Collaboration was at the top of the agenda for many of this year’s keynote speakers at the EERA DeepWind offshore wind R&I conference. In his opening address, SINTEF VP of Research Petter Støa emphasised the importance of Europe standing together to maintain global competitiveness and enable partnerships beyond its borders.
The theme resonated throughout the conference. From the DigiWind initiative’s efforts to build a skilled workforce across Europe, to Heidelberg Materials’ exploration of greener concrete solutions through large collaborative research and pilot projects, speakers showcased how collaboration is integral to overcoming industry challenges.
During the strategic outlook session, on the last day of the conference, Japanese industry leader Mototsugu Ikari called for greater international research alliances to achieve offshore wind targets, reinforcing the message that the future of offshore wind hinges on collective action.
Green Platform project Ocean Grid, which is nearly completed, was featured in both a keynote address and a special side event. The project looked at the North Sea’s offshore grid, and how it can be built through collaboration between companies and countries.
From scientists sharing insights at conferences such as ours, to nations pooling expertise, and companies joining forces to build the infrastructure of tomorrow, collaboration is not just a strategy in offshore wind—it’s the foundation for its success.
Keynote speakers
The conference presented a top roster of keynote speakers.
 | Petter Støa, VP of research, SINTEF |
 | Sverre Skalleberg Gjerde, Leading electrical engineer, Equinor |
 | Tuhfe Göçmen, Senior Researcher, DTU Wind and Energy Systems |
 | Florian Stadtmann, Research scientist, SINTEF, and NorthWind PhD candidate |
 | Gunnar Birkeland, CEO, Source Galileo Norge |
 | Davide Amato, European Commission, DG Research & Innovation |
 | Stephan Barth, Managing Director, ForWind – Centre for Wind Energy Research |
 | John Olav Tande, SVP Research, Development and Innovation, Statnett |
 | Capucine Vannoorenberghe, Adviser for Research & Innovation, WindEurope |
 | Ignacio Martí, Head of Division, Department of Wind and Energy Systems, DTU |
 | Ikari Mototsugu, General Manager International Alliance, FLOWRA |
 | Cristian Guillermo Gebhardt, Professor at UiB, Geophysical Institute, and Director of the Bergen Offshore Wind Centre |
 | Amy Robertson, Offshore Wind Group Manager, NREL |
 | John Sunde, Project Manager, Heidelberg Materials Northern Europe |
 | Nicolaos Cutululis, Professor at the Department of Wind and Energy Systems, DTU |
 | Trond Kvamsdal, Professor at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, NTNU |
 | Konstanze Kölle, Research Manager, SINTEF |
A wide range of research topics
Presentations during the conference covered an array of topics, from substructures and mooring to wind farm control, environmental impacts and met-ocean conditions:
- New turbine and generator technology
- Grid connection and power system integration
- Met-ocean conditions
- Digitalisation and AI to optimise operation and maintenance
- Substructures and mooring
- Marine operations and logistics
- Wind farm optimisation
- Experimental testing and validation
- Wind farm control
- Societal impact and regulatory framework
- Environmental impact
- Mass production and manufacturing
Poster awards
The conference concluded with the poster awards ceremony, recognising outstanding scientific poster presentations. One award was given for Best Paper, and another for Best Poster. The winners are:
- Valentin Chabaud, SINTEF, with the Best Paper award for his paper entitled “A Quantification of Power Fluctuations from Generic Offshore Wind Farms”
- Jelle Plets, Ghent University, with the Best Poster award for his poster “Converting Laser Scans of Tubular Joints to Finite Element Models”
Mark your calendars!
The 23rd edition of the EERA DeepWind offshore wind R&I conference will once again take place in Trondheim, on 14-16 January.
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