As the offshore wind industry continues to mature, it is critical that its support systems (operations and maintenance, health and safety, and data) are strong and resilient across the industry.
With that in mind, the Business Network for Offshore Wind will host the Inaugural OSW O&M/Health & Safety Summit in New Orleans Feb. 3-4.
With several projects underway, 2022 may see a lot of steel in the water. The summit will tackle such questions as: What are the industry standards for operations and maintenance? Operational wind farms also require a trained workforce that values safety – how can we ensure that safety remains a high-level priority as projects get underway?
Tracking the industry’s operations, maintenance, and safety needs also means a need for data collection. The industry needs to know how to interpret, use, store, and protect that data, in addition to creating new systems to ensure the data is being utilized to support the growing industry sustainably, BNOW said.
The summitt is being produced by the organizers of the International Offshore Wind Partnering Forum (IPF).
Summit Agenda
Thursday, Feb. 3 (8:00a.m. - 5:00 p.m.)
O&M 101: An Overview Of Operations & Maintenance In Offshore Wind
Ben Brown, Director of Industry Education at the Business Network for Offshore Wind, will share an overview of operations and maintenance in the offshore wind industry. O&M 101 is geared towards individuals new to the industry, but is open to all attendees.
Speaker:
- Ben Brown, Director of Industry Education, Business Network for Offshore Wind
Transitioning From Onshore To Offshore: Challenges & Lessons Learned
Speaker:
- Samuel Tasker, CEO, Boston Energy
Turning Tides: Going From Reactive To Predictive For Cables O&M
Offshore wind is expanding at pace, with global installed capacity predicted to exceed 250 gigawatts by 2030. This requires hundreds of billions of dollars of capital expenditures and a vast demand for inter-array and export cables. The need for effective O&M strategies around this critical infrastructure is underlined by the fact that up to 80% of offshore wind insurance claims concern cable failures and, on average, one export cable failure could lead to 62 days of turbine downtime.
This session will also address other challenges ahead as offshore wind scales up, including how floating wind structures could impact preferred cable design.
Speakers:
- Paul Cook Business Development Director – Renewables, Proserv
- Brian Davis, General Manager for the Americas, JDR Cables
Additional panelists to be announced
Using Drones For O&M
Speaker:
- Brian Connon, Vice President, Saildrone
Understanding Insurance Needs For The Unique Landscape Of OSW O&M
As the U.S. offshore wind industry (OSW) continues to mature, it is critical that those who invest, develop, own, or operate OSW farms understand the specialized insurance/legal/finance solutions that are needed to meet the unique needs of this renewable energy technology. This session will showcase proven OSW insurance, legal, and, financial tactics as they relate to OSW O&M and Health & Safety balance-sheet exposures.
Speakers:
- Bradway Widing, Executive Vice President, Managing Director, INpower
- Rebecca Leonardi, Partner, Wx Risk Global LLC
- Tom Forbes, Partner, Chaffe McCall
- Monica St. Claire, CEO, US Offshore
- Peter Townsend, Director, OSW Marine, Miller, Lloyd’s of London
Physical Movement Demonstration: Investing in a More Resilient Workforce
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) account for nearly 40% of all workplace injuries in the utility industry. These injuries are not only impactful from a cost and lost productivity standpoint, but they also have a profound impact on quality of life both on and off the job. This lecture will address innovative strategies for preventing MSDs before they occur, while at the same time building a more resilient workforce. Attendees will also learn practical concepts for how they and their employees can play an active role in maintaining and optimizing their “movement health.”
Speakers:
- Kevin Rindal, CEO, Vimocity
Friday, Feb. 4
Sessions will be taking place from 9:00 a.m. EST to noon.
Looking At Health, Safety, And Environment In A Global Supply Chain.
Session speakers will reflect on the journey of Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) management, since the early days of offshore wind in Europe to the current global growth of the industry. Speakers will share highlights of HSE learnings and industry collaborations which have been key in developing responsible and safe ways of working and establishing new global supply chains.
Speakers:
- Marcus Peters, Head of Offshore HSE (Global), RWE Renewables
- David LaBelle, VP Environmental, Health & Safety, Avangrid
- Beate Hildenbrand, Manager, Offshore & Onshore Wind Energy Institute
Above And Beyond: The Case For Exceeding Minimum Safety Standards
This session will share the journey, experiences, and lessons learned following the implementation of advanced first aid across the fleet of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy windfarms in the United Kingdom, including examples of when it has been effectively deployed.
Speakers:
- Rob Griffiths, Director of Operations, Trauma Resus
The OSW Safety Regulatory Regime – What Will it Look Like in the U.S.?
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), have a long history of successes and challenges in regulating the safety of offshore energy production in the specific context of oil and gas operations. How will that experience and expertise translate to the offshore wind industry? What will the BOEM and BSEE safety regulatory regime look like for wind farms? What other regulatory agencies will play a role? This panel will discuss how safety frameworks for offshore energy have developed over the decades of “traditional” energy (oil and gas) operations, and how those frameworks may adopt, adapt, or evolve as wind energy operations come online in the U.S.
Speakers:
- Chris Hannan, Baker Donelson
- Loulan Pitre, Kelly, Hart & Pitre
Additional panelists will be announced
The Inaugural OSW O&M Health & Safety Summit will be take place in the Dryades Ballroom of the Nopsi Hotel in New Orleans.https://offshorewindus.org/omhse/
