Wind energy plays a crucial role in the energy transition. Certainly with a view to 2050. Where will we be in 2021? What about the technology? Discover all about it in an inspiring masterclass and 2 thematic events in June!
- Masterclass ‘Supportive technologies for (offshore) wind energy’
- Event Emerging offshore technologies: ‘Production of green electrons & molecules at sea’
- Event ‘Back to the future. The past and future evolutions of (offshore) wind energy’
According to the European Commission's Green Deal, the European Union must become climate neutral by 2050. That means no more greenhouse gas emissions, in other words zero emissions. Fossil is definitely out.
To achieve this ambition, major investments are essential. For example in sustainable and alternative energy sources. Wind energy, both onshore and offshore, is set to grow significantly. The development of renewable hydrogen based on wind and solar energy is also a priority for the European Commission.
Technological innovation will be the key factor in making this energy transition a success. Solutions in various disciplines, such as digitisation, are needed to further reduce costs and increase the efficiency, safety and sustainability of these new forms of energy. Herein lie also opportunities for our Belgian industry.
It’s the technology, stupid!
Wind energy on land and at sea has been growing rapidly since the 1990s. Europe is setting the bar even higher for 2050: by then 300GW should come from offshore wind power. For comparison: in Belgium in 2020 we are at 2 GW, in the Netherlands at 3GW, in Germany at 8GW. We are heading for a sharp increase in offshore wind energy. New wind farms will be constructed, but they will also have to be maintained for a period of 25 to 30 years. New technological solutions are needed to optimise this maintenance and management, so that human intervention at sea is kept to a minimum.
Want to know more? Want to keep up? Then you should definitely participate in the masterclass 'Supportive technologies for (offshore) Wind Energy' on 4, 11 and 18 June 2021. During these three days you will get an overview of all (high) technological innovations in the field of new supportive technologies for the management and maintenance of wind turbines. The questions are numerous. What about artificial intelligence? What role can big data, monitoring of components and digital twins play and what is the current state of the technology? What will future generations of wind turbines look like? And how will robots, autonomous vessels and drones play a role in the management and maintenance of wind farms?
The big challenge will be to combine efficiency improvement with cost reduction. Various experts and international guest speakers (Ramboll, Siemens, Anybotics and ORE Catapult) will zoom in on the rapid progress and opportunities in the high-tech industry in the various sessions.
Hydrogen and derivatives from wind energy
Europe is also putting renewable hydrogen forward as a priority in the energy transition.
And that is what the second seminar of the summit is about: Emerging offshore technologies 'Production of green electrons & molecules at sea' on 8, 15 and 24 June. A thematic seminar that will take you along the most recent market and technology trends and give you an insight in some unique projects.
The ultimate goal is to decarbonise the production of hydrogen. Renewable hydrogen is a promising technology that will gradually be introduced in various industrial sectors. In this seminar we will look at how the marriage between offshore wind energy and hydrogen production is taking shape, but also what the (technological) challenges are for the coming years. We will also look at how green hydrogen can be used as an energy source on the installation and maintenance vessels used in the offshore wind sector. We also zoom in on other forms of offshore renewable energy, in particular tidal energy, and the combination of hydrogen production.
How did it grow, and how far do the trees extend?
Another exciting event will be 'Back to the future' on 30 June. A seminar looking back on the developments of the last 20 years in the wind energy sector. Belgian companies played an important role in the evolution of wind energy. And of course we also look ahead to 2030 and even 2050. Experts and specialised companies testify about how they have approached it. What were the success factors, what are the challenges that still need solutions? What technological innovations made the difference? And what can we learn for the future?
The icing on the cake during this event is the keynote presentation by Henrik Stiesdal, a Danish inventor and entrepreneur with more than 1000 patents to his name. In 1978 he designed one of the first wind turbine concepts, the so-called 'Danish concept' that later became a dominant feature of the industry.
We are looking forward to an inspiring meeting with innovators, early adopters and captains of industry!
Rendezvous in June!
