August 20, 2026
18 Horizon Europe projects have joined forces to launch the Wind Innovation Cluster Hub (the Wind Hub), a joint initiative driving wind energy research and innovation (R&I) across Europe. The Wind Hub is the first shared structure connecting Horizon Europe projects working on innovative wind energy solutions. This new initiative will enable participating projects to exchange knowledge, enhance collaboration and coordinate activities.
Bringing together around 200 organisations participating across 18 projects, the Wind Innovation Cluster Hub aims to replace fragmented project-by-project outreach with a coordinated approach across the European wind energy sector. The participating projects involve partners such as Bureau Veritas, EDP, Technical University of Denmark, and Siemens Gamesa, alongside a wide range of research and industry organisations. The Wind Hub will coordinate communication, dissemination and stakeholder engagement activities, share lessons learned across projects, develop joint positions towards policymakers, and provide the industry with a single point of contact for wind energy R&I.
As industrial competitiveness and energy security move higher on the EU agenda, and global competition for wind technology intensifies, closer cooperation between Horizon Europe projects has become increasingly important. Yet research results often remain confined to individual projects. Their value increases when they reach the people who can use, test and apply them, as continued innovation across the sector is crucial for continuous growth and competitiveness.
The Wind Hub is organised around four thematic working groups:
- Circularity, sustainable and high-performance materials: recyclable blades, circular resins, advanced composites, high-performance components and end-of-life solutions that reduce environmental impact, costs, and social effects across the lifecycle of onshore and offshore wind energy systems.
- Digital monitoring, O&M and wind farm control: digital twins, AI-based monitoring, predictive maintenance, O&M optimisation, wind farm control modelling, forecasting and decision-support systems.
- Offshore wind technologies and infrastructure: offshore wind concepts, floating technologies, platforms, mooring systems, anchoring, offshore design, deployment methods and nature-inclusive solutions needed to meet EU offshore wind targets.
- System integration, grid and market readiness: HVDC interoperability, storage, grid integration, market value, offshore cables and associated electrical infrastructure.
The Wind Hub will participate at WindEnergy Hamburg 2026
The Wind Hub will meet publicly for the first time at WindEnergy Hamburg, where it will host an exhibition stand from 22-25 September 2026.
On 22 September, the Hub will host a one-hour session at the Speakers’ Corner. Wind Hub members will outline the benefits of bringing Horizon Europe projects together under a joint initiative. Presentations will introduce the Hub’s four working groups and discuss member projects’ innovations, challenges, results and expected impacts.
Members of the Wind Hub
ATLANTIC, BLADE2CIRC, DTWO, EOLIAN, ICONIC, INF4INiTY, LIGHTWIND, MADE4WIND, MERIDIONAL, REFRESH, SUDOCO, SUSTAINOW, TAILWIND, TWAIN, TWINVEST, VERTI-GO, WHEEL and WinDTwin.
For questions and inquiries about the Wind Innovation Cluster Hub, please contact:
- Juliane Lamvik, Communication and Dissemination Consultant, PNO Innovation: Juliane.lamvik@pnoinnovation.com
- Francisco Ngomo, Innovation Consultant, PNO Innovation: Francisco.ngomo@pnoinnovation.com
- Agustin Laplana, Innovation Consultant, PNO Innovation: agustin.laplana@pnoinnovation.com
