New Offshore Wind Business Initiative Launched in Denmark

Offshore Wind Denmark has launched a new initiative to improve the competitiveness in the Danish offshore wind sector.

Innovation groups will push developments, where companies in the offshore industry can meet and cooperatively develop new commercial and technical solution.

“The innovation initiative is aimed at all companies affiliated with offshore wind energy in Denmark. This means that the initiative also comprises foreign companies with a department in Denmark.

“The initiative is wide in scope to include a broad array of stakeholders across the entire value chain, and it is an offer to the offshore sector to strengthen its competitiveness through innovation and business development,” explains Chief Operating Officer at the Danish Wind Industry Association, Jakob Lau Holst.

Bladt Industries, a provider of offshore substations and foundations, is one of the companies participating in the business collaboration. Morten Dark, Division Manager for Wind & Renewable at Bladt Industries, sees the initiative as an opportunity to mature the offshore wind industry.

Offshore Wind Denmark has already had success with similar innovation cooperation in the offshore wind industry. In a similar partnership, Siemens Wind Power took part with the aim of creating more consistent procedures and requirements for occupational safety in transport and logistics.

Joint innovation

The initiative builds on the idea that offshore companies can advance by sharing knowledge and expertise about common challenges, ultimately benefitting the offshore sector as a whole.

“The Danish wind industry has a unique approach to business development. It is considered an advantage to share our common issues and challenges with other companies in the industry and listen to shared input and solutions. This way, we raise the bar for innovation, and work processes, standards and products are optimised.

“Companies with many years in the wind sector can take advantage of new input and new eyes on the challenges from newer companies in the offshore sector – and vice versa,” says Jakob Lau Holst.

Open and closed innovation groups

Two tracks lead to development of new ready-to-implement solutions, which means that companies have a choice of discussing their issues in either a closed or an open innovation group.

“The goal of the diverse innovation groups can be completely different, for instance to create common processes, standards or new commercial solutions. Throughout the process it is important to ensure mutual efforts and trust between the companies. Offshore Wind Denmark assists with this process as a neutral facilitator,” explains Business Developer at Offshore Wind Denmark, Johan Winther.

Press Release, May 09, 2014; Image: Bladt