International experts will talk about the current development of the markets, the political framework conditions, and the latest innovations in the industry. As usual, the main topics of this year's international offshore wind industry conference will be the current developments in the offshore wind supply industry, the European market and selected international markets as well as repowering, dismantling and recycling, floating wind and "green" hydrogen. Abstracts for presentation proposals can be submitted until 21 June via https://windforce.info/windforce2021/call-for-abstracts/.
The motto of WINDFORCE 2021 "Climate-protecting value creation" highlights the industrial policy significance of the future technology offshore wind. For Germany, the aim will be to support the value chain in a phase of lacking domestic offshore wind expansion to be able to participate in the long-term expansion plans in a value-creating way and at the same time to promote the internationalisation of German market players. The know-how of the supplier industry, built up over more than a decade, can make an important contribution to a cost-effective, secure energy system of the future and help to stimulate economic growth and employment growth.
"We are already looking forward to this year's 'class reunion' of the offshore wind industry and thus to many inspiring presentations and discussions as well as exchanges with WAB members and other colleagues from Germany and abroad," said WAB Managing Director Heike Winkler. "Scotland is the ideal partner country for the 17th WINDFORCE as we have already successfully brought the cooperation with our Scottish partner cluster, which was sealed last year, to life with a professional exchange in joint cross-cluster workshops," she added.
"Scotland's vast offshore wind resources enable some of the highest capacity factors in the world and create some of the best conditions in Europe for large-scale 'green' hydrogen production. The aim of our collaboration with WAB is to create an offshore wind partnership to support the decarbonisation of diverse industry sectors and promote supply chains in both countries," said DeepWind cluster manager Paul O'Brien.
"We are pleased to be able to create a diverse programme for the domestic and international supply industry with the international collaboration for this year's conference and hope to facilitate further delegation visits and field trips. We and the respective member companies of cooperating clusters like DeepWind can learn a lot from each other and support each other in the further sustainable expansion of offshore wind power - bottom-fixed or floating - and the combination with 'green' hydrogen," said the WAB Managing Director.
From a climate policy perspective, the expansion targets for Germany of 20 gigawatts by 2030 and
40 gigawatts by 2040 as well as the targets for 'green' hydrogen from wind energy must be considered in land use planning on land and at sea. In this way, the decarbonisation of the economy and society can be driven forward with base-load green electricity and "green" hydrogen from wind energy. As climate and nature protection is a common and indivisible task, a central aspect of future offshore wind expansion in the North and Baltic Seas will be far-sighted spatial planning that enables the co-use of marine space to provide sufficient areas for the generation of wind power and "green" hydrogen.
Picture © WAB/Wiwiphoto: Heike Winkler speaking at WINDFORCE 2020
About WINDFORCE
The WINDFORCE Conference has become the central meeting place for the offshore wind industry in Germany during its 16-year history. The WINDFORCE Dinner will offer participants the opportunity to enjoy the company of existing and new business partners in a pleasant atmosphere.
About WAB e.V.
Bremerhaven-based WAB is the nationwide contact partner for the offshore wind industry in Germany and the leading business network for onshore wind energy in the north-west region. The association fosters the production of "green" hydrogen from wind energy. It comprises some 250 smaller and larger businesses as well as institutes from all sectors of the wind industry, the maritime industry as well as research.
Contact
Hans-Dieter Sohn | Senior Communications and Marketing Manager WAB e.V. | +49 173 2382802 | hans.sohn@wab.net | www.wab.net
