhile the EU Commission has published a \u201ctoolbox\u201d to guide EU Member States on how best to deal with the situation. It aims to protect vulnerable consumers and shelter Europe from the sort of volatile prices we see today. The toolbox says very clearly that the best solution is to accelerate the expansion of renewables. Because renewables are affordable, and they will help Europe reduce its dependence on non-EU energy supplies, especially gas. The toolbox welcomes what countries are doing to reduce electricity taxes and allows Governments to compensate consumers. But it gives no cover to Governments who want to claw back wind farm revenues. Good.<\/p>\n And one week after the toolbox Spain towed back significantly on its planned gas charge on wind farms. Good. But Romania has now brought in an 80% tax on all power producers for everything they earn above \u20ac95\/MWh. Even worse, they\u2019re now thinking of exempting all fossil plants from the tax. We are taking action with the EU Commission to push back against this, as we did with the Spanish measures.<\/p>\n Separately the EU Commission have confirmed as part of their toolbox on energy prices that they will issue guidance to National Governments next year on simplifying and accelerating the permitting process for renewable energy projects. We are working with them on the detail. They\u2019ve also called on EU Member States to step up renewable auctions, build more electricity storage and invest more in cross-border grids. You can read more on all of this in our press release\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Commission have also highlighted corporate PPAs as a key response to the current energy prices \u2013 in that they help ensure stable and affordable power prices for Europe\u2019s businesses. And they\u2019ve proposed a raft of new initiatives to facilitate PPAs. This was the backdrop to our annual\u00a0RE-Source Event<\/strong>\u00a0in Amsterdam last month:\u00a0Over 750<\/strong>\u00a0corporate buyers and renewables producers\/sellers met for a conference and B2B matchmaking. Everything was in-person and safe \u2013 and a great rehearsal for our Copenhagen event.<\/p>\n Finally, the annual WindEurope event on end-of-life issues and strategies (EoLIS<\/strong><\/a>) takes place on\u00a04-5 November<\/strong>\u00a0in\u00a0Brussels<\/strong>. The challenge of what to do with ageing wind farms gets bigger all the time. Most get their lifetime extended. But we need to repower much more if we\u2019re going to meet our 2050 climate targets. So what\u2019s the best legal framework for this? What about decommissioning \u2013 how do we deal with blade waste? And is there a way to make lifetime extended turbines more efficient?<\/p>\n EoLIS 2021<\/a>\u00a0will identify best practices and solutions. You can still register\u00a0here<\/a>.<\/p>\n