Highlights
- EIB provides 250 million guarantee to Denmark-based Danske Bank to spur wind power deployment and the industry.
- EIB support will enable Danske Bank to provide up to 500 million in guarantees for wind projects, helping to mobilise substantial private investments.
- Operation marks first InvestEU-backed agreement of its kind in Nordic region under 2023 EU wind-power initiative.
The European Investment Bank (EIB) and Danske Bank have signed an agreement to support European wind energy development. EIB will provide to Danske Bank a guarantee of up to 250 million to expand its portfolio of bank guarantees for support of production and delivery of the equipment needed for new wind farms. The EIB commitment will enable Danske Bank to provide up to 500 million in guarantees to the European wind industry, helping to mobilise substantial private investments.
As a key condition for commercial agreements on building large wind projects, manufacturers need to issue bank guarantees towards buyers before they can even start production or deliver turbines and other equipment for wind projects. The EIB pledge involves risk sharing with Danske Bank, which as a result will have greater capacity to provide guarantees and to accelerate Europe's renewable-energy transition.
"Europe needs more renewable energy and a strong European industry capable of providing it," said EIB Vice-President Ioannis Tsakiris. "Together with Danske Bank, we are helping wind manufacturers secure the financing they need to grow, innovate and deliver new projects. By supporting Europe's wind industry, we are strengthening the clean-energy supply chain and reinforcing Europe's energy security."
European Union companies are leaders in the global wind market, where they have a share of around 20%, and expanding wind energy is key for the EU to achieve its goal of climate neutrality by mid-century. In the EU, wind energy accounts for around a fifth on average of electricity generation and Denmark has the highest share at around 60%.
The EIB guarantee to Danske Bank is the first agreement of its kind with a financial intermediary in the Nordic region under the EU's 2023 "Wind Power Package" aimed at accelerating the expansion of wind energy in Europe and strengthening the competitiveness of European manufacturers.
"Scaling wind energy requires significant investment, resilient supply chains and practical financing solutions, including guarantees that enable manufacturers to take on new orders and deliver critical equipment. Danske Bank is a natural partner for the EIB in this area, combining deep sector experience, strong relationships across the wind value chain and a clear ambition to be a leading transition finance partner for our customers. With our roots in Denmark, one of the world's most advanced wind markets, we also build on decades of national expertise. Together with the EIB, we can help turn that experience into more renewable capacity across Europe," said Samu Slotte, Head of Sustainable Finance in Danske Bank.
Backed by the InvestEU programme, the EIB-Danske Bank operation also contributes to the 2022 REPowerEU initiative to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and promote renewable energy in Europe. To reach the EU target of 45% renewable energy by 2030, Europe needs to add 117 GW of wind power capacity. The EIB is supporting this expansion through its 6.5 billion European Wind Power Package, which is expected to support the development of 32 GW of new wind capacity.
Background information
EIB Group
The European Investment Bank (EIB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed 100 billion in new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects under eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investments union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe's markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.
The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees, securitisation and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor, through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.
Photos of the EIB Group's representatives and headquarters, logo files and video B-roll for media use are available here.
InvestEU
The InvestEU programme provides the European Union with long-term funding by leveraging substantial private and public funds in support of a sustainable recovery. It also helps crowd in private investment for the European Union's strategic priorities such as the European Green Deal and the digital transition. InvestEU brings all EU financial instruments previously available for supporting investments within the European Union together under one roof, making funding for investment projects in Europe simpler, more efficient and more flexible. The programme consists of three components: the InvestEU Fund, the InvestEU Advisory Hub and the InvestEU Portal. The InvestEU Fund is deployed through implementing partners that will invest in projects using the EU budget guarantee of 26.2 billion. The entire budget guarantee will back the investment projects of the implementing partners, increase their risk-bearing capacity and thus mobilise at least 372 billion in additional investment.
Danske Bank
Danske Bank is a leading bank headquartered in Copenhagen and one of the largest financial institutions in the Nordic region. Founded in 1871, Danske Bank serves personal, business, institutional and public-sector customers with banking, financing, investment, capital markets and risk management solutions.
Danske Bank has set an ambition to be a leading transition finance partner for its customers and to support the transition to a low-carbon economy. The Group provides financing and advisory services to companies and investors across sectors such as renewable energy, infrastructure, energy efficiency and the broader transition of energy-intensive industries. This includes solutions such as loans, guarantees, bond issuance, hedging and strategic advice.
Danske Bank supports customers across the wind energy value chain, including utilities, developers, manufacturers, suppliers and institutional investors. The agreement with the EIB has been entered into by Danske Bank's Corporate Loans Structured Export Finance team.
