Global Offshore Wind 2022 - Winners Recognised

For the Inaugural Global Offshore Wind Awards

The first Global Offshore Wind Awards took place in October this year, presented by the industry’s leading renewable energy association – RenewableUK. The Awards were an opportunity to recognise organisations and individuals for their outstanding contributions to the sector, celebrating achievements and inspiring others to innovate for the future.

Dan McGrail, CEO of RenewableUK, commented:

“When the sheer will and ingenuity of our people is put to the test, we accomplish extraordinary things. We put massive turbines in the middle of the sea to withstand the most extreme conditions, and generate sustainable power which will save the planet and costs less than every one of the alternatives. AND, we get better and better at every year – innovating, creating, inventing whilst giving opportunities to young people all across the country to prosper in our industry. And I reckon that, and so much more of what we do, is worth celebrating!”

We take a closer look at the Award winners and the projects and strategies they implemented that have earned them their accolades.

Offshore Wind Health & Safety, and Wellbeing

For Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farm, Equinor has created and implemented protocols that put health & safety at the very centre of site development to greatly reduce the risk of incidents. This included changes in the design of everything from turbines to foundations and service operation vessels. According to the judges, of particular note was the removal of more than a million offshore lifts over the project’s lifespan, as well as 10 years’ worth of craning. Health & safety has clearly been a priority during planning and execution of the project, embodying industry best practice and driving standards higher.

Performance and Reporting Transparency

Working with various offshore wind developers, Daniel Smith was the lead for Royal HaskoningDHV’s work on Ensis. Dan replaced post-content monitoring of offshore wind assets by spreadsheet with the web-based Ensis app, designed to extract information from DCO documentation and auto-generate a commitment register. The use of automation was key to enhancing the quality of post-content monitoring in a simple yet highly effective way.

Social Impact

Tony Quinn of Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult has been integral to the social change experienced in the Blythe area, having been involved in several projects. These include the development of the Blythe STEM Hub, which engages with over 2,500 young people in local schools to promote and support education in relevant topics (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Tony has also helped to establish the Energy Central Learning Hub, providing a new education, training and skills facility.

Equality and Inclusivity

Another win for Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, they demonstrated their impact on equality, diversity and inclusion with some truly inspiring personal journey statements, internal groups and external awards. With seven diversity groups – including interfaith, women and LGBTQ+ Allies – the organisation is a shining example of what it means to champion equality and inclusivity in the modern offshore wind industry.

Offshore Wind Energy Skills

EDF Renewables collaborated with Pembrokeshire College to deliver “Destination Renewable” by Gwynt Glas – a two-year course that concludes in a formal qualification for students aged 16 to 18-years-old. A fantastic educational initiative, this project offers a pathway into the low-carbon solution sector for young people with a passion and talent for sustainability and technology. It also serves to help build the next generation of the renewable energy workforce, strengthening relationships between industry and academia.

Supply Chain Innovation

This category celebrated the world’s first on-turbine electrical charging point, which was designed, built and tested by MJR Power & Automation, alongside their partners. Such a project facilitates the decarbonisation of the operation and maintenance phase of offshore wind farms, drastically reducing emissions. It is an exceptional example of the kind of innovation and forward-thinking that is driving the green energy market towards an even more sustainable and productive future.

Aspiring Leader

Angus Binnian from Vattenfall received this accolade for the “massive amount of enthusiasm and initiative” that he has shown throughout his early career. Even while still studying, Angus became a peer mentor providing wind farm design sessions at local schools and colleges, as well as getting involved with the local STEM initiative.

Just Transition Champion

Creating transformative career opportunities, Xodus delivered X-Academy – an initiative that provides salaried placements for 26 participants to gain industry-led experience in developmental work. The project addressed many of the challenges of transitioning in green energy, including financial support for individuals and a keen emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI).

Future Leaders

As the UK’s offshore wind sector grows, we will need more leaders who can trailblaze a path to the net zero world we aspire to. Helen Thomas from RWE has proven to be one such leader of the future, having been recognised for taking on and diligently managing crucial but commercially sensitive policies. The judges praised her commitment to her team and the advancement of the industry as a whole.

Offshore Wind Project of the Year

There are many offshore wind projects around the world that deserve recognition for everything they have achieved. The Moray East Wind Farm, Ocean Winds, is particularly impressive, generating enough energy to power 40% of households in Scotland. Having been established in 2002, the site has been developed over the years in order to utilise cross-sector technology and skills, and pioneer an innovative approach for offshore wind. In particular, the site has pushed the boundaries for water depth and distance to generate exceptional energy output.

Offshore Wind Gamechanger

The RecyclableBlade from Siemens Gamesa is the world’s first recyclable blade, innovatively fabricated from a new type of resin. This is a significant development given the industry’s strive for a more sustainable and circular economy, and it may prevent hundreds of thousands of turbine blades from being sent to landfill. Racing ahead of both demand and legislation, this is an excellent example of how organisations are raising standards of their own volition, driven by a passion and belief in what the sector stands for.

We will be looking at some of these projects and initiatives in greater detail in the coming months, but this goes to show the calibre of innovation, passion and drive that exists across the offshore wind industry. RenewableUK is delighted to have received many very worthy nominations in each category of these Awards, demonstrated by the announcement of several Highly Commended honours in different areas. An Outstanding Contribution Award was also given to Benj Sykes – Vice President, Offshore, Head of Environment, Consenting & External Affairs at Ørsted – who was praised as an inspirational leader and committed advocate for our industry.

Congratulations to all winners of the inaugural Global Offshore Wind Awards once again. To stay up-to-date with the latest news, updates and innovations in the industry, become a member of RenewableUK today!

Read the latest issue of the OGV Energy magazine HERE