The offshore wind industry is an important element in economic development in the North Sea Region. Yet SMEs working in this sector are still often at a disadvantage due to their scale, face complex procedures and are confronted with escalating costs. By establishing innovative collaboration agreements (regional, sectoral and transnational), we are supporting these SMEs in exploiting their innovative potential. We offer them efficient access to the available offshore wind market opportunities. Over the past years, the project partners in Inn2POWER have committed to setting up all kinds of initiatives aimed at strengthening this promising cluster. A selection of these accomplishments:
- Launch of the Company Directory, an online address book containing 2,379 registered offshore wind companies, making it easier to find domestic and foreign partners.
- Network Brokerage Tool for cluster managers to optimise their “matchmaking” service provision to businesses.
- 14 B2B-matchmaking events with a total of 1,215 participants.
- Development of a unique, sector-specific and transnational Offshore Wind Energy MBA. 70 people have already attended this training, comprising 9 modules and a Thesis.
- Realisation of an educational Offshore wind Escape Room, visited by 1,340 young people aged 10-12 and 16-18 years, in order to share the opportunities for education and careers among this target audience.
- Cartoon exhibition, created by Herr Seele and Kamagurka, at the Spinoladijk in Bredene, to highlight the many advantages of offshore wind Energy.
- In an effort to allow easier access to offshore test and demonstration facilities, we have bundled all information from 117 facilities in the North Sea Region on the online platform testfacilities.eu.
- Port Oostende has partnered WindEurope in developing the Offshore Wind Ports Platform, in order to exchange best practices and Know-how.
The European ambitions when it comes to offshore renewable energy are very high, as Europe aims to be climate neutral by 2050. It is therefore important that government organisations continue working together with clusters, academics and the sector. More news on how this will be achieved will follow shortly.
Inn2POWER in a nutshell
- Innovation to push offshore wind energy regions
- Over 4.5 years (October 2016- April 2021)
- 5 different countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, United Kingdom & Denmark)
- 11 consortium members (POM West Flanders, Blue Cluster, Port Oostende, Provincie Groningen, NOM, Hochschule Bremerhaven, Opergy, Kent County Council, Energy Cluster Denmark & Business Academy Southwest and WAB e.V.)
About WAB
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. www.wab.net
Contact
Hans-Dieter Sohn | Senior Communications and Marketing Manager WAB e.V. | +49 173 2382802 | hans.sohn@wab.net
