Electrify everything that can be electrified – WindEurope 2026

Madrid, April 2026 - "Electrify everything that can be electrified" emerged as a defining message at the WindEurope Annual Conference, where industry leaders and policymakers gathered to discuss Europe's energy transition.

The panel brought together key voices from across policy, finance and industry, including Airidas Daukšas, Deputy Minister of Energy of Lithuania; Duarte Bello, CEO of EDP Europe; Maria Romano, Head of the European Investment Bank Group Office in Spain; Javier Ormazabal Echevarria, President of Orgalim; Eva Chamizo, Director of European Affairs at Iberdrola; and Kai Schumacher, Senior Vice President at Evonik.

Ormazabal stressed that Europe's technology industries are ready to deliver the solutions needed to electrify the economy. However, he underlined that stronger policy support, clear demand signals, and robust impact assessments, along with effective follow-up of legislation, are essential to maintain competitiveness and unlock investment.

This aligns with Orgalim's EU Electrification Action Plan, which highlights that large-scale electrification is key to accelerating decarbonisation, reducing dependence on energy imports and strengthening industrial competitiveness.

Public officials reinforced the urgency. Joan Groizard Payeras, Spain's State Secretary for Energy, described electrification as "Europe's insurance against future energy shocks," calling for stronger action at EU level. Daukšas highlighted the importance of public-private partnerships to mobilise investment, supported by institutions such as the European Investment Bank.

From industry, Chamizo urged policymakers to prioritise electrifying industrial processes that are already viable today. Bello pointed to the crucial role of power purchase agreements (PPAs), noting that EDP has already signed 16 GW of PPAs to support electrification.

Romano emphasised the need to support innovation, stressing the importance of backing "people who are willing to take risks on what comes next."

The discussion comes at a pivotal moment, as the European Commission advances initiatives such as AccelerateEU to tackle the energy crisis and reduce dependence on fossil fuel imports.

Across discussions in Madrid, a clear consensus emerged: electrification is not only central to decarbonisation, but also a strategic pillar for Europe's energy security, resilience and global competitiveness. In closing, participants converged on a final point: beyond ambition, regulatory stability will be essential to secure long-term investments and deliver Europe's electrified future.