Posted on February 3, 2022
The Business Network for Offshore Wind is hosting its inaugural Summit, bringing together industry stakeholders to discuss critical safety needs to support the growing offshore wind industry
For Immediate Release: February 2, 2022
Media Contact: Melinda Skea | melinda@offshorewindus.org | 202-709-9793
BALTIMORE – The Business Network for Offshore Wind is hosting its inaugural O&M/ Health & Safety Summit this week, February 3-4, in New Orleans. 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. The two-day summit will bring together industry stakeholders to discuss the nexus of support systems and critical needs to ensure worker safety and industry growth.
2022 promises to be another banner year as the industry continues to grow. In January, the U.S.’s second offshore wind project was approved to begin construction, a lease auction on the New York Bight was announced for late February, and yesterday Louisiana’s Climate Action Task Force released its first Climate Action Plan, a road map to net zero carbon emissions by 2050 that incorporates a goal of 5 GW of offshore wind by 2035. While the industry grows, its standards for operations and maintenance must keep up with the new demand. As a result, not only is data collection necessary but also understanding how to interpret, use, store, and protect that data is essential to the future success of the industry. Attendees will hear from government officials as well as industry experts, including Proserv, INPower, RWE Renewables, the Wind Energy Institute, Trauma Resus, Baker Donelson and more about how to prioritize the safety of the workforce needed to support the growing U.S. offshore wind industry and the domestic supply chain.
Inaugural OSW O&M Health & Safety Summit
Presented by the Business Network for Offshore Wind
NOPSI Hotel
317 Baronne Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
For press credentials, contact Melinda Skea.
February 3
O&M 101: An Overview of Operations & Maintenance in Offshore Wind
8:00 a.m. CST
featuring Business Network for Offshore Wind’s Ben Brown
Welcome Remarks
9:00 a.m. CST
featuring Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards and Business Network CEO Liz Burdock
U.S. O&M Market Overview
9:25 a.m. CST
Transitioning From Onshore to Offshore: Challenges & Lessons Learned
10 a.m. CST
featuring Samuel Tasker, CEO, Boston Energy, Diego Ramirez, HSE Director at Ørsted, Jane Heidingsfelder, partner at Jones Walker
Networking Break
11 a.m. CST
Turning Tides: Going from Reactive to Predictive for Cables O&M
11:15 a.m. CST
featuring Proserv’s Paul Cook, and JDR Cables’ Brian Davis
Lunch Break
noon
Using Drones For O&M
1:05 p.m. CST
featuring Brian Connon, VP of Saildrone
Understanding Insurance Needs for The Unique Landscape of OSW O&M
1:30 p.m. CST
featuring INpower’s Bradway Widing, Wx Risk Global’s Rebecca Leonardi, Cauffe McCall’s Tom Forbes, US Offshore’s Monica St. Claire, and Lloyd’s of London’s Peter Townsend.
Networking Break
2:35 p.m. CST
Physical Movement Demonstration: Investing in a More Resilient Workforce
3:00 p.m. CST
featuring Vimocity CEO Kevin Rindal
Creating a Sustainable and Effective Safety Culture in the Offshore Wind Environment
4 p.m. CST
Featuring The Reach Group’s President Jennifer Medcalf and CEO Dave Massey, Gate Energy’s COO Lee Jordan, and NOIA President Erik Milito
Networking Reception
5:00 p.m. CST
February 4
Transferring Skill Sets from Oil and Gas
9:05 a.m. CST
Featuring Techniques International Corporation’s Tania Zachari
Carrots or Sticks? Which is More Effective in Creating the U.S. Offshore Wind Industry
9:40 a.m. CST
Featuring RWE Renewables’ Marcus Peters, GWO’s Dan Ortega, and Wind Energy Institute’s Beate Hildenbrand
Networking Break
10:45 a.m. CST
Above And Beyond: The Case for Exceeding Minimum Safety Standards
11 a.m. CST
featuring Trauma Resus’s Rob Griffiths
The OSW Safety Regulatory Regime – What Will It Look Like in The U.S.?
11:35 a.m.
featuring Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement’s Cheri Hunter, Baker Donelson’s Chris Hannan, Hart & Pitre’s Loulan Pitre, and BSEE’s Cheri Hunter
Closing Remarks
12:30 p.m. CST
For more information or to arrange an interview with the Network, contact Melinda Skea at melinda@offshorewindus.org or 202-709-9793.
The Business Network for Offshore Wind is the largest nonprofit organization dedicated to establishing a robust offshore wind supply chain in the U.S. It advances the industry forward through education, facilitating partnerships, and events, including the International Offshore Wind Partnership Forum, the largest offshore wind conference in America. Learn more at offshorewindus.org.
