NLA International was very pleased to support a webinar hosted by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) last week, exploring lessons in the development of offshore wind in the UK.

Presenters David Still CBE and Bill Grainger - both NLAI Associates - shared a wide range of accessible, practical advice on technical aspects and broader strategic drivers behind the UK’s progress. You can view their highly informative presentation here and their slide deck is available here.

Multi-function opportunities

We were also very keen to highlight the potential crossovers with the MARES concept, which looks to integrate marine renewable energy with other marine and maritime initiatives, in multifunction projects. The projects mentioned later in the presentation by NLAI Director Andy Hamflett include…

• "Participants in AquaWind – an EU project that aims to explore the integration of finfish aquaculture with offshore windfarms – recently met up to explore synergies with their equivalents in FLORA – which seeks to optimise and validate a prototype multi-sensor ocean station capable of producing energy to power its oceanographic data services." https://thefishsite.com/articles/offshore-aquaculture-renewables-projects-explore-synergies
• “The €8.2 million OLAMUR project, which aims to help integrate aquaculture production with renewable wind energy, kicked off in Norway last month.”
  https://thefishsite.com/articles/project-to-trial-combining-offshore-wind-and-aquaculture-kicks-off-olamur
• “The Stillstrom venture comprises a collection of offshore buoys that allow ships to plug into electricity generated by offshore wind farms, as well as onshore power-generation sites. The project aims to cut the use of fuel-burning generators used by ships to power onboard systems while they’re anchored or moored.” https://thefishsite.com/articles/offshore-aquaculture-renewables-projects-explore-synergies
• “British energy giant Shell has signed German engineering firm Thyssenkrupp to build a 200MW hydrogen electrolysis plant in the Port of Rotterdam which, upon operation, will be powered by electricity generated from the 759MW Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm.”
  https://reneweconomy.com.au/shell-to-power-200mw-hydrogen-plant-with-offshore-wind-farm/

Acknowledgments

We would like to give thanks to ADB (especially to Steve Peters for suggesting and Ranishka Wimalasena for moderating) for creating this opportunity.

Make sure you follow ADB’s work on Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies - as their strategy evolves there will be much more to come there.

NLAI offers a variety of strategy, knowledge and operational delivery services - in offshore wind and a much broader range of Blue Economy domains. To discuss any of these, please contact hello@nlai.blue.