Offshore Wind Insider

Our guest this episode is Steve Dayney, head of Offshore North America for Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy. We start our conversation with the company itself—what is Siemens Gamesa and what does it do? Then we get into some of the challenges facing this still emerging industry, and we discuss some ways in which Siemens Gamesa is working with stakeholders to deliver a trained workforce and a robust business supply chain to build the industry.

Then we shift gears a little bit. Steve shares some news about an historic award that Siemens Gamesa was conditionally awarded.

We close by looking to the future. Steve shares his thoughts about how he sees the industry developing in the near-term, mid-term and long-term, and he shares an area that Siemens Gamesa will be focusing on.

Recorded July 25, 2019. Published September 1, 2019.

Our guest this episode is Scott Jensen, Director of the Rhode Island Dept. of Labor and Training.

We start by looking at the Block Island Wind Farm, the nation's first and still only operating offshore wind project, and how it has shaped the workforce in the state. We then talk about Governor Gina Raimondo's vision for offshore wind and for positioning the state as a leader in continuing to meet the industry's workforce needs. We then dive into some of the industry's challenges and gaps, discuss some of Rhode Island's unique resource and programs, and even touch on the origins of the Quonset Hut. We close with Scott sharing some of his perspective having served in two gubernatorial administrations in two states at two different stages of the offshore wind industry.

Resources mentioned in the show include:

• Real Jobs Rhode Island
• Quonset Development Corporation
• ProvPort

Recorded July 25, 2019. Published August 20, 2019.

My guest this episode is Lars Thaaning Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer of Vineyard Wind, soon to be the nation's first utility-scale offshore wind project.

We begin our conversation with Lars and his background in the industry and with the company Vineyard Wind. We then devote most of our conversation to the Vineyard Wind project itself, its timeframe, where it stands in the permitting process, and some really interesting challenges it has faced and how it has addressed them. We close with a look at the economics of the offshore wind industry and some of the factors that affect it. Lars and I recorded this conversation at the end of May, 2019 – since that time the project has continued to progress through the permitting process and is anticipated to be only a couple of months away from starting construction.

Recorded May 29, 2019. Published July 28, 2019.

My guest this episode is Alejandro De Hoz, Vice President for Offshore Wind at Avangrid Renewables. We begin with Alejandro's background and then look at Avangrid Renewables, and its parent company Iberdrola, one of the world's largest electric power companies. We review Avangrid Renewables' US offshore wind portfolio including Vineyard Wind, soon to be the first utility-scale offshore wind development in federal waters. Alejandro shares some of his perspective on the industry, comparing the European experience with the US experience and touching on port infrastructure, supply chain development and the workforce, and we close with Avangrid Renewable's future plans.

Recorded May 28, 2019. Published July 24, 2019.

Our guest this episode is Lorry Wagner, president of LEEDCo, the Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation, and the developer of Icebreaker Wind.

LEEDCo is fairly unique as an offshore wind developer in that it's a non-profit organization rather than a for-profit developer. So we start our conversation with the story of LEEDCo's formation, and then we discuss the Icebreaker Wind project, soon to be the nation's first and only offshore wind project in fresh waters. We cover the project details, where it stands in the permitting and approval process and the expected construction timetable. Lorry discusses his approach to partnering with Tier 1 suppliers and other businesses to make the project happen, and shares his thoughts on ways to develop a domestic supply chain of local content to serve this new industry. Lorry shares his observations about how the Business Network and the IPF — the Network's International Partnering Forum conference — have evolved and grown, and we close with him sharing a neat but unexpected development with Icebreaker Wind.

In our conversation Lorry mentioned that Icebreaker Wind has received 13 of the 14 approvals it needs to move forward. Just a couple weeks after we recorded this episode, the project achieved an agreement with staff at the Ohio Power Siting Board. Lorry is optimistic that this agreement will move the project that much closer to getting final approval from the Board and hopefully a permit this fall.

References mentioned in the show:

• LEEDCo's Supply Chain Portal
• The Business Network for Offshore Wind's Supply Chain Registry
• The Business Network's Leadership 100 white paper
• Article: Oh, buoy! Lake Erie's mission to become a 'smart' lake just got a few more IQ points (FreshWater, May 9, 2019)

Recorded April 10, 2019. Published June 21, 2019.

Our guest this episode is Ditlev Engel, CEO of DNV-GL Energy.

We start our conversation by covering what DNV-GL does and its participation in the US market. We get Ditlev's perspective on the US supply chain, where he sees gaps and opportunities, and the importance of both the overall market size as well as a steady development schedule in order to maximize utilization of the facilities. We discuss the European experience, how Ditlev sees the economics of offshore wind becoming more competitive, and we close by looking ahead to technological developments in floating turbines and digitalization, and how we will integrate all of this offshore wind power into our electric grid.

References:

• Energy Transition Outlook annual report
• DNV-GL Talks Energy podcast series

Recorded April 8, 2019. Published June 12, 2019.

My guest this episode is Tim Fischer, Global Director of Offshore Wind for Ramboll.

We start our conversation with Ramboll – its mission and its involvement in offshore wind. We then look at the state of the US market – what's been driving its growth, and where Tim sees business opportunities. Then we look at the supply chain and the challenge the industry faces in delivering power at low cost while still meeting state requirements for in-state content. We then look at the implications of offshore wind for the US power grid, and how technological innovations may continue to shape the industry. And we close with Tim sharing his goals as a Board Member of the Business Network.

Recorded April 8, 2019. Published May 28, 2019.

Welcome to Offshore Wind Insider, a podcast from the Business Network for Offshore Wind. I'm Josh Cohen, and my guest this episode is Jason Folsom, National Sales Director for MHI Vestas U.S.

Jason has been active in the offshore wind industry for more than a decade and has seen a lot of changes, so we start our conversation with Jason himself and his background. Then we discuss MHI Vestas, its background and its business development focus in the industry. Then we look at the US industry more broadly, how the domestic supply chain might develop, and how local businesses can find their niche within the industry. We close by looking at the role of technology and how technological advances may shape the industry moving forward.

We recorded this episode during the opening afternoon of the 2019 IPF, the Business Network's International Partnering Forum held last month in New York City. So as we're talking you'll hear some activity in the background as exhibitors were setting up their tables. Next year's 2020 IPF is already scheduled, for April 20 through 23 in Providence, Rhode Island, so mark your calendars and visit 2020ipf.comfor more information.

Our guest this episode is Francesco Onorio, Head of Project Development for US Wind.

We start the conversation with a brief overview of the company: how it's involved in the US offshore wind sector, and its background as a part of Renexia and Toto Holding Group, a major civil infrastructure firm based in Italy. We then look at US Wind's Maryland Offshore Wind Project. Francesco discusses where it is in the project timeline, when they hope to have the project complete, and the impact they expect it will have on the local economy.

Then we shift gears and discuss the offshore wind sector more broadly. Francesco shares his thoughts on the benefits of the OREC financing approach in comparison with the Power Purchase Agreement approach, and we close with Francesco reflecting on the current state of offshore wind in the US, and how he sees it evolving.

Recorded January 22, 2019. Published April 11, 2019.

Our guest this episode is Jay Borkland, Senior Engineering Manager for Renewables at Lloyd's Register Energy Americas. Lloyd's Register has a long and rich maritime history which is well suited to participation in the growing US offshore wind market.

Jay is a noted expert on port infrastructure for offshore wind, and that is the main focus of this episode. During the first half of our conversation, Jay goes into detail about the different types of port activities needed to support offshore wind and describes the four different categories of port facility: marshaling, manufacturing, service, and operations and maintenance. Then for the second part of our conversation we look specifically at the East Coast. I ask Jay how he sees the port infrastructure developing, and then I ask him to peer into his crystal ball and describe how he sees things playing out over the next few years.

Recorded January 18, 2019. Published April 11, 2019.