Offshore Wind Event 2018: Program and Speaker Line-Up

In 2018, the first subsidy-free tender was won. What will this mean for the future of offshore wind farms?

The profitability and financeability of offshore wind are key topics at this year’s Offshore WIND Event, which will take place on 22 and 23 October. Here is an exclusive look at the program and speakers:

Monday, 22 October 2018

10:00 – 11:00 – Update NL

This free-to-attend session is a pre-event to the Offshore Wind Event and gives an update on developments in the Dutch offshore wind industry.

Speakers: Ruud de Bruijne, Project Manager offshore wind energy, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO); Bob Meijer, TKI Offshore Wind

11:30 – 13:00 – Opening session: A new dawn for offshore wind

The keynote speakers in the opening session set the scene for the conference. We have entered a new phase in offshore wind power with zero-subsidy bids where governments take on and manage a share of the project risk. The focus is on innovations, bigger turbines with higher capacity factors and a solid government policy. Is this development sustainable?

14:00 – 15:30 – Thematic session 1: Energy security and offshore wind

This session looks at how the European energy system and reliability, optionality, storage of excess power, etc. Questions that will be discussed are: how is the system adapting to accommodate renewable electricity and to maintain energy security? How can power markets absorb large amounts of cheap electricity? What energy storage solutions are conceivable and which are available?

16:00 – 17:00 – Thematic session 2: Profitability and financeability of offshore wind

The LCOE of offshore wind has dropped dramatically in the last ten years. Earlier this year, the first subsidy free tender was won. What does this mean for financing of new wind farms and for the profitability of existing and yet to be built offshore wind farms? What new business models do experts see emerging?

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

09:00 – 10:15 – Thematic session 3: New Markets for offshore wind

The offshore wind industry is expected to grow to 120GW total installed capacity by 2030. Much of this growth will take place in Europe but there will also a considerable increase in capacity in North America and Asia. This session takes a closer look at growth markets and newcomers and the business opportunities they bring.

10:45 – 11:45 – Thematic session 4: New technologies and new talents in offshore wind

The technologies developed for and deployed by the offshore wind industry are continuously improving. In 2017 the world’s first floating offshore wind farm started generating power and more will follow. In order to keep expanding and maturing, the industry requires a new workforce. This session looks at the latest technology development in offshore wind and offers a platform for the ideas of the next generation of offshore wind professionals.

Speakers: Erik-Jan de Ridder, Team leader Renewable energy

11:45 – 12:45 – Closing session: The broader view

This session zooms out to allow a view on the world surrounding the offshore wind industry. It will discuss broad trends such as electrification of our economies, the geopolitics of renewables and the position and scope of offshore wind within the global offshore energy industry.

Speakers: Tim Gould, IEA

Offshore Energy 2018

The 9th annual Offshore Wind Event brings together the entire offshore wind value chain to discuss current and future developments. In addition to key project updates, topics include future-proofing business models for subsidy-free offshore wind, redesigning electricity markets for abundant offshore wind and solutions for storage.

The event one of four keynotes held during Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference. Offshore Energy attracts a global audience of offshore energy professionals and features an exhibition where over 600 companies will showcase their products and services. Offshore Energy covers both the exploration and production of the conventional energy resources, oil & gas, and the renewable part of the energy mix such as offshore wind and marine energy. It is the place to find out where the future of energy is heading.