DOB-Academy to Bring Offshore Energy Know-How Under One Roof

The former university library of the Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) is set to become a Dutch offshore energy knowledge hub following the opening of the De Oude Bibliotheek Academy (DOB-Academy).

DOB-Academy is described as the new education centre and meeting place for professionals in the offshore energy industry. The academy offers training sessions, workshops, seminars for the offshore energy industry, from introductory to expert level.

The current low oil price puts enormous pressure on the industry to develop more efficient solutions. The same drive is found in the offshore wind sector, which will need to become competitive without subsidy in the coming years.

“In both areas, you see challenging projects that require teamwork and mutual understanding,” said Jan Meek of Heerema.

The offshore industry is known for its large, complex projects that demand cooperation and innovation. Ranging from deep sea operations in oil & gas in over 3,000m water depth, to the enormous proportions of offshore wind turbines, the industry requires newcomers and experts to join forces.

“The exchange of knowledge between offshore wind and oil & gas will be a great help to reach cost-effective deployment,” David Molenaar, of Siemens Nederland, said.

“As we are implementing the national energy agreement, the industry faces the challenge to recruit sufficient new staff. Education is key, not only at student level, but also in training of professionals who join the industry from different backgrounds.”

The mission of the Academy is to provide industry capability building on introductory and expert level through classroom workshops and on-line modules. Furthermore, the grand former library building of the Academy will serve as a forum for the industry.

“The Netherlands has an offshore industry that is leading globally in these areas. DOB-Academy’s function is to reinforce that leading position,” said Jan van der Tempel, DOB-Academy’s founder and the author of ”Bluff your way in Offshore Wind.”

“The Dutch wind energy sector has a strong starting position, but is still relatively young and developing. This means many new people will enter the arena, creating new jobs. To get these new (wind) professionals up to speed quickly, we need to give the proper background and skills so they can have a flying start. A lot of knowledge is locked in minds and within companies and not shared. That is a shame considering the huge challenge the industry faces: not only rapid growth but also a required cost reduction of at least 40%. That means the industry must work smarter, more creative and more effective.”