Wiener Stadtwerke chief urges depoliticized wind power amid EU raw material import challenges

Peter Weinelt, the general director of Wiener Stadtwerke, said that wind power must be taken out of partisan disputes to help Austria meet its climate‑neutral target for 2040. He warned that reliance on imported natural gas is insecure and costly, and stressed the need for sustained effort in the energy transition.

At the same time, experts highlighted that Europe’s shift to renewable electricity will still depend on imports of critical minerals such as lithium, rare earths, gallium and arsenic. Professor Frank Melcher noted that while Europe has the geological potential for many of these resources, economic viability and public acceptance remain obstacles. The EU aims for a 10 % self‑sufficiency in several strategic minerals by 2030, but achieving this will require long‑term investment and mining projects.