The DeepWind 2024 conference in Trondheim once again stood as the flagship event in the realm of offshore wind energy. Offering a harmonious blend of technical and scientific presentations delving into cutting-edge research, alongside sessions that delved into the economic and societal aspects, the conference went more far as just a knowledge-sharing platform. It turned into a forum where profound reflections on the most effective governance structures unfolded, paving the way for coordinated actions within a European Center of Excellence. Co-organised by SINTEF and NTNU, the event is also co-financed by EERA JP Wind. So our members turned out in force and accounted for a large proportion of the 400 participants.
The day one kicked off with a bang as Norwegian State Secretary for Energy, Astrid Bergmål, officially opened the EERA Deepwind 2024 event. She laid out the government's measures to achieve offshore wind targets, setting the stage for a day filled with insightful discussions.
The lineup of keynote speakers was nothing short of impressive : Enrico Degiorgis from the European Commission shed light on recent policy developments, including the European Wind Power Action Plan. Following this, Yongqian Liu from North China Electric Power University provided a comprehensive update on China's significant offshore wind capacity, making it a global leader. Herbjørn Haslum of Equinor detailed the technological journey behind the Hywind floating offshore wind farms. Nenad Keseric from Statnett emphasized the crucial role of the grid in the renewable energy transition. Lena Kitzing of DTU discussed how contracts for difference can mitigate financial risks in capital-intensive renewable investments.
Then, Jacob Edmonds from Ørsted presented an optimistic outlook for the supply industry despite recent challenges, highlighting the need for scaling up to meet growing demand. FInally, our JP Coordinator Ignacio Martí of DTU called for a pan-European Center of Excellence for Wind Energy to coordinate efforts in a common research programme.
On the second day of the conference, we delved into a fascinating array of scientific presentations across three concurrent sessions. The diverse topics covered included grid connection and power system integration, substructures and mooring, operation and maintenance, wind farm control, wind farm optimization, and societal impact and regulatory frameworks. Additionally, a special side event took place to explore the various funding opportunities offered by the EU in the field.
The conference wrapped up on the third and final day with an enlightening closing session titled "Strategic Outlook," featuring keynote presentations from scientists, industry representatives, and a delegate from Utsira municipality.
Dorothy Dankel from SINTEF Ocean kicked off the session with her presentation, "Sustainability is more than a number: Enabling co-existence and multi-use offshore." She emphasized that those earning a living from fishing are not opposed to offshore wind and renewable energy; in fact, they support renewable energy but also seek to continue their fishing activities. Following this, Jan Kristian Haugeland from DOF Subsea shared insights into the work his company undertook on the Hywind Tampen floating offshore wind farm, highlighting key lessons learned. Lars Frøyd from 4subsea then presented "Quantifying effects of characteristic turbulence on floating wind turbine fatigue," addressing the loads imposed by wind and waves on mooring systems and tower bases, causing stress and aging. Michael Karch from Ramboll delved into approaches and challenges in the structural design process of floating substructures, emphasizing the complexities of creating accurate computer models for these structures. Grete Møgster, a business developer at Utsira municipality, provided a unique perspective by discussing her town and its residents' perceptions of offshore wind. Notably, the Utsira Nord area earmarked for offshore wind development lies within the municipality, which, with less than 200 inhabitants, is Norway's smallest municipality.
The conference's final keynote came from our Sub Programme coordinator and project manager, Paul McKeever of ORE Catapult, who presented NeWindEERA project. Funded by EERA JP wind and initiated in April 2023, it aims to outline a new strategic research program for the European wind energy research community. The final delivrable will be released on the WindEurope Conference in Bilbao.
