VBMS: Offshore Wind Industry Needs a Shake-Up

Offshore wind industry needs to be refreshed with new business models, innovative technologies, as well as new alliances throughout the supply chain in order to drive down costs and have a secure and sustainable future, the industry’s players heard during an event in Rotterdam.

“Governments are struggling more and more with the subsidies for offshore wind for the decades to come, and the stakeholders, such as financial parties, are demanding a further cost reduction,” said Arno van Poppel, Managing Director at the offshore cabling solutions specialist VBMS, which organized the meeting.

“There is a clear sense of urgency but I really believe that cooperation between the principals, the supply chain and the parties within the supply chain can bring the required cost reduction. However, this requires an alternative approach and a different way of thinking.”

Microsoft’s General Manager Developer Experience, Liam Kelly, shared developments within the ICT sector and looked at how the energy sector could benefit from lessons learned out of the ICT sector and Microsoft’s vision on technology.

Afterwards, a panel consisting of Kelly, Bart Oberink from RWE Innogy, Bernard Fortuyn from Siemens NL, Rolf Winters from Leadership Consultant, Jasper Vis from DONG Energy and van Poppel discussed the joint effort needed for a sustainable future for offshore wind.

“The conclusion and promise of our panel was to look beyond our own businesses and think in terms of new alliances, innovative technologies and new business models; to connect as an industry. Besides the business and financial sense of urgency, we also have a clear responsibility to our children and to our Earth,” van Poppel concluded.