The Floating Offshore Wind Conference

11 FEBRUARY 2025 | LONDON

Take On Board Hard-Won Industry Lessons Learnt To Define Practical Next Steps For Technical Advances & Commercial Success

The Roadmap To Achieving Floating Offshore Wind At Scale

Achieve Industrialisation To Reduce Costs & Increase Bankability: Industry Collaboration To Build Supply Chain Confidence, Adapt New Technologies & Accelerate The Deployment Of Floating Offshore Wind

 

08.30 Registration, Informal Networking & GIC Opening Remarks

09.00 Morning Chair’s Opening Remarks

Andy Rodden, Director of Offshore Renewables, Energy Transition Zone Ltd

SUPPLY CHAIN: FUTURES & COLLABORATION

09.10 Building Collaborative Relationships To Increase Supply Chain Capacity, Achieve Scalability & Secure A Roadmap To Success In An Uncertain & Evolving Market

  • Chicken or egg: can we improve collaboration to overcome the stalemate between developers needing solutions ready-to-go and the risk the supply chain faces in developing expensive solutions without the guarantee of a contract?
  • What are the criteria for developers deciding to bring supply chain partners on board?
  • How can developers and contractors develop collaborative relationships that go beyond tender to work towards common goals and ensure the success of the project?
  • What does the Floating Offshore Wind project pipeline look like? And what are the specific services it needs?
  • Stronger together: how can we set aside competition to achieve international collaboration which furthers the capacity, progress and commercial viability of floating offshore wind technologies?
  • Exploring the impact of raw material availability and manufacturing capabilities on the deliverability of floating – and what are the practical steps we can take to overcome barriers?

Walid Oulmane, Head of Ports & Industrialization, BlueFloat Energy

Lars Mikkel Reiersen, Project Director, Blåvinge

David Hinshelwood, Project Director, Fred. Olsen Seawind

Louise Thibierge, Supply Chain Manager, Blue Gem Wind

Chris Harvey, Category Director – Floating, Corio Generation

Cian Conroy, Head of Project Development, UK and Ireland, SBM Offshore

CASE STUDY: FOW MAJOR COMPONENT EXCHANGE STRATEGIES AND COMPARISON

09.50

  • An overview of tow to port and different in-situ methodologies for floating wind turbine major component exchange;
  • Findings from weather window and O&M modelling analysis of different FOW major component exchange methods on FOW case study scenarios;
  • Summary of some of the current challenges, innovations opportunities and key enablers for FOW major component exchange operations.

 

Brian Jenkins, Project Engineer – Floating Wind, ORE Catapult

NEW TECH SPOTLIGHT

10.10 Innovation Spotlight: How Is The Technical Landscape For Floating Offshore Wind Evolving In The Race For IP & Being The Established Technologies?

  • Technology selection criteria: when there are too many designs and too few opportunities to test, how can we wade through the different options available – for each component – to determine the best fit for the project?
  • Which technologies are emerging as the frontrunners? Why?
  • The scale of the turbines, the scale of the challenge – what are some of the most effective modelling approaches out there to pressure-test new tech?
  • Collaboration, collaboration, collaboration: what are the steps required to form a successful, mutually successful joint venture?
  • We are not on a brand-new journey! What can be learnt from a floating tech advancement point of view from the Oil & Gas industry? How can we take the skills and lessons learnt with us on the energy transition journey instead of starting from scratch?

10.30 Bonus Session, Reserved For Exclusive Conference Partner

11.00 Morning Refreshment Break With Informal Networking

POLICY & DUE DILIGENCE - FIRESIDE CHAT & Q&A

11.30 Hanging In The Balance: As The Floating Wind Market Stands On A Tipping Point, What Do Government & Policy-Makers Have To Say About The Roadmap To The Next 5-Years?

  • Hear from policy experts on plans to incentivise and propel market growth through coordinating suppliers and developers to build partnerships to accelerate projects
  • Updates to the consenting process to streamline the project development and advance projects at a quick-pace
  • Explore the actions that developers can take in advance of a project to maintain due diligence and prevent delays
  • Shared seas, shared costs, shared resources? How can we align with international players to ensure Floating Offshore Wind is addressed and invested in at a policy and government level?

Prof Ron Loveland, Energy Advisor, Welsh Government

PORT INFRASTRUCTURE: INCREASING DELIVERABILITY & CAPACITY - PANEL & Q&A

11.50 Port Infrastructure – What Are Our Options? From Investment Lobbying To International Harbours, What Can Be Done With Port Capacity Enable Floating Offshore Wind Scalability?

  • How can we lobby for significant port investment to enable them to facilitate floating offshore wind?
  • What have we learnt so far from floating offshore wind deployment about how the ports of the future need to look?
  • Different government approaches towards port infrastructure development – either way, how can we influence the developments to accelerate infrastructure capable of supporting Floating Offshore Wind?
  • How can installation and O&M be integrated? Analyse port capabilities to support floating structures’ long-term maintenance on and offshore
  • Expanding port capacity: explore the ways to overcome limited assembly areas within present structures and key policy steps to expand infrastructure to scale up project deliverability
  • Port alternatives? Are there solutions which think “outside the box”

Walid Oulmane, Head of Ports & Industrialization, BlueFloat Energy

Conor O’Dowd, CEO, Port of Galway

Al Rayner, Projects Director, Flotation Energy

CASE STUDY: DEFINING DESIGN

12.20 Defining Design: Real-Time Strategies To Confident Decision Making In Floating Platforms & Turbines

  • Streamlined decisions: hear reflective case studies on setbacks in design, installation and connection to enhance your project development
  • Embrace platform scale! Realistic factors to implement expanding platform and overcome potential O&M challenges
  • How does landscape influence floating design? Data strategies to determine environmental influences and how to realise this into development

Lars Mikkel Reiersen, Project Director, Blåvinge

12.40 Lunch & Informal Networking For Speakers, Delegates & Partners

PEER-TO-PEER DISCUSSIONS

13.10 A) Fuelling The Floating Offshore Wind Talent Pool

Andrew Aveyard, Business Development Lead for Energy, The University of Edinburgh

B) Floating Offshore Wind & Fisheries…A Natural Partnership?

Courtney French, Commercial Fisheries Manager, Gwynt Glas

C) Offshore Wind: How Can We Anticipate Environmental Impact?

Sion Roberts, Marine Consents Manager, The Crown Estate

D) The Industrialisation Of Floating Offshore Wind

Daniel Sumner, International Development Manager, Simply Blue Group

E) Cost Of Steel

F) Transportation & Installation

G) Offshore Wind: How Can We Anticipate Environmental Impact

H) Green Hydrogen & Offshore Wind

I) Decommissioning

13.40 Afternoon Chair’s Opening Remarks

Raquel Marques Mendes, Head of European Affairs, EDP

ADAPTING O&M STRATEGIES FOR FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND

13.50 The Scale Of The Problem: Building Safe & Cost-Effective Operations & Maintenance Strategies & Servicing Into Floating Offshore Wind Project Design

  • We know it’s expensive, we know it’s complex… but what have we learnt from early Floating Offshore Wind projects and demonstration sites about adapting O&M for floating?
  • Component exchange, turbine failures, moorings, cabling… just exactly what are the specific issues we are seeing with floating wind parks and how do they differ from fixed-foundation sites?
  • With O&M considerations being so much more complex, how does this change our initial component or supplier selection process during design?
  • When so much can change how can we accurately predict the long-term costs of O&M?
  • How do you generate and support a healthy, local supply chain?
  • Long-term costs vs short-term investments – with components warranties becoming increasingly prevalent in the industry and the insurance market responding accordingly, what do we need to consider when thinking about the shelf life of the wind park?

Alejandro Martin, O&M Technical Portfolio Manager – Floating, Vattenfall

Roberts Proskovics, Senior Floating Specialist, Corio Generation

DERISKING & FINANCING FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND: INVESTOR PERSPECTIVE

14.15 More Power, More Potential… More Risk: Increasing The Bankability Of Floating Offshore Wind – Appealing To Investors & Derisking The Market To Achieve Scalability & Maximise Returns

  • It’s not news that new floating technologies are risky… so what exactly are the biggest current investor red flags and what assurances do they need from industry to move forwards?
  • UK, EU, US, Asia… From tax deductions to CFD, new rounds and innovative funding mechanisms… how could the changing investment landscape dictate the future of green energy – and are there new trends emerging?
  • Raw materials, installation, O&M, labour, grid, ports, policy… are there specific technologies, locations or operational strategies which are more likely to secure investment – and why?
  • How can we make a plan for the future when many organisations are working with fixed price contracts from pre-2020 and a pre-COVID, pre-Ukrainian conflict world?
  • Floating offshore wind +… are there ways to collaborate with other sectors such as fisheries or hydrogen to sweeten the investment?

Thomas Füreder, Managing Director, Power & Utilities, Barclays

14.35 Bonus Session; Reserved For AXIS Capital

INDUSTRY CHALLENGE: DERISKING & INCREASING THE BANKABILITY OF FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND - PANEL & Q&A

14.50 Achieve Scale, Reduce Costs, Bring Down Risk: The Roadmap To Technology Refinement & The Industrialisation Of Floating Offshore Wind

  • Discussion point! How can we practically reduce costs without entering a race to the bottom?
  • Technology refinement on the route to market: how can the industry support the ongoing improvements to tech to allow supply chain to service and deploy what is needed?
  • The potential reward is enormous, but so are the risks… Why would you invest millions to win work where there is no guarantee of payout?
  • We need to industrialise floating offshore wind in order to achieve scale – how can we overcome the logistical hurdles of space, costs and capacity to scale up production and bring down costs?

Per Lund, Chief Executive Officer, Odfjell Oceanwind

Berna Meric Pekkaya, Director, Project & Infrastructure Finance, ABN AMRO Bank N.V.

Georgios Kalpias, CFA, Vice President, Global Banking & Markets, HSBC

Garron Lees, Head of Business Development Renewables Europe, DORIS Group

Christian Lambert, Vice President – Wind Origination, EIFO (Export and Investment Fund of Denmark)

15.30 Afternoon Refreshment Break With Informal Networking

CASE STUDY: FLOATING OFFSHORE WIND CONSENTING

16.00 Case Study

  • Reflecting on the unique consenting approaches for floating offshore wind projects – what were the challenges and successes?
  •  What can we learn from these experiences for the industry?
  • What can we see coming for FLOW consenting and how can it be improved/streamlined?
  • The importance of collaboration and communication

16.00 Melina Jack, Offshore Consenter, White Cross

16.20 Mailys Billet, Senior Consenter, Green Volt

GRID INFRASTRUCTURE

16.40 Connecting To The Future! Explore Practical Insights Into Expanding Grid Capacity, Improving Connectivity & Energy Storage Infrastructure To Ensure Energy Demands Are Always Met

  • Energy storage, floating substations, hydrogen production… how can we use all of the energy that is generated and maximise profits?
  • Understand the latest factors to consider in cable design to implement the best adaptions for your project
  • How can we offset ad hoc grid infrastructure developments when we are planning the long-term future of floating offshore wind energy?
  • An update into different regulations in grid connectivity

Helen Snodin, Senior Grid & Regulation Manager, Fred. Olsen Seawind

ROADMAP TO THE FUTURE & INDUSTRY AT SCALE - PANEL & Q&A

17.00 The Roadmap To 2030: Pushing Innovation In Floating Offshore Wind & Capitalising On Wider Marine Asset Opportunities  To Overcome Global Setbacks & Ensure Market Stability

  • Looking to the past: use learnings from established oil, gas and fixed turbine engineering solutions to accelerate floating offshore projects
  • The common good: see examples of how other marine industries can collaborate to maximise output and reach sustainability goals
  • Sharing the sea: real-world examples to anticipate and minimise the environmental impact of floating offshore wind
  • Net-Zero targets: realistic steps to scaling up the market to actualise carbon goals and creating consistent, reliable outputs
  • Floating offshore wind and hydrogen? And solar? What are the potential opportunities for wider industry collaboration to maximise energy output?
  • The floating offshore wind workforce: how can the industry attract the best talent to propel it forwards?

Christian Schrimpf, Director Offshore Continental Europe, RWE

Courtney French, Commercial Fisheries Manager, Gwynt Glas

Sion Roberts, Marine Consents Manager, The Crown Estate

Daniel Sumner, International Development Manager, Simply Blue Group

Joe Huddart, Biodiversity Solutions Engineer, NatureMetrics

17.40 Afternoon Chair’s Closing Remarks 

Raquel Marques Mendes, Head of European Affairs, EDP

17.50 Official Close Of Conference

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