(Washington, D.C.) — The 4th North American Offshore Wind Development & Finance Summit will bring together offshore wind energy experts from around the globe to discuss the latest developments in offshore wind energy such as site selection and economic development policies.
Summit attendees including policymakers, engineering firms, vendors and utility customers will discuss how to move offshore wind energy projects from the drawing board and into the water.
The Dutch are noted experts in offshore wind energy and the Netherlands is home to two large offshore wind parks in the territory between IJmuiden and Egmond aan Zee. The Offshore Wind Farm Egmond aan Zee (36 3MW turbines) and the Princess Amalia Wind Farm (60 2 MW turbines) produce enough energy to power 225,000 households. Each wind farm was developed in two different ways in terms of technical layout, methods of transportation, installation and financing.
Chris Westra, General Manager of We@Sea and Frank Wiersma, senior consultant of Ecofys have broad experience in each wind farm. Both experts will present at the Summit, on April 13th. Chris Westra will participate in a panel discussion on “Impacts of International Developments and Markets on North American Offshore Wind.” His report will explore offshore wind power In Northern Europe and detail the experience, trends and lessons learned in the Netherlands. Frank Wiersma will present a case study on “Offshore Wind in the Netherlands,” by looking at the Princess Amalia. He will also discuss the future of offshore wind energy in the Netherlands.
In concert with the Summit, the Dutch delegation will participate in a Round Table discussion with representatives of the Department of Energy to share lessons (and mistakes) learned in the EU and the Netherlands in offshore wind. These lessons can serve as a framework for the further development of the US offshore wind strategy. Topics discussed will include first-hand experiences in offshore wind park development and operations, the formation of the We@Sea and FLOW consortia in the Netherlands, potential obstacles, and opportunities for international collaboration.
The Round table will be held on Thursday, April 14th, from 5:30-7:30 pm, at the Royal Netherlands Embassy.
The 4th North American Offshore Wind Development & Finance Summit will take place at the Almas Temple Club at (address: 1315 K Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005).