Massive Offshore Wind Event Comes to Aberdeen

Scotland’s largest offshore wind and supply chain event comes to Aberdeen this month.

Businesses from across Europe will flock to the city on January 27 and 28 to discuss hot topics like the Contracts for Difference funding regime, cutting-edge technology innovations and the huge amount of post-consent work still to be undertaken.

Every major commercial offshore wind project in Scottish waters received planning consent in 2014, but many challenges still beset the sector.

Lindsay Leask, Senior Policy Manager at Scottish Renewables, said: “While there remains much work to be done, the potential for offshore wind in Scotland remains as large as ever.

“That is already being recognised by the number of international visitors already signed up for the 2015 Offshore Wind Conference this year. Our Offshore Wind Conference is always one of the busiest of the calendar, with the sector being one which always provokes lively debates, and 2015’s event will be no different.”

Exhibitors who have already booked stands at the event include Belgian geotechnical and offshore services company GeoSea NV, French underwater acoustics experts RTsys and Babcock, who will be highlighting the international scope of their work. Delegates from Norway, India and Denmark are already booked to attend, among many others.

Day one of the conference will see leading figures from Scotland’s offshore wind development companies – including Ronnie Bonnar, Managing Director of Repsol Nuevas Energías UK and Jonathan Cole, Managing Director of Iberdrola Renewables Offshore – discuss if we are at the ‘start of a new era’ for offshore wind in Scotland.

Closing the day, the Innovations in Technology session will look at exciting developments in floating offshore turbines and the advances being made in technologies that will deliver the next generation of offshore wind across the UK.

After a gala dinner, to be held at The Chester Hotel, day two will begin with a plenary session entitled ‘The Future of the UK’s Offshore Wind Industry’. Chaired by Scottish Renewables Chief Executive Niall Stuart, participants will discuss what the CfD allocation process mean for the UK market and the benefits of international collaboration.

Later in the day, cost reduction – vital if the industry is to take off – will be under the microscope.

The conference is sponsored by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group, Invest in Fife Renewables, Aggreko, The Crown Estate, INTPOW, the European Regional Development Fund and the Enterprise Europe Network, and is supported by Scottish Enterprise.