Windcomm to Hold Offshore Business Meetings and Conference

Windcomm will host an offshore event OBMC (Offshore Business Meetings and Conference) on July 3, 2014 in Rendsburg, where effects of the EEG amendment on offshore industry will be one of the most important topics. 

“The implementation of the Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) and the development of a new energy market is a process in which we want to play an active role,” says Dr. Matthias Hüppauff, project coordinator of the wind energy network agency windcomm based in Schleswig-Holstein.

What is important is how the EEG amendment will be applied. An important issue is the tendering of renewable energy projects. “We recommend to exclude civil projects and smaller wind farms from the obligation to tender, so that medium-sized applicants and community energy projects can have bigger chances,” explains Dr. Hüppauff.

Windcomm Project Manager Martin Schmidt added: “For offshore projects, tender application should be tested first, so that we do not repeat the bad experiences of other countries, i.e. long process and monopolization.”

“Even when large corporations dominate the offshore industry, there are many niches for small and medium-sized suppliers,” says Dirk Zademack of Nobiskrug shipyard, which has already built two platforms for offshore wind farms with its sister company, the ADM Kiel GmbH. “Tender conditions for wind farm projects must be formulated in a way that the diversity of competitors is kept.”

Following political speeches and a panel discussion, participants of the OBMC 2014 will be able to discuss product innovation, cost reduction potentials and tenders by participating in workshops. After workshops are held, recommendations will be formulated, which will then be presented to representatives from politics and trade administrations at an evening reception.