UK: Offshore Wind’s Strong Role at All-Energy 2013

The UK continues to lead the world in the field of offshore wind, with industry projections predicting a total of around 8GW of capacity installed by 2016 and around 18GW installed by 2020, by which point offshore wind will supply between 18 and 20 per cent of the UK’s electricity annually.

Not surprisingly All-Energy 2013 (Aberdeen, 22-23 May), the UK’s largest renewable energy exhibition and conference, looks seriously at this key sector of the renewables industry, which already provides around 8 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity annually, equivalent to the electricity consumption of around 2 million homes..

Over 230 exhibiting companies, of the total of 580, have placed themselves firmly on the offshore wind trail, and a further 130+ on the offshore maintenance trail, round the exhibition being held at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC); some 16 hours of the main conference are devoted to offshore wind energy; and the show-floor offshore wind technology showcase area also has a strong programme.

“The representation within the exhibition by companies and organisations throughout the offshore wind supply chain is highly rewarding,” says Jonathan Heastie, Exhibition Director, Global Group Renewables and Alternative Energy of Reed Exhibitions Ltd. “They cover every element from feasibility and EIA studies through to installation and commissioning, and to the all-important post-commissioning operations and maintenance.”

Highly targeted conference sessions

Conference sessions devoted to offshore energy activities run throughout All-Energy 2013 (and end with a fascinating session of facts and figures and discussion and debate about UK content) and include:

Opening plenary session:

In addition to Rt Hon Ed Davey, Secretary of State, DECC; Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Scottish Government and Lady Susan Rice CBE, Managing Director, Lloyds Banking Group Scotland, two other speakers with offshore wind firmly on their mind, and in their presentations – Huub den Rooijen, Head of Offshore Wind Energy, The Crown Estate and Benj Sykes, UK Country Manager, Wind Power, DONG Energy/

Day 1 (all offshore wind sessions sponsored by The Crown Estate)

• ‘Current State of Play’ and the Way Forward, with Adam Bruce, Andrew Jamieson and David Blunt all on the agenda

• ‘Challenges, Opportunities and Solutions’

• ‘Testing, Testing, Testing’

• ‘Site Investigation and Environmental Issues’

Day 2 (first three sessions sponsored by The Crown Estate)

• ‘Technology’

• ‘Infrastructure and Cabling’

• ‘Business and Political Solutions’

• ‘Offshore Wind Opportunities in Northern Europe’, organised by UK Trade & Investment

And offshore wind is also included in the Day 1 session organised by Marine Scotland ‘Offshore Renewable Energy in Scottish Waters – Planning and Licensing for the Present and Future’; and ‘Marine Renewables: Working in the Offshore Environment and Alternative Approaches’ session on Day 2.

“There’s no doubt about it, anyone attending the conference will go away with a very complete picture of what is happening now in the offshore wind sector and an appreciation of how they, and their organisation, can best be involved,” says conference organiser, Judith Patten. “We are ending the offshore wind stream of conference sessions with ‘Business and Political Solutions’ a really upbeat session which demands maximum audience involvement and participation.”

Chaired by Ronnie Quinn of The Crown Estate, the session will first feature Tom Findlay, Offshore Business Development Manager, REpower UK Ltd who will look at the benefits offshore wind farms bring to local onshore areas and communities. “During the commissioning phase for a 160 turbine site up to 150 commissioning engineers could be employed for a period of two years,” he explains. “And, during the O&M phase for the same number of turbines, far from shore, 122 local employees for the turbine OEM could be required …. And don’t forget the ancillary services including hotels and accommodation, catering and transport.”

“Then debate and discussion takes over,” explains Judith Patten. “First three speakers will outline their role in ‘Alliance, collaboration and partnering’ and looking for the ideal solution through panel discussion and debate and involving the audience. And, finally in our second discussion ‘UK content in offshore wind, making the case for political support’ and ‘Made in Scotland? A politician’s dream’ two speakers, Dr Alun Roberts, Senior Associate, BVG Associates and David Still CBE of StillWind will put forward their perhaps controversial ideas and need maximum audience input in the discussion that will follow!

“The great advantage of All-Energy, with all sectors under one roof is that all our attendees can dip in and out of sessions at will, with no delegate fee to pay they can opt to attend sessions related to their daily ‘bread and butter’ or go to sessions on topics about which they know remarkably little, and come away with their eyes opened, and a potential business scenario playing in their head!”

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Press release, May 15, 2013; Image: all-energy