The global energy system is changing, but not fast enough. While there is already a vast amount of renewable energy capacity feeding into the grids and the alternative fuel industry is growing, we cannot yet fully escape the warm hugs of gas heating and fossil fuel-powered cars. To reach the point where we can fully rely on clean electrons and molecules faster, the offshore energy sector and all its moving parts need to work not only alongside each other or with each other – but in harmony.
The road to net zero is a long and cumbersome one as there is no magic switch that can shift our energy and fuel infrastructure to a brand-new setting overnight.
All that we can do is speed up the progress and this is only achievable by planning and building clean energy infrastructure faster and more efficiently, decarbonizing the hydrocarbons sector, and continuing to innovate to bring the most efficient solutions to market and open new frontiers. All this needs to be done in sync with nature and with great consideration of the biodiversity while building and operating new infrastructure.
Furthermore, all this then needs to be done on a global level. Limiting global warming is not an impossible task in the hands of several select countries – it is a fully reachable joint goal of all the governments in the world.
For the energy transition to bear fruit in the near term and to reach the long-term objective, it is no longer enough for the offshore energy sector and its stakeholders to work alongside each other, or with each other. It is essential that every moving part works in harmony.
Throughout the past few editions of the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference, we have witnessed the offshore energy industries, public and private sectors, environmental organizations and other stakeholders moving closer together each year to plan the next steps and tackle the barriers within the energy transition.
The cooperation between the different industries in the offshore energy arena and the stakeholders is now stronger than it has ever been, with everyone gathered around one goal. Still, there is a noticeable need for all these different parts working on our energy future to become more synchronized.
Therefore, Navingo, the organizer of the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference, has decided to focus the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2024 (OEEC 2024) on one main theme: Harmony.
Harmony Between Offshore Energy Verticals
The offshore energy sector comes in many forms, from offshore wind energy, marine energy (including wave, tidal and floating solar energies), hydrogen, to fossil fuels (oil and gas and LNG), and is further supported by big industries such as green marine (clean- and alternative fuel-powered vessels).
We are convinced that a close-knit sector, encompassing all the verticals and their supporting industries, and harmony in the energy mix are key to reaching net zero.
OEEC 2024 will reflect this harmony by providing space for the entire industry to discuss the latest burning questions at the Offshore Energy Conference, with dedicated conference sessions for offshore wind, hydrogen, and topics that concern the offshore energy sector as a whole.
On the exhibition floor, we will once again set up the Innovators’ Dock, and the entire exhibition will lend itself to bringing the multiple offshore energy verticals and their related industries closer together.
In Harmony with the Environment
Even the cleanest sources of energy come with a concern for nature protection, especially as the infrastructure such as the one in offshore wind, is getting bigger by the day. With climate change being the focal point of all of the sector’s efforts, decarbonizing oil and gas assets is also high on the list.
The industry, together with the public sector and environmental organizations, is now taking things further with nature-positive and nature-inclusive projects.
At OEEC 2024, the conference program will, once again, provide room for discussions on how we could move forward with massive renewable energy targets and absorb the existing fossil fuel capacities while keeping in check our approach to nature and biodiversity.
On the OEEC floor, the industry will have the opportunity to see and learn first-hand about environmentally friendly solutions from different areas of the sector.
Harmony on an International Level
All of the above requires an international approach to create the most disruptive innovation, set the best standards for moving forward and for the world as a whole to reap the benefits of what the offshore energy sector, with support from the policymakers and environmental organizations, is working on.
One of the areas where OEEC is highlighting the international aspect is floating wind, a technology that is not planned to be installed in the Dutch North Sea waters, but which gathers a large group of the industries within offshore energy sector, including the Dutch supply chain companies, that are working on moving floating wind towards industry maturity.
In this year’s edition, OEEC will keep emphasizing internationalization, as well as innovation, which we deem crucial for achieving global objectives.
“This year’s event theme Harmony encompasses a range of aspects, including environmental protection, stakeholder collaboration, technological integration, safety, and international cooperation. Achieving harmony in these areas is crucial for the successful and sustainable innovative development of offshore renewable energy resources,” said Jaap Proost, Conference Program Manager at Navingo.
Ahead of the Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference 2024, we have also launched a dedicated website for the event: OEEC.biz. With a website solely revolving around OEEC, our exhibitors, visitors and interested parties now have a one-stop-shop that caters to all their event planning needs.
