Wind energy thought leadership helps shape industry direction, influences key stakeholders, and drives innovation. However, not all industry experts are putting their experience into practice.
Whether due to time constraints, uncertainty about where to start, or the misconception that only leading executives can become thought leaders, valuable insights often go unshared.
This is not only a disservice to the wider industry but also to these experts, who can not only catalyse change but accelerate their careers.
In this article, we highlight the most notable individuals with the potential to become wind energy thought leaders and explore why it’s worth their time to do so.
Of all experts who could become wind energy thought leaders, there’s none other more credible than the scientists and engineers that make wind energy possible.
From developing advanced materials that can withstand extreme weather conditions to developing AI-driven predictive maintenance, scientists literally push the boundaries of what's possible.
On the other hand, engineers see everything in practice. They deal with real-world challenges, troubleshoot issues, and find practical solutions to optimise performance in the field.
Their hands-on experience gives them unparalleled insights into the true limitations of wind energy, making them invaluable thought leaders capable of shaping the future of the industry.
By giving power to these individuals, startups gain an edge when seeking regulatory approval for a new turbine or storage system, while more established businesses instil greater trust in their products, gaining more customers, better partnerships, and improved investment prospects.
Like scientists and engineers, academics can become highly credible wind energy thought leaders that media and social media audiences regularly engage with.
They have experience translating complex research into accessible insights and can inspire young people to pursue careers in the industry, especially with recent research forecasting a 6-8% global shortage of skilled wind technicians in the near future.
Particularly at conferences, these professionals can help bridge industry with academia, accelerating the commercialisation of new technologies, supported by research.
In return, academics can raise their profile, thereby securing more senior positions within their universities, or like scientists, secure advisory roles within the government.
This is also in universities’ best interests considering how competitive the higher education sector has become.
Individuals working in government agencies, energy commissions, or international regulatory bodies are responsible for approving wind energy projects and allocating subsidiaries.
Given this influence, they have huge potential to become thought leaders who provide valuable insight into upcoming challenges and guide the rest of the sector.
However, many of these individuals avoid the public spotlight. Political pressures, limited resources, and competing priorities are often the main reasons.
But what they fail to realise is that by becoming so siloed, their contributions are scrutinised rather than recognised.
Without shifting this dynamic and creating more open dialogue with wind energy thought leadership, the barriers caused by misunderstandings and a lack of trust will create unnecessary roadblocks, both in terms of regulatory development and industry confidence.
Most people think about NGOs when they speak about environmental causes.
NGOs advocate for policies that promote the development of wind power.
They monitor the environmental impact of wind farms.
Engage communities in wind energy projects.
Implement projects sustainably.
Yet, many senior individuals often shy away from the spotlight.
Rather than building their personal brand, they prioritise their organisations cause, believing that its mission should take centre stage.
These individuals may also face resource constraints, worry about antagonising stakeholders, or lack the confidence to position themselves as a wind energy thought leader.
But all this does is prevent people from connecting with their NGO, and, quite possibly, pigeonholing it as a pressure group, which nearly always draws upon negative connotations.
In doing so, they can struggle to shape productive conversations without the need for protests and strike strategic alliances needed to access much-needed funding.
NGOs operate in a danger zone all the time, with threats of government defunding rife. So, it’s vital that they have leaders who can future proof them.
Energy system integrators design, plan, and implement systems that connect wind farms to the power grid, ensuring energy production, grid stability, and the efficient utilisation of wind power.
Despite their importance, wind energy thought leaders within this space are incredibly rare.
There are many reasons for this.
The technical, regulatory, and economic aspects of energy integration seem tough to simplify for a broad audience.
With the B2B industry being highly competitive, leaders may fear publicly revealing their strategies.
Leaders may also hesitate to take strong public stances on evolving topics, fearing misalignment with future regulations and policies.
But none of these excuses are sufficient.
If anything, as wind energy expands, insights into how international grids can be better prepared through innovative technologies like AI will continue to grow in demand.
Besides, the lack of wind energy thought leaders within this space gives executives an opportunity to set themselves apart.
600+ wind energy firms exist globally, all of which are fighting to become a market leader. Many of these use very similar operating systems and hardware.
To stand out, wind energy firms need a true face for their business.
Regulators want full transparency.
Investors invest in people.
Partnerships require networking.
Customers need educating.
Talent needs convincing.
Case-in-point, by committing to thought leadership, leaders can meet these requirements by sharing strategic messaging across blogs, social media, and media coverage to become more visible and raise their profile.
Wind energy thought leadership gives leaders the opportunity to establish better relationships with new audiences to solve various challenges stifling growth.
For instance, global farmers, reluctant to give up land for wind farms, are a prime audience wind energy leaders need to build trust with and encourage cooperation.
Alternatively, with wind energy facing significant supply chain constraints, leaders could use thought leadership to strategically target alternative material suppliers in new regions.
Over time, having amassed a significant amount of coverage, business leaders can become the go-to-voice for issues that are trending in the media.
Whereas wind energy firms would have been open to investment from any investor in the past, today, they are far more selective about who they partner with.
This isn’t only because there are more options for investment but because companies want investors who won’t end their support at the first sign of trouble, largely due to the industry being high risk.
Sustainable investors need to do what they can to convince firms they will provide hands-on support for the long term.
In our experience, wind energy thought leadership is one of the best ways investors can do this.
They can prove that they understand the industry well.
They can make bold predictions about where wind energy is heading.
They can highlight where companies could be improved with hyper-focused investment.
The end goal is to build trust and provide assurances so they can effectively strengthen their portfolio without opposition and, in the meantime, better the world.