The EU Data Act and wind power: from captive data to generating value with data

For years, the wind energy industry has been talking about digitalisation, digital twins, data-driven decisions and advanced predictive maintenance, but in practice, access to data has remained one of the major bottlenecks preventing all these applications from being developed and creating a competitive environment.

This is where the EU Data Act comes in, as it provides a boost for companies that process data to offer value-added services by making it much easier for them to access raw data.

Let’s take a brief look at some of the impacts this new legislation may have on the wind industry.

What is the EU Data Act?

Regulation (EU) 2023/2854, approved in December 2023 and in force since September 2025, is part of the European regulatory package to build a genuine single market for data. Its main objective is to ensure that data generated by connected products and related services can be used in a fairer, more efficient and more competitive way.

Unlike the GDPR, the Data Act does not focus on privacy, but rather on three main areas:

The right of access and use of data by the user of the connected product.
Facilitation of data exchange between companies, including third-party service providers.
Reduction of “captive customers” through interoperability and data portability obligations, which are particularly relevant in data processing services and digital platforms

The Regulation will apply from 12 September 2025, with some obligations coming into force in stages until 2026. A good summary can be found here.

The wind industry as an example of application

Access to data has been one of the historical battlegrounds between manufacturers and operators. OEMs have always been reluctant to provide transparent access to turbine operating data, sometimes for justified reasons such as protecting intellectual property or competitive advantages, but in other cases with the aim of hindering claims or even achieving captive customers.

It is true that, over time and with the extensive experience of some operators, it has become increasingly difficult for OEMs to retain data, but even today it remains a source of dispute in the sector.

The reality is that the wind sector has been characterised by a lack of data sharing. Because of this opacity, not only on the part of OEMs but also on the part of operators who never share data with each other, the wind industry is one of the most backward in the development of advanced data-based services. Will the EU Data Act help to accelerate this type of service? Some experts have already described it as a game changer, but before jumping to conclusions, let’s start by analysing the possible impact by type of actor.

Impact on turbine manufacturers

This is possibly the group that will be most affected. The new legislation makes it clear that all unprocessed data that is not part of a trade secret must be made available to the operator at no cost. What does this mean for OEMs?

They lose their monopoly on data: they will be obliged to provide free and unrestricted access to the raw data generated by wind turbines to owners and, if they so choose, to third parties designated by them.

Contract review: manufacturers will have to redesign agreements, products and systems to comply with the new transparency requirements, provide for processes for sharing data under fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory conditions, and ensure data portability.

Commercial restriction: OEMs will no longer be able to reserve exclusive use of data and will not be able to charge for facilitating connection (e.g., SCADA OPC) or access to data by owners or authorised third parties.

New technical obligations: systems will need to be adapted to allow direct, secure and transparent access to data by owners, including interfaces, consent and traceability.

It might seem like bad news for manufacturers, but I believe the opposite is true. This regulation puts an end to an unsustainable, short-term practice that added no value to the business. From now on, OEMs will focus on doing business with data processing, i.e., adding value for the customer.

And this is where they can exploit their significant competitive advantages over third parties: in-depth knowledge of technology and their volume of data. OEMs should see this change as an opportunity to offer their customers services and insights that probably no other company can obtain.

Impact on owners and operators

For owners, there are only advantages, as it eliminates uncertainty and clarifies their rights:

Full and free access: they will have full access to the raw data generated by the equipment (turbines, SCADA systems, etc.) and can share it with third parties of their choice without depending on the manufacturer.

New opportunities: access to real-time data that allows them to optimise operations, analyse performance or negotiate better O&M services, and even charge a fee for giving third parties access to their data.

Greater bargaining power: increases the power of operators vis-à-vis OEMs and large suppliers, both in negotiating contracts and in replacing technology suppliers or migrating cloud platforms.

Greater competition and cost reduction: access to data lowers the barriers to contracting ISPs, independent O&M and specialised digital platforms, facilitating the entry of new players and reducing the cost of maintenance and optimisation services.

Impact on ISPs and digital service providers

Perhaps the main objective of the EU Data Act is to encourage and promote the creation of a competitive ecosystem based on the exploitation of data. ISPs and new digital service companies will see their raw material (raw data) become more accessible:

End of access barriers: independent O&M companies, advanced analytics, digital twins or energy optimisation platforms can access relevant data, with the owner’s permission, without contractual restrictions from OEMs.

New business models: the availability of data enables the development of innovative value-added services, from predictive maintenance or benchmarking to multi-technology portfolio optimisation and service marketplaces.

Competition based on intelligence, not access to data: differentiation will be based on the quality of analytics and solutions, not on privileged access to information.

Interoperability and portability: the ecosystem will be more open — data can be moved between cloud platforms or used by several providers in parallel.

It is clear that this new regulation should facilitate the emergence of a European industrial data market where technology start-ups and SMEs can create services based on previously captive wind data, stimulating innovation and the emergence of new companies. This is Europe’s big bet to try to build a digital sector and break the current heavy dependence on non-European technology companies.

Impact on current products and services

We spoke with our friends at Growind, a company specialising in wind asset optimisation, to find out their views on the real impact the new regulation may have on some of the most popular products and services in the industry:

SCADA

SCADA data — clearly raw performance and usage data — falls squarely within the scope of the Data Act. However, in many projects this data is already shared on a regular basis.

The main change here is legal and contractual: access is no longer a concession from the OEM but becomes a regulated right of the user. It will no longer be possible for full access to data to be optional or something negotiated by contract, let alone at an additional cost.

Condition Monitoring System (CMS)

CMS data is probably the most affected. This is raw, high-frequency data with great diagnostic value, which is not always delivered systematically.

The Data Act reinforces the right of access to this type of information, which could transform the predictive maintenance market. For companies that base their value proposition on advanced CMS analysis, this change represents a clear strategic opportunity.

Technical reports and processed data

These types of services are not covered by the regulation as they are processed data.

Conclusion

The EU Data Act represents a minor revolution for the sector. In the short term, it puts an end to harmful practices based on limiting access to data, but what is most interesting is the impact it may have in the medium and long term by promoting advanced data processing services where OEMs, ISPs and start-ups will compete to develop more advanced systems that provide more value to operators. And although it falls outside the scope of the regulation, hopefully it will help operators to share data with each other in order to create more opportunities and increase the speed of innovation.