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COMMUNICATION HUB FOR THE WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY
HUMBER
REVISITED
BUILD&
SHIP
KENT SCHOOLS PROJECT
MAINTENANCE
CABLE INSTALLATION PLANNING

APRIL / MAY 2012 | 5.25
INTRODUCTION
A vARIED MIX AND A RETURN TO THE HUMBER AREA

VARIETY IS THE SPICE OF LIFE THEY SAY, BUT WE SHOULD NEvER BE SO vARIED THAT WE CANNOT FOCUS ON WHAT IS IMPORTANT
You will nd within our pages a varied mix, from a ship building and repair feature, which you cannot argue is an important area in offshore wind development; to a schools project aimed at introducing an initiative which is dear to our hearts that of the engagement of young people in our new and exciting industry. We also have a cable installation planning feature and a return to the Humber area that has really stuck its neck out and fully committed to the wind energy industry something which we applaud loudly in these days of indecision and prevarication.
SHIP BUILD AND MAINTENANCE
To say that vessels are important to the offshore wind industry is rather obtuse and an understatement. The industry is experiencing some exciting projects and we feature the largest so far, in Fred. Olsens construction of the Brave Tern featured on our front cover. Read more of this and other initiatives in this sizeable feature.
WIND ENERGY NETwORk TV CHANNEL AND ONLINE LIBRARY
These invaluable industry resources continue to build. Please give the team a call and nd out how to get involved in both. Remember they are free to contribute and free to access. Please also feel free to contact us if you wish to highlight any specic area within the industry and we will endeavour to encourage debate and feature the issue within our publication.
KENT SCHOOLS PROJECT
We will be addressing the present and future skills gap issue in all its factions in future editions we introduce the Kent Council initiative as an outstanding example of spotting an opportunity for its young people and doing something about it. We will be featuring other initiatives in our ongoing focus on the education and skills gap apparent within the industry.
SPOTLIGHT ON THE HUMBER AREA AGAIN!
We make no excuses for revisiting the Humber area read all about the businesses and organisations that have grasped the nettle and are already reaping the rewards.
INDUSTRY RECRUITMENT ONLINE
We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with a recruitment company who we believe is there to help the industry as a whole and not just here to make money in the short term please have a look online and let us know your views as we progress. You will be able to search on vacancies specically in the wind energy industry offering salaries of 35k plus.
Duncan McGilvray Editor | Wind Energy Network
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
01
WIND ENERGY NETWORK
A SHIP IN THE DESERT!

SHIP BUILD AND MAINTENACE
Our front cover image is the Brave Tern being transported within a desert location in the Lamprell Ship yard in Dubai a quite extraordinary sight to behold. We like commitment and there can be no question about just how committed this construction is being the largest vessel yet built to satisfy the wind energy industry.
SOUTH BOATS LEAD THE wAY
There are many new players in the wind energy industry and some who stand out from the rest. What is required in this new and exciting industry are companies and organisations which take the lead and invest in the future and those who do, reap the rewards. We feature South Boats, based in the Isle of Wight.
CWIND ATHENIA LAUNCHES AS PART OF AN INNOvATIvE BOAT SHARE SCHEME

Cost effective measures involved in windfarm construction, operations and maintenance are key to the future success of the industry. We report on CWinds innovative and unique boat-share scheme. Find out about these companies projects and more in this sizeable feature. Duncan McGilvray Editor | Wind Energy Network
02
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
PAGE 4 Kent schools challenge project an important ongoing initiative PAGE 6 Business development We welcome Andy McLaughlin from Sanders Training to the fold PAGE 8 Industry News Its all about you starts here PAGE 14 Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Centre PAGE 16 Your regular events calendar and whats new
PAGE 38 Humber revisited so much is happening in the area we just had to return to report on a continuing area of excellence in the wind energy industry throughout European, and beyond PAGE 62 ZF Services company prole PAGE 64 RenewableUKs new working group Small & Medium Wind PAGE 66 NOF Conference 2012 PAGE 68 Global Wind Alliance feature on the Danish Wind Power Academy, a GWA member company PAGE 70 Cable installation feature the importance of planning and preparation for cable laying PAGE 78 Engineering the Newcastle Chambers of Engineers (NCOE) continue their regular feature
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PAGE 18 Ship build & maintenance feature PAGE 30 UnderCoverCoach Deal or No Deal 2 Negotiating in the Workplace, part 2 PAGE 32 Union Electric Steel company feature PAGE 34 Health & Safety continuing advice from Risktec PAGE 36 Business development Paul Luen continues with Performance Measurement
PAGE 80 Wellbeing in the workplace Gill Main from Turnkey Solutions continues her series PAGE 82 EEEGR SNS 2012 conference we visit East Anglia PAGE 84 Your supply chain register starts here
GREEN ENERGY PUBLISHING LTD

Skellfield House, 12 Skellfield Terrace, Ripon, North Yorkshire HG4 1NE TELEPHONE 01765 644224 WEB SITE www.windenergynetwork.co.uk EDITORIAL duncan@greenenergypublishing.co.uk SALES sales@greenenergypublishing.co.uk
Wind Energy Network magazine is happy to accept unsolicited contributions for consideration. Editorial opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of Green Energy Publishing Ltd and the company does not accept responsibility for advertising content. The publishers cannot accept any responsibility for omissions or errors. The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without written permission.
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
03
ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE
KENT SCHOOLS
WIND ENERGY ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE

ADDRESSING THE wIND ENERGY INDUSTRY SkILLS GAP
It is now very apparent that there exists a skills gap within our industry, which is only going to get worse unless it is addressed urgently. As we see it there are 4 main areas to focus on if we are to satisfy that need excluding the considerable detail behind these stated areas for the time being, those are... Schools student engagement and awareness at the early stages of career development (ages 14 onwards) Schools 6th Form /further education schools/colleges Engineering and science graduate attraction universities Mature experienced individuals from other relevant energy industries/ sources e.g. oil & gas industry/forces etc We plan a major feature in a forthcoming edition to highlight each of these areas, however for the time being we report on an ongoing innovative initiative, which is related to the second bullet point above and acts as an introduction to what can be achieved. One of the many very interesting presentations given at the Quo Vadis conference in Belfast in 2011 was an initiative by Kent County Council regarding the engagement of young people in renewable energy.
KENT SCHOOLS WIND ENERGY ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE PURPOSE

Industry and Education, in partnership, to provide young people with a unique opportunity to raise aspirations and develop understanding of the renewable energy sector Image courtesy of DONG Energy.
Centre has specialised in sustainable technologies, particularly wind farm operation and maintenance. With the support of Danish Oil and Natural Gas (DONG Energy), 9 apprentices have been recruited to a new 3 year (Level 3) apprenticeship in Electrical Power Engineering: Wind Turbine Operations and Maintenance. The Centre is one of the founding members of a sustainable technologies consortium involving a number of training providers across North Kent. The Parents of a pupil who participated in the Challenge This challenge has been one of the only times our son has ever spoken about school work to us. He was so enthusiastic about the challenge that we couldnt stop him talking about it.
With the London Array Offshore wind farm, Thanet Offshore wind farm, Kentish Flats wind farm, and the Vestas option to buy land at Sheerness to manufacture turbines, Kent is ideally suited to benet from the economic regeneration opportunities provided by the wind energy sector.
Consortium was created to co-ordinate the training offer to the wind farm sector but also has a wide remit to promote engineering in general.
WORkING IN PARTNERSHIP AND CREATING AwARENESS
SkILLS STRATEGY
To exploit these opportunities, Kent must ensure that it develops the skills that are required to service this sector. Kent County Council has recognised this within its Skills Strategy for the wind farm manufacturing, construction, operations and maintenance sector. Central to this strategy is the development of skills, knowledge and interest in wind energy in the young people of Kent.
Working in partnership with the centre and employers, the purpose of the Wind Energy Enterprise Challenge was to promote the wind farm manufacturing, construction, operations and maintenance sector to Year 12 students in schools who were studying physics, maths and engineering options. The masterclass would raise awareness of the sector to students who might otherwise be unaware of the opportunities that it can provide for careers in Kent.
SwALE SkILL CENTRE AND DONG ENERGY
Kent County Council has supported the development of the Swale Skill Centre in Sittingbourne. In the last two years the
04
ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE
WIND ENERGY ENTERPRISE CHALLENGE FORMAT
Ten teams of six students from across Kent competed over two days to design a wind farm and simulate its operation over 30 years, with models. At the end of the second day each team presented its ndings to a panel of industry experts who judged the teams on a range of criteria.
DEMONSTRATING UNDERSTANDING
By the end of the second day each team was able to demonstrate an understanding of the issues involved in the design, building and maintenance of wind farms, and of the importance of the sector to Kent and the UK.
during the course of the two days and it is hoped that the whole experience will enable them to make informed decisions about their future as they progress from school into further and higher education and employment. Kent County Council www.kent.gov.uk London Array Offshore Windfarm www.londonarray.com St Johns Roman Catholic School winners of the second prize
Celebration of Learning winners Oakwood Park Grammar School Maidstone Kevin Donovan, Director of Windpower Renewable Solutions Kent County Council showed great initiative in creating the Wind Turbine Challenge and when Windpower Renewable Solutions were asked to participate in the event we were delighted to say yes. The event was superb, the organisation was perfect and it informed a large number of students about the benets of Wind Energy. It was an absolute pleasure to see the work that the students put into both the practical and the theory side of the challenge, it is so important to involve students of this age in the development of alternative energy, they are our future and this event certainly conrmed that.
WINNERS AND AwARDS
The winning team of six year 12 students came from Oakwood Park Grammar School who enjoyed a trip to Denmark funded by London Array. They visited DONG Energys Avedore Power Station and test turbines before heading to the Vestas Nacelle factory. The team who took second place came from St Johns Roman Catholic Comprehensive School and Wind Power Renewable Solutions funded a trip to Belfast. Students attended the Quo Vadis Conference for employers in the renewable energy industry and toured the Harland and Wolff shipyard.
Elias Dencker, Operations and Maintenance Project Manager from Dong Energy We were so pleased to see the interest from schools who wanted to enter the wind turbine master class competition, letting their pupils build micro turbines capable of generating electricity was a great way to teach them a bit about the sorts of jobs a wind farm can offer along the way. They all had a great time on their visit over here with us and now they all know more about London Array and DONG Energy. QUotes just some abbreviated quotes on the challenge full accounts can be found on the London Array website = See video library online
SIMULATION EXERCISE
The enterprise challenge gave students the opportunity to experience the challenges of choosing locations and planning; understanding and manipulating data to optimise wind turbine variables such as gear ratios and blade pitch, budgeting for design, build and maintenance of a wind farm, and experimentation and testing with model wind turbines.
STUDENT BENEFITS
Young people who participated in the challenge benetted from being exposed to the challenges faced by wind energy companies and the presence of senior managers from Dong Energy and Wind Power Renewable Solutions throughout the challenge enabled them to acquire an in-depth understanding of the industry. Students acquired a wide range of skills
05
BUsIness DeVeLoPment
BUSINESS DEvELOPMENT
Business development in the wind energy industry is no different from any other sector other than the fact that some companies have grown out of all recognition in just a few months, as witnessed in various articles which we feature on a regular basis. Growth of this magnitude is remarkable in itself but align it to that experienced in the present nancial situation throughout Europe, and to a certain extent beyond that, it is absolutely astounding. We therefore expand our Business Development section to include contributions from Andy McLaughlin from Sandler Training we are sure you will both enjoy what he writes, but more importantly use the information to help the development of your business.
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BUsIness DeVeLoPment
A BASIC RULE - One of the basic rules is,
IT iS BETTER TO GET A CLEAR no THAN WASTE TiME TRYiNG FOR A mayBe OR, EVEN WORSE, A weak yes.
In other words, it is important to disqualify prospects whose needs and values do not t with your companys offerings. Andy begins with a different view on selling... The effort to force a t is misguided. When you chase customers whose needs do not t with your core offerings and abilities, you end up with liabilities instead of relationships. The demands of a single bad t customer can be costly to your company, even in a short-term relationship.
A COUPLE OF POINTERS
PRiCE iSNT EVERYTHiNG!

Price isnt everything anymore, nor does sales volume guarantee protability.
You and your salespeople need to make the same distinction with your existing customer base when exploring ways to grow your business with them. In this case, the question of t is twofold: Is this a good fit customer with whom you can build a long-term relationship? What other product or service offerings does your company have which also provide a good t with this customer?
A CHANGE OF EMPHASIS
Marketing and sales have shifted from an emphasis on transactions, sales volume, and competitive pricing to an emphasis on creating and retaining the right customers. The key word is right. It means that not just any customer will do.
Finding a good t benets both you and the customer, which will result in a winwin relationship a foundation of good t customers is the key to long-term success.
FUTURE ARTICLES wILL INCLUDE...

The ABTs of selling Where does it hurt? Prospecting with a plan Get tough, get an answer Are you really listening?
ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP
Only customers whose needs t with the companys core offerings are likely to establish a relationship that generates prot. As a manager, it is critical for you to plan and implement sales strategies that will enable your sales force to gain, retain, and prot from long-term relationships with good t customers. The critical issue for relationship-oriented marketing is determining whether there is a t between the prospects needs and your companys product or service offering.
Better to sell to a good t customer whose demands your company can meet without straining its resources and competence, and who will likely buy from you again. As a sales manager, you need to know how to distinguish between good t and bad t customers. Then your people must have the courage to get a clear no from the bad t customers and the skill to bring home the good t customers.
Andy McLaughlin Sandler Training www.centralnorth-east.sandler.com
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AEROSTAT SURvEYS INNOvATIvE RADAR IMPACT SOLUTION

New start-up business venture Aerostat Surveys has come up with an innovative approach that could unblock many wind turbine applications held-up due to concerns over radar impact issues. This new approach is the brainchild of former CAA and QinetiQ chartered engineer, Adrian Clough, who has been involved with assessing the impact of wind turbines on aviation systems since the issue rst emerged 10 years ago. The idea was born out of the need to nd a more accurate way of determining impact of wind turbines that is independent and not subject to uncertainty.
THE BACkGROUND
Adrian explained that until now, radar impact assessments have been performed using computer-based propagation models that take account of the radar system components, the wind turbine structure and the terrain prole along the intervening propagation path.
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Whilst many such models have been validated, they are only as good as the input parameters they are fed. In practice, the radar may produce a different amount of power than assumed in the direction of the turbine, and the path loss may be higher than calculated as a result of buildings, vegetation and other clutter that is not captured in the electronic model of the world.
To overcome this, Aerostat Surveys has developed a system capable of measuring the strength of radar signals at various heights immediately above the proposed wind turbine site.
UNCERTAINTY
By denition therefore, computer modelling introduces a level of uncertainly, which is neither in the interest of the airport/radar operator nor the wind turbine developer.
Explained Adrian: Our equipment allows the system losses between the radar transmitter and the point-in-space where they would meet the wind turbine structure to be determined. Accurately knowing this allows better quantication of any effects such as reections and shadowing etc. Furthermore, thanks to the laws of physics, system losses will be identical in the opposite direction, and therefore we can accurately predict the strength of any reections nding their way back to the radar receiver.
Another benet of this approach is that where an impact is shown to exist, it is easy to play a number of what-if scenarios with turbine height, position and construction materials. We suspect that many sites that have previously been refused due to radar impact issues could turn out to be acceptable using this approach. We can also use the system in a similar way to assess the impact on navigation aids. He concluded: To make measurements in the sky, we use a tethered helium balloon capable of operating at heights of up to 500 ft above ground level. Along with the radar/navigation signals being measured, the balloon constantly provides GPS data on its position and barometric altitude. As well as being stable and reliable, the helium balloons operating costs are a fraction that of an aeroplane or helicopter. Aerostat Surveys www.aerostat.co.uk
e = See enhanced entry online

08 www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
OU!
SHERINGHAM SHOAL STALwART vESSEL COMPLETES ANOTHER PROJECT MILESTONE

A stalwart vessel of the Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm eet has left the Greater Wash after reaching another project milestone, the completion of the undersea works to prepare the site for the installation of the cables that transport the power generated by the wind turbines.
with cameras, lighting and special tools such as grabbing arms to carry out the necessary tasks.
and now preparations are complete for the installation of the remaining ineld cables that will transmit the power from the turbines to the offshore substations.
24 HOUR wORkING
REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLES
The teams on Smit Constructor worked on rotation around the clock, installing the funnel-shaped bellmouths along with lengths of plastic pipe through which the ineld cables will be eventually be fed. They also lowered net bags full of rocks and weighing several tonnes, aptly known as rock bags, into position to help stabilise the bellmouths and plastic pipes and prevent seabed scour by tidal currents and wave action.
SMIT CONSTRUCTOR
Working alongside the divers on the seabed were state-of-the-art remotelyoperated vehicles (ROVs) equipped
The 77m vessel Smit Constructor has been home and workplace to around 60 riggers, divers and other workers from contractor Visser & Smit for several months as they have undertaken work to ensure each foundation was ready for the arrival of the cable laying vessel.
PROGRESS
UNSEEN NECESSITIES
Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm now has 31 of its 88 turbines in place and is scheduled for completion in late summer 2012.
Offshore wind farms are known by the white wind turbines standing high above the waves, but of equal importance is what people do not see - the subsea components including foundations, cables and associated equipment hidden below the water but vital to every project. At the 317MW Scira Offshore Energy project, the foundations are all in place
The project is owned equally by Statoil and Statkraft through joint venture company Scira Offshore Energy Limited. Statoil is the project manager during construction, while Scira will be responsible for the longterm operations and maintenance. Scira Offshore Energy Limited www.scira.co.uk
Divers arrive back on board after a stint underwater at the wind farm.
09
ENERGI COAST BOASTS ANOTHER vALUABLE RECRUIT

Energi Coast, North East Englands Renewables Group, has added Modus Seabed Intervention, one of the regions leading subsea specialist companies to its Executive Group. Taking Energi Coasts Executive Group to 20, the addition of Modus the rst company to join the core group since the launch of the initiative - adds to North East Englands voice as it aims to realise its ambition to become a global hub for offshore renewable energy solutions. in offshore wind. This gure is forecast to double as the offshore renewables market expands, which will have a signicant impact on the regions economy and supporting supply chain. the regions integrated supply chain in servicing the offshore renewables market in the UK and internationally. Jake Tompkins, Managing Director of Modus, said: Energi Coast aims to take North East Englands offshore renewable energy capability and turn it into a major economic driver within the region. I truly believe that the regions economic future can be signicantly enhanced by the work of Energi Coast, which is why I wanted to get on board and add Modus voice to this important initiative. George Rafferty, Chief Executive of NOF Energy, said: Modus is a growing company, operating signicantly in the renewable energy market. Its subsea capability and strong North East England roots and supply chain are an ideal t with Energi Coasts ambitions and add strength to the Executive Group. Modus Seabed Intervention www.modus-ltd.com NOF Energy www.nofenergy.co.uk
STRATEGIC LOCATION
INTERNATIONAL PLAYER
North East England is a key strategic location for the offshore renewables sector. Modus operates with a supply chain which is almost 100% within North East England, including personnel from the region, manufacture and development of its remote operated vehicle eet on Tyneside and maintenance facilities on the banks of the Tees.
Darlington-based Modus is an international subsea trenching and construction support contractor, operating in renewable energy, oil & gas and telecommunications markets.
REGIONAL INvESTMENT
Energi Coast was launched in October 2011, marking almost 400million of investment aimed at promoting the extensive expertise within the region and securing a portion of the 1billion global market. The companies in Energi Coast currently employ around 6,000 people, which are forecast to grow by 30 percent as Round 3 offshore wind activities gather pace.
NOF ENERGY INFLUENCE
Energi Coast, which has been brought together by UK energy sector business support organisation NOF Energy, will promote the wide-ranging capabilities of
Energi Coast Dep Chair Joanne Leng, Modus MD Jake Tompkins and NOF Energy CEO George Rafferty.

= See video library online Energi Coast www.energicoast.co.uk
IMPRESSIvE TURNOvER
Energi Coast companies currently have a combined turnover of more than 200million

= See video library online
LOwESTOFT COLLEGE WIND TURBINE TRAINING TOwER OPENS

Lowestoft Colleges wind turbine training tower has been ofcially opened by Waveney MP Peter Aldous.
PARTNERSHIP
The wind turbine was constructed thanks to a partnership between the College and the National Wind Farm Training
Centre (NWTFC). The tower, measuring 18 metres, is used to train workers in the wind farm industry and will include a wind turbine transfer ladder and helicopter hoist. In time, it will also include its Simon Summers (left) own hub and blade. and Peter Aldous MP
LOwESTOFT COLLEGE
NWFTC
We are delighted to partner with Lowestoft College on this project, commented Colin Urquhart Managing Director, NWFTC. As the wind farm industry develops there is a growing need for relevant training. This partnership will help fulll the skills gap in the market.
Principal Simon Summers said: The new engineering workshop is particularly exciting and means our students and apprentices are able to benet from up-to-date equipment which meets the industry standards. Our new tower means that, together with the NWTFC, we are able to offer a one-stop training centre for the offshore sector and can continue to provide the training needed for the fast growing Energy industry. Lowestoft College www.lowestoft.ac.uk
10
FENDERCARE MARINE RECEIvES BUREAU VERITAS CERTIFICATE OF APPROvAL

Fendercare Marines diving services are pleased to announce that they have recently been awarded Bureau Veritas approval to carry out in-water surveys . Receiving this approval conrms our commitment to safe and sustainable procedures commented Bob Macmillan Fendercares Diving Services Director. It is a vote of condence in the best practices that we adopt and supports our intention to become a high quality service provider world wide. This approval is one of a list of many certications that Fendercares diving division holds, including IMCA and ADC membership as well as CHAS and SAFEContractor accreditation. We are currently working towards gaining approval from other classication societies continued Bob Macmillan which will reafrm our commitment to expanding our business and the products and services we can offer. The diving division of Fendercare was established in 2010 and with the support of being a member of James Fisher and Sons plc, the division has seen rapid growth and is able to provide its products and services across the world. Fendercare Marine www.fendercare.com
MILESTONE RENEwABLE CONTRACT FOR EXPRO CONNECTORS & MEASUREMENTS

Expro Connectors & Measurements new renewable division has been awarded an important order by Alstom. Expro Connectors & Measurements (C&M) partners with Alstom to develop a cable connection and management system to be deployed on one of Alstoms ocean energy projects, thus contributing to Alstoms development of clean technology solutions to harness the energy potential of the worlds oceans. Expro will be supplying its market-leading SpecTRON, DigiTRON and FoeTRON wet mateable products alongside a cable connection system and termination head as well as cable protection and aftermarket services for site cable termination. connection between the subsea cable and the generator. Expros renewable division launched in 2011 and the team is excited about the project win. Trevor Thistlethwaite (pictured third form left), Expros C&M Renewable Business Manager, said: This order demonstrates Alstoms condence in our skills and expertise to deliver a complete connection package. The renewable industry has seen something of a surge in terms of development; and it is Expros aim to support such innovation with our proven subsea products. The new division was created in a bid to set ourselves as the market leaders and to receive such an important order is a brilliant achievement.
ALSTOM
Alstom is a global leader in the world of power generation, power transmission and rail infrastructure and sets the benchmark for innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. Alstom builds the fastest train and the highest capacity automated metro in the world. It provides turnkey integrated power plant solutions and associated services for a wide variety of energy sources, including hydro, nuclear, gas, coal and wind, and it offers a wide range of solutions for power transmission, with a focus on smart grids. Expro Connectors & Measurements www.exprogroup.com Alstom www.alstom.com
SUBSEA CONNECTION
This system will provide the subsea connection between the power export cable and the energy converter device. Rob Wyatt Team Leader of the renewable division said: This is all the equipment the client will need to make the
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk 11
AN ENTERPRISING FUTURE FOR GREAT YARMOUTH

Great Yarmouth continues to widen its horizons and bring in investment, strengthened by its new Enterprise Zone and more recently CORE (Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering) status.
Our discussions with local port operators demonstrate the strong offshore energy support services and experience in the region.
SCROBY SANDS
ENTERPRISE ZONE BENEFITS
Scroby Sands (Round 1) is operated and maintained by E.ON through their dedicated river port base utilising the skills and services of local companies to maintain the 30 2MW turbines.
EXPERTISE, SkILLS AND SERvICES
The benets of business rate relief and simplied planning rules in the Enterprise Zone come into effect in April following the successful bid by the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership to the Government for an Enterprise Zone covering six sites in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft last August. Designed to capitalise on the sub-regions leading position in the energy sector, the Enterprise Zone could transform the towns by creating up to 2,000 jobs through attracting as many as 80 businesses by 2015.
EASTPORT UK
Over the last 12 months, EastPort UKs deep water outer harbour has been used extensively for two Round 2 wind farms in the Wash; by MT Hojgaard as an installation base for the foundations for Centricas Lincs offshore wind farm and by A2Sea as a reloading base for the wind turbine generators for the Sheringham Shoal offshore wind farm.
And in proving just how strong the local supply chain really is, the Borough Council has plotted the remarkable pool of expertise, skills and services of local companies and evidenced that all aspects of wind farm construction, installation, operation and maintenance can be completed by businesses in the Great Yarmouth and surrounding area.
CENTRE FOR OFFSHORE RENEwABLE ENGINEERING (CORE) STATUS

The ambition to create thousands of new jobs in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft was given a further boost in November when the Chancellor named the area a national Centre for Offshore Renewable Engineering (CORE) in his Autumn Statement. The Government has selected just ve locations across England as COREs, which will be promoted by the Government as the prime locations for offshore renewable engineering businesses, with a comprehensive package of support on offer. It is hoped that the CORE status will further place the spotlight on the two towns and enhance their ability to attract thousands of new jobs to Norfolk and Suffolk, both within the EZ sites and further aeld, and reinforce the areas position as a key location for the energy sector.
EAST ANGLIA OFFSHORE WIND
SEAJACkS AND CAPACITORS LIMITED
The rst two companies to benet from setting up in the Enterprise Zone in Great Yarmouth will be Seajacks with a prestigious headquarters adjacent to the port and Norfolk Capacitors Limited with a new 2,600 sq m production facility on Beacon Park; Great Yarmouths new business park offering quality business premises with good road links on the outskirts of the town.
Finally, in recent months East Anglia Offshore Wind, a 50-50 Joint Venture between ScottishPower Renewables and Vattenfall, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with both International Port Holdings (IPH) of Great Yarmouth Port Company and Associated British Ports (ABP) of Lowestoft. These MoUs highlight the fact that Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Ports have the opportunity to play key roles in the construction and operation of the East Anglia Offshore Wind Farm projects. East Anglia Offshore Wind Programme Director, Jason Martin, said: The East Anglia zone is one of the largest offshore wind farm developments in the world and will require signicant construction and operational support in the coming decades.
UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
Perhaps uniquely, Great Yarmouth can not only boast 45 years of oil & gas experience but also current involvement in all three rounds of UK offshore wind farms.
THE PLACE TO BE
With exciting new investments and developments taking place, Great Yarmouth is the place to be for energy in the UK. Gt Yarmouth Borough Council www.great-yarmouth.gov.uk
Image by Mike Page
12
CONCRETE ANSwER FOR SUPER-SIzED WIND TURBINES

THE INTRODUCTION OF SUPER-SIzED OFFSHORE wIND TURBINES, NEARLY 1,000FT TALL AND FIvE TIMES MORE POwERFUL THAN ANY OTHER wIND TURBINE YET INSTALLED IN UK COASTAL wATERS, wILL DEMAND FOUNDATIONS THAT CAN TAkE THE STRAIN. DEvELOPED FROM RESEARCH
The new turbine design has been developed from work by the panEuropean Upwind research project funded by the European Union. The aim of the research was to examine the technical feasibility of building larger turbines that offer increased capacity and so boost renewable energy production. The proposed turbines would have revolving blades with a 800ft diameter and a capacity of 20 megawatts (Mw) compared to the 3Mw of most wind turbines. Currently, the worlds largest wind turbine is manufactured by Enercon and produces 7.5Mw.
gravel or sand, are low maintenance, have considerable design exibility and whole-life cost efciencies. In particular, the high damping properties of concrete minimises vibration. This negates potential structural fatigue. For tall offshore wind towers the use of concrete gravity foundations instead of monopiles provides improved dynamic response. The concrete industry has developed a range of concrete gravity foundations that could be further developed to take the strain of larger turbines, said Andrew Minson, Executive Director of MPA The Concrete Centre. Concrete has unrivalled damping properties that can counteract the vibration of tall wind turbines and structural fatigue. This makes concrete foundations particularly well suited for offshore large turbines with a capacity of 3Mw or 20Mw. MPA The Concrete Centre www.concretecentre.com
NEw GENERATION GRAvITY FOUNDATIONS
Larger turbines place additional demands upon their foundations. The concrete industry has developed a new generation of gravity foundations that offer particular advantages for offshore locations. Those same advantages are also applicable to the proposed super-sized turbines. Concrete gravity foundations, typically in the form of cellular caissons ballasted with

provide the full supply chain for an offshore wind farm development. Of course there has to be a fair and transparent tender process and Teesside rms have to prove they are competent enough to take on the work. However, we know of local companies that have all the right credentials on paper through their long track record, but have still been overlooked. Now MC Ware and CTC want the Government to put pressure on lead contractors to guarantee that a certain proportion of the work will be passed on to the local supply chain. Mr Wheatley added: The region could extract more value from these projects if, say, at least 30% of the work went to local suppliers. In return, local rms would have to demonstrate that they could carry out the work to a sufciently high standard. MC Ware Group www.mcware.co.uk CTC Marine www.ctcmarine.com
JOINED UP THINkING
Teesside rms have urged big companies operating large renewable energy projects to feed more work to the local supply chain. Stokesley fabrication specialist MC Ware Mechanical and deep sea cable laying rm CTC Marine Projects in Darlington have both successfully bid for work on key schemes in the region. Now there are further opportunities in the pipeline, with EDF Energy leading the Teesside Offshore Wind Farm scheme off the coast of Redcar and Hartlepool in the running for a 150m wind turbine venture led by Spanish rm Gamesa.
We have a exible, capable supply chain on our doorstep so it makes absolute sense to use it.
CTC MARINE PROJECTS
Pierre Boyde, Commercial and Business Development Director at CTC Marine Projects said: On previous schemes, too much work has gone to overseas companies based hundreds of miles from where the work is taking place. The North East is unique in that it can
ENCOURAGING wORk FOR THE LOCAL SUPPLY CHAIN
But MC Ware and CTC have expressed concern that too much work on big schemes is being diverted to rms outside of the region, despite the North-East boasting a ready-made supply chain for the renewable energy industries.
MC WARE
Jonathan Wheatley, Managing Director of MC Ware, said: Its great that international players such as EDF are basing huge, job-creating schemes on Teesside. However, for the region to get full economic value from these projects, we need to see more work going to local rms with the necessary expertise.

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OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY CATAPULT CENTRE
THE CATAPULT LAUNCH!

The Principal of the University of Strathclyde, Professor Jim McDonald, has welcomed plans for a 50 million, UK-wide renewable energy technology centre which will have its headquarters in Glasgow.
UK-wIDE CONSORTIUM
THE OFFSHORE RENEwABLE ENERGY (ORE) CATAPULT CENTRE

The Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult Centre, which was formally announced by Business Secretary Vince Cable will become a world-leading hub of expertise, developing innovative technologies that will reduce the cost of offshore renewable energy and help transform the UK into a low carbon economy.
The bid for the Centre was developed by a UK-wide consortium including the Carbon Trust, National Renewable Energy Centre (Narec), and Ocean Energy Innovation a group of major players in renewables including the University of Strathclyde. It will receive up to 10 million per year over ve years from the Technology Strategy Board.
By securing the UK Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, the country will build on our already globally competitive reputation for advances in renewable technology and deployment. Our worldclass research base offers distinct advantages and will accelerate industrial innovation. We will help to develop and drive the industry over the coming ten years and beyond. Strathclydes strategic commitment as a leading international technological university has been central to the positioning of Glasgow as a global hub for innovation and research in offshore renewable energy and power engineering more generally. In 2011 the Economist recognised the quality and intensity of the activities in the city with Strathclyde being marked out as a key driver for this resurgence in engineering, energy and technology activity. The calibre of our graduates has also been an essential element of what has attracted industry, private and public sector collaborators here and this will greatly enhance the students opportunities for sponsorship, internship and ultimate employment.
Professor Jim McDonald (pictured), Chair of the Energy Technology Partnership and Principal of the University of Strathclyde, said: I am delighted that this truly collaborative bid has been successful.
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OFFSHORE RENEWABLE ENERGY CATAPULT CENTRE
We aim to make the ORE Catapult the worlds pre-eminent centre of expertise for rapid development and commercialisation of highly innovative technologies that will substantially reduce the cost of offshore renewable energy. This Centre will play a key role in bringing the vision of a successful UK offshore renewable energy sector into reality. The critical mass of renewables industry companies in Glasgow and its proximity to leading research capabilities will provide an ideal base from which the UK sectoral collaboration with be led.
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS
The ORE Catapult will be headquartered in Scottish Enterprises Industry Engagement Building, which will sit side-by-side with the Universitys new 89 million Technology and Innovation Centre (TIC) in the heart of the city. TIC has already attracted major international partners, including SSE, ScottishPower and the Weir Group, as well as nancial backing from Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council.
University of Strathclyde www.strath.ac.uk
INTERNATIONAL TECHNOLOGY AND RENEwABLE ENERGY ZONE
The technology centres are at the heart of Scotlands new International Technology and Renewable Energy Zone a global economic hub to bring innovative businesses to the city. Professor McDonald added: The activities of the ORE Catapult will provide the foundation for a large, vibrant and dynamic offshore renewables industry that is a global leader and a signicant contributor to the nations economic growth through the near and longer terms. This investment, sitting alongside the Universitys Technology and Innovation Centre, will make us one of the largest concentrations of research, education and KE in power and energy technologies in the world.
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WHATS NEW
EvENTS
WE CONTINUE TO FEATURE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT EvENTS IN THE CALENDAR, SO THAT YOU CAN, AT A gLANCE, CONSIDER WHICH EvENTS TO SUPPORT. A MORE DETAILED LISTINg IS AvAILABLE ONLINE.
There continues to be issues with the number, scale and cost of events laid on for this fast growing industry. We will only feature those events which we believe are organised in the best interests of the industry as a whole.
EWEA 2012 ANNUAL EvENT WHEN 16 19 Apr 2012 WHERE Copenhagen, Denmark CONTACT www.ewea.org INTERNATIONAL SMALL & MEDIUM WIND 2012 WHEN 17 18 Apr 2012 WHERE Glasgow CONTACT www.renewable-uk.com SOCIETY OF MARITIME INDUSTRIES CONFERENCE WHEN 15 16 May 2012 WHERE Liverpool CONTACT www.maritimeindustries.org
ALL ENERGY 2012 WHEN 23 24 May 2012 WHERE AECC, Aberdeen CONTACT www.all-energy.co.uk SCOTTISH RENEwABLES ON-SHORE WIND CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION WHEN Wednesday, 6 Jun 2012 WHERE Glasgow CONTACT www.scottishrenewables.com RENEwABLEUK GLOBAL OFFSHORE 2012 WHEN 13 14 Jun 2012 WHERE London, Excel CONTACT www.GlobalOffshoreWind.com
ONLINE LIBRARY

The sections are listed below and will become live as each area is populated with the various articles and features supplied by our experts in the various elds.... Law & Insurance Health & Safety Ecology & Environmental Impact Events & Conferences Education &Training Business Development & Management Research & Development Careers & Recruitment Community Engagement/Planning Engineering Survey & Archaeology Innovation & New Technologies
WIND ENERGY NETwORk TV CHANNEL
To place your videos online please contact our team and they will do the rest there is no charge for this service, however the decision on what will be accepted is at the discretion of our editor. As with all our contributions in the publication and on our website, material must help the industry communicate and/or help the industry as a whole. These invaluable industry resources continue to build and we are very pleased with the interest and support of our proposed sponsors. Please give the team a call and nd out how to get involved in both.
REMEMBER THEY ARE FREE TO CONTRIBUTE AND FREE TO ACCESS
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WHATS NEW
INDUSTRY CAREERS AND RECRUITMENT ONLINE

We are pleased to announce that we have partnered with a recruitment company who we believe is there to help the industry as a whole and not just here to make money in the short term please have a look online and let us know your views as we progress.
HERE YOU wILL FIND SPECIFIC vACANCIES IN THE wIND ENERGY INDUSTRY wITH SALARIES FROM 35k AND ABOvE.
FORTHCOMING FEATURES
Spotlight on North West England Cable Installation Vessels & Equipment Bolting & Fastenings
PLEASE CONTACT IF YOU wOULD LIkE TO BE INvOLvED IN ANY OF THESE FEATURES. EMAIL duncan@greenenergypublishing.co.uk PHONE
01765 644224
SPONSORS OF SHIP BUILD FEATURE
IT IS SOMEwHAT CRASS TO SAY THAT vESSELS ARE IMPORTANT TO OFFSHORE wIND PROJECTS, HOwEvER THEY HAvE TO BE SPECIFIC TO THE TASk IN HAND.
From construction, through accommodation, to operations and maintenance the vessels need to be designed to meet exacting requirements and we therefore feature just some of the movers and shakers who have invested heavily in ensuring the successful construction and maintenance of offshore wind farms of the present and the future.
Some companies may well choose to join forces and form Joint Ventures (JVs) to deliver a more complete package and, potentially, cost savings, however, this model can present a considerable degree of risk to all parties concerned.
The alTERNative
Fred. Olsen is one of the worlds most recognisable brands when it comes to the marine/oil & gas sectors. However, as far back at 1997 Fred. Olsen has taken an increasing interest in all aspects of the renewables market. Year on year the group has grown to incorporate a strategic range of companies, products and services aimed at offering a complete and unique turnkey solution that is both cost effective and seamless in its delivery.
BRAvE TERN LAUNCH
March 2012 month will see the launch of the Brave Tern at the Lamprell Ship yard in Dubai. The Brave Tern and her sister vessel Bold Tern will be the agships in the Windcarrier eet and, at the time of their launch, will be the largest self-propelled, custom built installation vessels in the world.
TERNkEY SOLUTIONS A FRED. OLSEN INITIATIvE
VESSEL SPECIFICATION
The growing global offshore wind industry has stimulated an increase in the number of purpose-built installation and service vessels. With constant new challenges being identied and created by bigger turbines and larger more distant wind parks, it has been difcult for all vessel builders to keep one step ahead of the game.
The vessels are capable of carrying up to 9 Siemens 3.6MW turbines and up to 11 Vestas 3.0 MW turbines and are designed to operate in water depths of up to 45m. The 800 tonne GustoMSC type GLC800-ED crane has been designed around the rear portside leg to increase accessibility and utilization of deck space. The three Voith Schneider propulsion units coupled with the three bow mounted tunnel thrusters will ensure unparalleled manoeuvrability and positioning capabilities in high seas.
VITAL INNOvATION SOLUTIONS
As the relative costs of installation, service and maintenance increase proportionally to meet project needs new and innovative solutions to both vessel design and business model become more and more vital. The realisation of economies of scale across the entire supply chain would, therefore, create considerable savings in both time and cost to offshore wind park developers.
DESERT BASED CONSTRUCTION
Everything about the Brave Tern is ground-breaking - even her desert based construction. When she was moved from her construction platform at the beginning of March 2012 , she was the second largest vessel ever to be transported on dry land (see video link).
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BUILD&
SHIP
MAINTENANCE
ADDITIONAL INDUSTRY SUPPORT vESSELS
The Ternkey Solution does not stop there. Also within the Fred. Olsen group are Fred. Olsen Windcarrier Denmark (crew boat division) which has recently launched not one, but three state-of-the-art work/ transfer vessels through the Bayard Class.
GLOBAL WIND SERvICE (GWS)
Turnkey solutions rarely come more complete or promise to deliver a more cost effective solution. Windcarrier www.windcarrier.com
Also under the Fred. Olsen banner is Global Wind Service (GWS) a professional and dynamic young company who are fast becoming the preferred supplier of technical manpower to the global wind market. Started in 2008 GWS now operate seven business units throughout Europe and have experience in more than 25 countries world-wide.

= See video library online Global Wind Service www.globalwindservice.com
IN OPERATION AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The Bayards 1 to 3 are already operating in UK waters with excellent customer feedback and their sister vessels 4, 5, 6 and 7 are under construction in Norway and will be launched in quick succession from mid April to the March 2013.
THE FRED. OLSEN GROUP
Also under the Fred.Olsen ag Harland and Wolff shipyard Universal Foundations Searoc Natural Power (including ZephIR LIDAR system)
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SOUTH BOATS
WORK BOATS
SOUTH BOATS LEAD THE wAY
There are many new players in the wind energy industry and some who stand out from the rest. What is required in this new and exciting industry are companies and organisations which take the lead and invest in the future not an easy decision to make in the present nancial climate we are experiencing throughout Europe. Those who do however are reaping the rewards. South Boats, based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the UK ts the bill very nicely.
PIONEERS
As pioneers of building aluminium catamaran work boats for this industry to class, South Boats continue to work with the classication societies to develop more appropriate rules for all work boats. By combining modern building practices with highly skilled trades, they produce work boats of the highest quality and plan to full the huge future demand through strategic partnerships with other rms around the world. South Boats have over the very recent past been very active with specic interest in the wind energy industry including...
January 2012 the launch and commissioning of Turbine Transfers Ltds 48th offshore wind farm crew transfer vessel, Porth Cadlan the vessel is a South Catamaran 16m and is the fth of a ve boat order January 2012 the Iceni Deant 17m LS Wind Farm Service Vessel, delivered to Iceni Marine Services Ltd and moored at St. Katherines Dock, Tower Bridge, London for an event attended by key personnel from the Offshore Wind Power industry. Attendees included the main energy companies, Iceni Marine Services, South Boats Special Projects Limited, key suppliers, city banks and nance houses January 2012 - The Chinook is the latest edition to the P&O Maritime Fleet this multi-purpose crew transfer vessel was designed by Incat Crowther, Australia and built by South Boats at Cowes on the Isle of Wight The Chincok
DEFINITIvE ALUMINIUM CATAMARAN wORk BOATS
Their unique design of GRP and aluminium catamaran work boats provide exceptional seakeeping capabilities, unrivalled cargo carrying capacity and crew comfort, even in the harshest conditions. With a range of work boats starting at 12m to over 30m, South Boats offer a complete package to suit specic projects, including bespoke design, vessel construction, sea trials, crew training and wind turbine access training.
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The Abersoch Bay February 2012 Seacat Services commit to growth & conrm further South Boats vessel orders. Both Isle of Wight, UK based companies sign a contract for the construction of two further vessels. Both are South Catamaran 24m WFSVs, named Seacat Defender and Seacat Volunteer, and will be the fth and sixth vessels for Seacat Services. With four of the new 24m class of vessels, Seacat Services are one of very few companies to have a comprehensive big boat eet In an industry which is new, innovative and forward looking a company who is willing to commit to future investment and satisfy the needs of this fast moving sector will be very successful South Boats appear to be proving that point.
February 2012 delivery and launch of the innovative 18m WFSV Abersoch Bay to Turbine Transfers Ltd. its 52nd offshore wind farm crew transfer. Designed as a technology demonstration vessel to live test new solutions for the industry, Abersoch Bay incorporates equipment that will be tted as standard to the new range of South Boats vessels including the 19m, 24m and 28m.The vessel has been independently surveyed and noise levels at full power were recorded as 57dBA in the passenger saloon and 54dBA in the wheelhouse, making this vessel one of the very quietest ever built and certainly a new benchmark for the sector
The Iceni Deant
February 2012 delivery and launch of 17m WFSV Iceni Deant to Iceni Marine Services Ltd. its 53rd offshore wind farm crew transfer vessel, Iceni Deant. The vessel is a South Catamaran 17m designed to operate from the locks at Grimsby Fish Dock. This vessel is the third built for Iceni Marine Services Ltd. with a further three in build and on order. Powered by twin Scania DI16 43M 800mhp diesel engines coupled to Rolls Royce FF500 water jet units, the vessel is the rst in the UK to be tted with Rolls Royces new ROCCS Remote Control System
South Boats Special Projects Ltd www.southboatsgroup.com

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WInDcat WoRkBoats
THE FUTURE A CHANGE TO OPERATIONAL ENvIRONMENTS COMMUTING
Until now the offshore industry has been well served by the current eet of offshore wind transfer vessels. However, the majority of vessels operating in the sector are MCA Cat 2 classied which means that they can only work up to 60nm from a safe haven and this obviously has a number of implications for the R3 developments located further offshore. To transport staff out to the further offshore sites larger, fully classied passenger vessels are needed. differentiation between a person walking off the street and an offshore technician who is t, trained in safety and emergency procedures and fully equipped with PPE.
SPECIFICATION
TRAvELLING TO SITES
Even without the classication issue, travelling to sites which can be more than 100nm from the shore on a daily basis will be impractical. The solution is for installation and maintenance technicians to be based offshore on accommodation ships or xed platforms for longer periods. Personnel can then be transferred from their offshore base to the turbines by sea or possibly by helicopter.
One such example is the Windcat 101 which is a 27m fully classed HSC vessel able to carry 45 passengers. A vessel of this specication can provide a fast transfer with speeds of up to 30 knots and it is this type of vessel which will be required to cope with the sea states that will be experienced in the R3 elds.
STAFF TRANSFER
ADDITIONAL COSTS
So why are there not more vessels with higher passenger capacity? It is mostly due to additional costs incurred in meeting the higher classication. Once passenger capacity increases to more than 12, the vessel is subject to more onerous regulation as it becomes a passenger vessel and there is no
Once in the eld, there is still much debate about how staff will be transferred from accommodation to turbines and it is possible that both vessel and helicopter support will be used. Any vessel which is used and remains in the eld will need to be lifted onto a mother ship for protection during bad weather but able to cope with the normal sea conditions for the site which are like to be more severe than closer inshore. Windcat Workboats www.windcatworkboats.com
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CWind AtHenIa LaUncHes

As PaRt of InnoVatIVe Boat sHaRe scHeme
CWinds ever expanding charter eet has a new addition - CWind Athenia working with a new skipper on their innovative and unique boat-share scheme.
EXPANSION
This move expands their charter eet operating with Siemens on the London Array windfarmcurrently the largest wind farm construction project in the world. CWind is the only British vessel charter company to be awarded a Siemens vessel charter contract on this windfarm out of a European shortlist. The Athenia is the second of the 20T MPC work vessels built by CTruk Boats in Brightlingsea to operate out of Ramsgate on the London Array Offshore Wind Farm and a third vessel will soon join the team there.
BOAT SHARE SCHEME
CWind Athenia is a joint venture boatshare with an experienced local skipper, Dave Bachelor, who has a Merchant Navy background, as well as commercial experience on the south and east coasts of the UK. This is designed to enable proven skippers to become owner/operators, build a business and access the growing wind farm market with the backing of an experienced operator. This enables local skippers to part-invest and manage a vessel, with CWind providing the contracts, critical vessel management procedures and back up. Both CWind and the skippers share in the prots. The Athenia, will be joining Dave Bachelors current vessel at the London Array, where the work will involve crew transfer and generator management assignments. She will operate alongside CWind Alliance - with local skipper Andy Harman and his two very experienced sons also on the CWind boat-share scheme with their vessel. Joe and Ben have extensive marine experience including work in the offshore wind farm sector as skippers.
THE CWind ALLIANCE AND SIEMENS
The CWind Alliance is undertaking a number of assignments for Siemens including crew transfer, generator movement & refuelling as well as carrying their innovative amphibious fast response rescue vehicle - the Avenger, which is carried and launched from Alliance and can swiftly support and rescue technicians deployed on turbines when there is no water for vessels. This is an important service provided for Siemens as 25% of the turbines on the London Array will have insufcient water for vessels at low tide.
We aim to offer wind farm developers the best of both worlds; the can-do attitude of the owner operator, combined with the experienced management and QHSE procedures of CWind, he added.
SPECIFICATION
CWind Athenia is a fast, robust and very fuel efcient multi-purpose CTruk 20T MPC with 18.5m LOA. It features CTruk Boats exible pod system, enabling the vessel to not only alter the deck carrying space but also to bolt on different pods, and it comes standard with 16,000 litres in-hull fuel capacity for re-fuelling tasks, or extending its range (2400nm). Lightweight, strong structure is very costeffective as it needs less fuel - burning 90 litres less diesel an hour than an equivalent aluminium vessel. CWind www.cwind247.com
Our boat share scheme enables local owner operators to participate in the wind farm industry. The investment of the skipper means our clients get a can-do attitude combined with the experienced management and QHSE procedures of CWind, commented Peter Jorgenson, Managing Director of CWind
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PARTNERSHIP COMBINE ON VESSEL UPGRADE PROJECT

A&P Tyne and Reef Subsea, are currently working together on the upgrade of two subsea construction vessels at the A&P Tyne yard in Hebburn, Tyneside. The two new-build DP2 subsea construction vessels, Neptune Larissa and Neptune Despina, owned by Neptune Offshore AS, have been chartered by Reef Subsea for ve years.
SPECIFICATIONS
The sister ships - which will be renamed Reef Despina and Reef Larissa - are newly-built IMR and Subsea Construction vessels. Designed with the Ulstein X-Bow, they have a faster transit speed in head seas, and enjoy reduced fuel consumption. They boast a 150t SWL crane with active heave compensation, an enclosed ROV hangar with integrated LARS for the deployment of Work Class ROVs on both sides of the vessel, a large moonpool and up to 750m of working deck. During their time at the A&P Tyne yard in Hebburn the vessels will receive enhancements to these features as well as accommodation areas and the exhaust systems.
PROJECTS
Both vessels are expected to work in the North Sea and worldwide to deliver projects sanctioned by clients from the renewables sector as well as oil & gas. Commenting on the project, Stewart Boak, Managing Director of A&P Tyne commented These projects are a clear example of Reef Subsea and A&P Tynes commitment to developing a partnership to serve the Oil & Gas and offshore renewable industries. Were delighted to have been awarded this contract and hope its the beginning of a long and fruitful partnership with Reef Subsea.
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Tim Sheeham, Chief Operating Ofcer of the Reef Subsea Group indicated, This upgrade project clearly sustains Reef Subseas decision to bring rst-class subsea construction vwssel to our clients from the Oil & Gas and renewable energy markets. Reef Despina and Reef Larissa have been conceived with a unique and environmaentally froiendly design and this upgrade will bring them above competition. On the Energi Coast initiative, which is a representative group of North East based businesses, Mr Boak added, Energi Coast has some clear objectives, among which is promoting the capabilities of North East England to serve the UK renewables market, both in the UK and abroad. A&P Tyne, as part of this group are able to service clients, old and new, in a number of ways, whether it is vessel enhancements such as in this instance, mobilisation and demobilisations or even base port options. All of that is before we even begin to consider fabrication and load-out possibilities from our facility.
IMPRESSIvE FACILITY
The facility is an impressive one - the A&P yard covers a 60 acre site, boasts over 300m of quayside, a 259m long dry dock and a fabrication hall of over 17500 square metres. If you factor in that its also only 60 or so miles from the planned Dogger Bank Round 3 zone then you can see why the company feels condent about future opportunities for North East England in the UK renewable sector. A&P Tyne www.ap-group.co.uk Reef Subsea www.reefsubsea.com Energi Coast www.energicoast.co.uk

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ALNMARITEC SAILS FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

Alnmaritec, the specialist aluminium boat builder based in the North East of the UK, has been awarded a contract for two of its new Wave Master class of wind farm support vessels.
FROM THE FIRST TO THE 150TH
The company in fact built the very rst wind farm service vessel in the UK for the same operator and it has been at the forefront of the development of this type of vessel for the last decade delivering
MASTER CLASS
Alnmaritec has also recently announced the delivery of Dalby Esk the second of the new Wave Master class of wind farm support vessels, to Dalby Offshore Renewables.
NORTH SEA LOGISTICS
The new order was placed by North Sea Logistics, one of the UKs leading and most experienced offshore service providers, who currently operate fteen vessels in the market and have already completed over one million turbine transfers. The vessels are the fth and sixth in line of this highly successful class from Alnmaritec, two of which are already in service and have generally been accepted to be amongst the top performing boats in the market.
over twenty such craft to the industry. This particular order also establishes a further landmark for Alnmaritec being the 150th vessel built by the yard.
SPECIFICATION
The new boats will be 19m x 7m and tted with xed pitch propellers giving a top speed of 27.5 knots. Commenting on the new order from the show Alnmaritec Managing Director Chris Millman said We are delighted to have secured this order from North Sea Logistics. This demonstrates the commitment the owner Dave Armstrong has to developing their eet in order to maintain their position as an industry leader. We are sure that the new boats will further enhance their capabilities and we appreciate their continued support and their condence in our boats.
The new vessel has a multi-purpose capability for survey and dive support as well as wind farm service roles and she already has her rst contract working on the Outer Gabbard wind farm as a crew transfer and logistics vessel, with the prime role been refuelling and transfer of equipment around the eld.
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UNIQUE HULL
EXPERIENCE IN THE RENEwABLE ENERGY SECTOR
In the renewable energy sector Alnmaritec has unrivalled experience and the company has continually developed the designs of its wind farm service vessels to keep ahead of the markets ever increasing expectations.
Her unique hull form which was developed over six months last year using extensive CFD modelling and towing tank testing offers superb sea keeping characteristics and in describing her performance recently Stuart McNiven Managing Director of Dalby Offshore commented We are delighted with the delivery of the Dalby Esk, she is performing above expectations and offers a high level of comfort for passengers on extended transit times. The Esk offers potential clients a multi functional solution, with one of the main features been a large open deck capable of carrying a multitude of supplies and equipment coupled with high fuel delivery capacity. Alnmaritec have incorporated a number of innovative technical solutions into the vessels design and early
indications are that she performs exceptionally well in severe weather. The delivery of the Esk has cemented our excellent working relationship with the Alnmaritec team and we look forward to the announcement of further developments in the near future.
THE LAUNCH OF OCEAN WIND 5
Alnmaritec also recently successfully launched a new multi purpose offshore windfarm support vessel.
SPECIFICATION
Ocean Wind 5 is a variant of the extremely popular Wave Commander class from Alnmaritec. She measures 16m x 7m and is fitted with twin Scania DI16 engines giving her cruising speeds of over 24. On deck she is tted with a payload area both fore and aft, a substantial moon pool and internally she has a survey station and comfortable accommodation for both passengers and crew. She has a separate raised wheelhouse area providing excellent all round views from the helm position and the survey station whilst in the main accommodation she has seating for 12, mess area, galley and WC; below decks she has two sleeping cabins. She is designed with the versatility to allow her to provide offshore support on windfarms during the construction phase (she has a generator refuelling capacity), for survey work, for ROV and dive support as well as for technician and tool transfer during routine operations and maintenance phases. She is a genuine all rounder and a real brute of a boat as she demonstrated with exceptional sea keeping performance during her trials on the North Sea in January!! Alnmaritec www.alnmaritec.co.uk
SPECIFICATION
The company is now onto its sixth generation design which has culminated in the new Wave Master class. The Dalby Esk measures 20m x 7.2m and she is tted with twin MTU engines and xed pitch propellers giving her a top speed of 28.5 knots. On her large working deck she has the capability to take a 20 ft container and is tted with a knuckle boom crane, high pressure washers and fuel transfer station. Below deck she has sleeping accommodation for four and in the main saloon she has seating and mess facilities for 12 passengers together with galley, WC, shower and wet areas. In the upper wheelhouse she has a dedicated survey station with facilities for three surveyors as well as the helmsman and crew.
VERSATILE
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MontRose MaRIne SeRVIces

MONTROSE MARINE SERvICES LTD BRANCHED OUT INTO THE OFFSHORE WIND SECTOR IN 2010. NEED FOR SPECIALIST vESSELS
Initially offering a crewing and management service, they quickly realised there was a severe lack of suitable vessels for the bird and mammal survey, vessels that met both the criteria required and met their high standards for safety. Following a year of research they nally found the perfect vessel, which was the original prototype Severn Class Lifeboat which has been converted to accommodate 10 night passengers plus 2 crew or 12 day passengers plus 2 crew.
O&M CONTRACTS
The next step in our journey was to look for a vessel suitable for O&M contracts. Again safety was the main priority and being ever aware of the green issues and the requirement for energy companies to be as cost effective as possible. In their quest they travelled all over the UK and scoured the internet before nding a vessel that caught their attention.
FUEL EFFICIENT
After spending the day onboard with Skipper Terry Batt, Captain Tom Hutchison was so impressed with the vessel due to her amazing sea keeping qualities and outstanding fuel consumption giving some of lowest Co2 carbon emissions in service today. She carries 12 + 2 and will cruise at 22 knots and burns just 40 litres an hour, thats a massive saving over a four year contract. The slender shape of the hull allows a positive connection on the wind turbine without movement in seas of 2.5m while using only 1500 rpm from each engine. They expect delivery in May/June 2012.
POwER GLIDE 46
EILEEN MAY
This vessel was a Power Glide 46 wind farm crew boat, a unique type of catamaran HPDC, high speed fuel efcient displacement boat, one of which is operating successfully at Walney Offshore Wind Farm.
The Eileen Mays conversion was carried out by Buckie Shipyard to a very high standard, encapsulating the renowned build quality and the exceptional levels of safety that the RNLI are renowned for. The vessel was built in 1991and the hull is constructed of FRP plus Kevlar. The RNLI recently have extended the life span of these particular boats to 50 years. Since purchasing the Eileen May Montrose Marine Services have secured numerous Bird & Mammal Survey contracts off the North East of Scotland mainly due to the safety aspects of the boat and their high standards of professionalism.
ASPIRATIONS
Montrose Marine Services aspirations are to expand their services to offer clients and potential clients vessels and crew, which offer the highest standards in safety as well as being environmentally and cost efcient. Montrose Marine Services www.montrosemarineservices.co.uk
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CORROSION & ABRASION POLYMERIC PROTECTION SYSTEMS

CAPPS (Corrosion & Abrasion Polymeric Protection Systems) is a UK based specialist coatings development and applications company which has established a unique niche in the worldwide industrial marine paints market. One product within the Vessgard range had its rst trials carried out in 2003 with the rst full scale applications taking place in 2005 and 2006 to the transverse bulkheads of two of the biggest self unloaders in the world, the 96,000 tonne dwt Yeoman Bridge and Yeoman Bontrup which experience a highly aggressive level of yearly throughput with one of the most abrasive aggregate cargoes. As both vessels were built in 1991, by 2005 the general bulkhead steel condition was reaching substantial corrosion levels, a protective solution had to be found that could be relied on to endure the intense levels of pressure and abrasion subjected to the bulkhead surfaces. Over a period of more than 2 years in operation the Vessgard protection remained clearly intact on the Yeoman Bridge and by 2008 the huge potential of this exciting new encapsulation process was clear to see. CAPPS were now building their foundations and their case study driven concepts, and from here the company has now established a worldwide marketing network and new developing client base, with a rm plan in operation for their future expansion.
UNIQUE PRODUCTS
Since 2003 the company has been developing its own highly advanced protective encapsulation unique products alongside an exclusive application equipment development programme.
This is necessary due to the highly sophisticated nature of the chemistry involved in the products and the required control for their application. The products have been developed from the latest advanced polyurethane technology, offering much higher performance characteristics comparative to conventional epoxy and glass ake systems.
CAPPS has now carried out three successful contracts at Remontowa in Poland and have done the groundwork to now be able to offer their services in China. They are also currently working on developing relationships with new building yards in Korea, another key area of the long term future of CAPPS, Vessgard products. Capps International www.cappsinternational.com
INTERNATIONAL MARkETS
CAPPS products may be more expensive, but the initial higher investment offers clear long term savings when considering the economies of scale involved over the service life of a ship.
ECONOMY IN THE LONG TERM A CASE STUDY
29
UNDERCOVER COACH
DEAL OR NO DEAL
SURELY ITS ALL BIDS AND TENDERS THESE DAYS
I hear that there is little or no negotiation with suppliers these days Surely its all bids and tenders these days is their assertion and they have a point. Competition in some sectors is now extremely tight and prot margins can be very low leaving the supplier little room for manoeuvre in a negotiation. A friend recently asked for my help regarding buying a quad bike and so I phoned round for prices and found little or no difference countrywide. Eventually I asked one dealer what the prot margins were on the vehicle my friend preferred and I got the reply Not as much as I thought it was going to be! He then happily gave me the gure and, again, he had a point. A relation of mine is a car dealer. I asked him what sort of prot margin dealers had to play with on the countrys best -selling super-mini. 400 on the basic model came the reply. If only 400 goes to the rm to cover staff wages, rent, light, heat, advertising etc how does he manage? He told me that he survives on the prot from the more luxurious cars that he sells a lot less of - but mainly his income comes from the second-hand market and the prot made on servicing the vehicles he sold.
THE UNDERCOvERCOACH CONTINUES HIS THREE PART SERIES ON NEgOTIATINg IN THE WORkPLACE. IN THIS EDITION HE TAkES A SIDEWAYS LOOk AT NEgOTIATINg WITH SUPPLIERS AND IN PART THREE THE COACH PROMISES TO gIvE US SOME TIPS ON NEgOTIATINg PAY AND CONTRACTS.
I DECIDED TO NEGOTIATE
I shopped around on the Internet and the kit that I wanted was only about 10% cheaper on the net than the price being asked at the manufacturers own rather up-market shop in my local shopping centre. So I went to the manufacturers shop and asked the manager if he could match the Internet price. He told me he was not allowed to reduce the price. He was about to go about his business when I decided to negotiate. I said Is that it? He said Afraid so. I said How about consumables, disks, warranty? He said Oh I see, well, I can probably match the disk price. He then paused momentarily and in a voice that started off in a hesitant tone but ended up on a triumphant note he said I can get you an extended warranty - for nothing. I sealed the deal immediately thinking that it really wasnt too difcult to get what I wanted from the manufacturer locally and walk away with it for the same price I would have to pay for something that would have to be delivered by an unknown Internet vendor.
ITS ABOUT THE DEAL
I believe that if this is the case for so much of what we need to buy these days then its about the deal that we negotiate rather than the price we pay. It is a rather sideways logic but heres an example. A few years ago I urgently needed a good quality digital camcorder for some of the work that I do.
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UNDERCOVER COACH
MONDAYS ARE A GOOD DAY
I understand that Mondays are a good day for a computer bargain. Its quieter in the shop but the sales team still have quotas to ll on selling cables and other peripherals. These are items that they can discount rather than the big ticket items where many computer manufacturers have already had to crunch down their prices against erce competition.
THE UNDERCOvERCOACHS FOURTH LAw OF NEGOTIATION: ALwAYS ASk FOR wHAT YOU wANT BUT DONT DISCLOSE YOUR BUDGET
Please remember to take time to prepare, research prices and deals and then go shopping with a clear statement of what you want. Dont be cagey, say what you want but do not disclose your budget. As a supplier I have got my best deals by knowing what the buyers budget was so keep your budget gure to yourself.
Their proposal will be the basis for further negotiation now or later on. You may not be in a position to buy everything at once but you can go for price guarantees over a period in return for your loyalty. As a supplier I know that my clients have xed budgets every year but if I can make a deal now to get some of next years budget and the year after I am a happy supplier! So remember, prepare well, do your research, make a big shopping list and ask for the vendors help. Good luck in your dealings with suppliers. In Deal or No Deal 3 the Coach gives his tips on Negotiating Pay and Contracts. If you have a negotiating situation coming up and you think it might help to talk to someone about it you can contact The UnderCoverCoach via the Editor Duncan McGilvray at duncan@greenenergypublishing.co.uk
THE UNDERCOvERCOACHS FIFTH LAw OF NEGOTIATION: THE MORE YOU wANT, THE MORE YOU GET FOR YOUR MONEY.
I spoke to a mechanical equipment supplier recently who told me he could give customers up to 10% discount on between one and ve machines purchased, 15% off ve to ten machines and 20% off more than ten. This being the case you might even want to try going shopping without knowing exactly what your budget is! Why? Because the more you have on your shopping list the more likely you are to get a deal. If you only want - or can only afford - one item you leave the vendor little or no exibility unless it is a higher specication product with a bigger margin for the seller to play with. Lets imagine you are at a trade show. If you can get a better deal by buying more then ask the vendor to help you to buy more! Give him your shopping list and ask how long s/he needs to put a deal together. You can call back later or have a proposal sent to you. If the dealer has any sense s/he will send a proposal that is a package with payment plan options. This brings the time dimension into the deal and you can also offer to be a delighted customer in their marketing materials for another discount of course!
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COMPANY FEATURE
Out of the old comes the new The Union Electric Steel Foundry
170 YEAR OLD FOUNDRY PLANS TO RETURN TO ITS ROOTS...
Established in 1843 as John Coulthard and son, the Union Electric Steel Foundry supplied iron castings to the emerging NE manufacturing economy of shipbuilding, railway engineering and mining.
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COMPANY FEATURE
LOCATION AND CAPABILITY
AN ENvIABLE HISTORY
Operating on its current site since 1870, and several name changes later including some famous ones such as Armstrong Whitworth, Kvaerner and Davy, the business has survived and prospered with a current annual output capacity of 20,000 tonnes. Since 1970, the business has concentrated exclusively on the production of cast rolls for the steel and non-ferrous industry and has built a reputation as a world leader in roll technology, becoming a key supplier to and technical partner of many of the worlds leading rolling mills.
The manufacturing plant is located in Gateshead in the North East of England and consists of a large foundry and a state of the art heat treatment facility as well as a fully integrated machining facility capable of producing nished iron and steel rolls of up to 60 tonnes in weight.
CAPACITY
In 2009 three new melting furnaces, with a combined capacity of 75 tonnes, were installed giving the foundry a total melting capacity in excess of 100 tonnes. The diversication project aims to attract casting business to capitalise on the additional melting capacity available from these new furnaces and whilst not concentrating solely on the wind power market, recognises that this is the major market sector of interest. New designs of offshore turbine are currently being developed with outputs in the 5 to 10MW range and these turbines require large castings typically in the 40 to 60 tonnes weight range - an ideal weight range for the existing melting and casting facilities. The foundry currently produces large iron castings for internal use and has considerable expertise in iron production and casting technology. A move into the large casting market will involve substantial investment including the building of a new casting and processing facility adjacent to the present foundry together with shot blasting, fettling and machining equipment.
WIND INDUSTRY INvESTMENT
With the planned offshore investment in wind power in the UK Sector in the North Sea becoming a reality, UESUK has recognised the potential for supply of large wind turbine castings and has initiated a product diversication team to prepare a feasibility study of the investment in manufacturing plant and technology needed for successful entry to the market.
MOvING FORwARD
The team are engaged in positive discussions with some of the key players in the Wind Energy market and invite any other organisations seeking a potential supplier of large Iron or SG Iron castings to make contact. Union Electric Steel www.uniones.com
RESEARCH AND FINANCIAL BACkING

Discussions with governing bodies, trade associations and leading wind turbine producers have conrmed the shortfall in UK foundry capacity able to produce the type of large castings that will be required for the new breed of turbines.
With the nancial backing of their parent company, UESUK believe that they can ll a void in the supply chain that will be both benecial to the turbine producers as well as the UK economy.
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HEALTH & SAFETY
ALARP
AN INTRODUCTION TO How faR Do yoU HaVe to go to ReDUce a RIsk?
In previous issues we have introduced the risk management process, a simple method to assess risk (using risk assessment matrices) and the concept of risk tolerability using the diagram in Figure 1 (our carrot diagram).
ANYONE FOR T?
So once a hazard has been identied, the risk assessed and evaluated, what happens next? The available options the 4 Ts - are illustrated below.
Increasing Risk
Figure 2 Options for Dealing with Risk Figure 1 Tolerability of Risk We discussed that when a risk falls within the bottom (green) region, it can be considered Broadly Acceptable and no further risk reduction is required. When in the top (red) region, the risk is considered Intolerable and measures must be taken to reduce the risk. In the middle (amber) region, further action must be taken to investigate additional risk reduction measures and implement them in order to reduce the risk As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP). Going back to the caged tiger example in our June/July 2011 article we could take the following action: TeRmInate: Dont keep tigers in the zoo, only have non-dangerous animals thus removing the hazard. Probably not a realistic option for zoos where the tiger is a main attraction. TReat: Make the cage from very strong materials, add locks and tightly control key access. Install barriers to keep visitors out of reach of the cage bars. This will control the risk. ToLeRate: Once an appropriate level of measures are in place to protect against tiger escape, we accept the risk presented (assuming it is justied as ALARP). TRansfeR: We could take out insurance against public liability should a tiger escape and attack a member of the public or staff however, our reputation would be signicantly harmed and the zoo may even face closure. In terms of safety, we tend not to be able to Transfer legal responsibility or at least not be able to isolate ourselves from the effect of an incident. Termination is straight forward in concept but the difcult task is when looking at the Treat and Tolerate areas, how far do we go in attempting to reduce the risk further? This takes us back to the amber region of our carrot diagram where a given risk is tolerable if it can be demonstrated ALARP.
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HEALTH & SAFETY
WHAT DOES ALARP MEAN?
The principle of ALARP is the basis for the UK Health and Safety legislative framework. The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) states that the risk to workers and public should be reduced so far as is reasonable practicable (SFAIRP). SFAIRP and ALARP are generally treated as interchangeable terms. The term ALARP effectively means that a measure to reduce risk must be undertaken unless it can be demonstrated that the cost of the measure is grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction achieved. This can be simplied to a balance of cost versus risk reduction. Note that we are not just concerned with the direct cost of a control measure but the totality of expenditure and sacrice which may have to be made to implement and work with that measure. This balance is illustrated in Figure 3.

The key term to remember here is gross disproportion. It is not enough to demonstrate that the cost is greater than the risk reduction: it must be grossly disproportionate to the risk reduction to ensure a bias towards safety. The other point to note here is that whilst the cost of a risk reduction measure is relatively simple to evaluate (cost of the engineering, downtime to install, lifetime of the measure, operator training, additional operational delays resulting from use of the system etc.), the value associated with the risk reduction benet is not so readily estimated. To do so requires a monetary value to be placed on averting harm to people. This is a highly emotive and complex subject and so requires the input from a risk management professional.
However, this would not be presenting a complete picture. Could operators become trapped in the lift? Is there an increased re hazard? Is there the potential for entrapment of limbs in the mechanisms? To what extent would the lift reduce overall risk (lift use will present a risk as will maintenance and inspection)? How attractive are the associated softer benets (better working conditions and reduced operator exertion)? These factors must be investigated and taken into account.
OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER
A COMMON MISTAkE
Whilst this simple cost/benefit model illustrates how ALARP decisions can be made, it is not as straightforward as it may appear. A number of conicting issues must be addressed including: Peoples perception of the risk: could action be interpreted as excessive or inaction interpreted as a fall in standards? Industry standards and accepted good practice: the ALARP process cant be used to avoid meeting approved codes of practice or legal requirements. Wider implications: does the measure introduce other risks that need to be managed? As an example, take an existing wind farm with ladder only access to the turbine nacelle. Access lifts are available for retrot to the turbines which, if implemented and used appropriately, are likely to reduce the risk of a fall from height. It is therefore necessary to investigate whether it would be reasonably practicable to retrot the lifts.
One of the main traps to avoid is sometimes known as salami slicing; making small, incremental changes that get a project to a point where to reduce the risk further requires a signicant expenditure which could have been avoided had it been addressed earlier. Arguing that a risk reduction measure is not reasonably practicable because the project has already advanced signicantly and major rework would be required is not an acceptable position. In summary, ALARP considerations must ensure a bias towards safety and consider all positive and negative effects of the potential measure over its entire life and accept that in postponing risk reduction considerations you are proceeding at risk of signicant nancial impact if rework is required. Further guidance on the application of ALARP and the risk reduction process as a whole can be found in the HSE document Reducing Risks, Protecting People (also known as R2P2, Ref. 1). Ref 1: Reducing Risks, Protecting People (HSE), 2001 (available from hse.gov.uk). Andy Smith Risktec Solutions Ltd www.risktec.co.uk
Risk Reduction
Risk Reduction

Risk Reduction
IMPLEMENT

Risk Reduction
NO NEED TO IMPLEMENT Cost is in gross disproportion to the risk reduction
Figure 3 Balance of Risk Reduction v Cost
Simplistically, we could estimate the benet of introducing the measure in terms of the reduced potential for falls and compare this with the cost of the modication work, lost generation during installation and through-life operating costs.

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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
BUSINESS GURU PAUL LUEN CONTINUES HIS QUEST TO HELp bUSINESSES TO bE SUCCESSFUL IN THE WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY. FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO MAY HAVE MISSED HIS CONTRIbUTIONS IN OUR pREVIOUS ISSUES WE REpEAT THE REASONING bEHIND THIS INITIATIVE...
1 The industry is expanding quickly and has attracted many new businesses companies both large and small will benefit from Pauls valuable experience and advice 2 Paul is so enthusiastic about the industry he is more than willing to give advice to help as many companies as possible share in the opportunities already available Paul has such a straightforward punchy style there is no need to pad things out with too many words if you would like him to elaborate further in any area please just get in touch.
BUSINESS DEvELOPMENT
ADVICE WHICH YOU CAN TRUST
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Performance Measurement
When it comes to the issue of performance measurement, Theres nothing like the mantra of...
KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS (KPIS)
PEOPLE OwNERSHIP
...What is measured & managed gets done.
Whatever aspects of your business are important to you (and these will change from time to time), consider measuring and managing your organisation and people against KPIs. In doing so there are two types of KPIs to consider:.. Leading KPIs which track the activity that drives a particular result an example would be the number of proposals generated or number of sales calls made by a salesman that drive monthly sales Trailing KPI is the monthly sales number which is the result of the leading activity
Once you have the data, give your people ownership of setting goals and targets to drive continuous improvement. Most importantly, give them freedom to act and ensure theyre accountable for the results. Its not for the faint hearted, but a No Excuses culture drives the highest performance where you make it clear that its all about results and reasons dont matter and wont be heard!
RAPID RESPONSE
BALANCED SCORECARD
Act quickly to address issues of poor performance, otherwise your integrity is at stake. Remove poor performers quickly as they sap the energy and erode the culture of a high performing organisation. Focus your time on developing the high performers, not on managing the weak ones
At an organisational level, It is worth considering the Balanced Scorecard approach to measure performance across the four aspects of... Internal process Innovation & learning Customer Finance When you decide what to measure, ensure that you can easily get access to accurate and timely data and select the frequency of reporting carefully to avoid information overload. Consider what info you need daily, weekly and monthly on which to make effective decisions. External benchmarking can be useful where objective comparative data is available.
SHARING PERFORMANCE DATA
Im a great believer in publicly sharing company performance data with the whole organisation and do so by means of plasma screens and circulation of monthly reports. It builds trust, organisational afnity and emotional engagement in pursuit of organisational goals.
EASY BUT EFFECTIvE
Performance measurement is so easy to introduce within an organisation and yet so effective to drive competitive advantage and bottom line improvement. If you know of a more powerful tool to drive results, then Id love to hear from you! Paul Luen Martek Marine Ltd www.martek-marine.com
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SPONSORS OF REGIONAL FOCUS
HUMBER
REVISITED
We again feature the region and the reasoning behind this initiative is the quite astonishing commitment from the various companies and organisations who have really grasped opportunities available in the wind energy industry. We therefore visit and elaborate on a vast array of companies and organisations who have invested and are already reaping the well deserved rewards. As reported in 2011the area has some unique benets, which suit the fast moving needs of the wind energy industry and has attracted the attention of global major wind energy industry manufacturers because of this, and without a doubt, its convenient location to the planned Round 3 developments.
Welcome to our second regional focus on the Humber area as an area of excellence in the wind energy industry throughout Europe and beyond
AN INTRODUCTORY ARTICLE BY SAM PICk OF RENEwABLES NETwORk

Sam has contributed editorial on a number of occasions and because of his connection with the area we feature his wise words as an introduction to the Humber area revisited.
HUMBER AREA REvISITED FEATURES
Sam pick article An insight into our sponsor Hull College Insights into companies, businesses and organisations who have taken the decision to invest in this fast growing exciting energy industry Education and training establishments which serve the area and beyond
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COLLABORATION IS THE kEY

LEAvING BEHIND THE SAFETY BLANkET
Most people who set up successfully in business do so because they are good at something and think they can do better than what is already offered. Leaving the safety of a corporate job is a big step; it takes courage, hard work and an absolute belief that you know best. This group of people tend to be strong willed and independent. They are the real powerhouse of Britains economy. Without people like this we have no real growth.
Tracking that exponential growth would see an SME with turnover of 300,000 today become a 10m business. Factor into that the need to innovate and cut costs, and its a challenge for any entrepreneur battling Britains ongoing credit crunch.
OFFSHORE WIND: COLLABORATE OR LOSE?

Having ve years experience developing SME business in offshore wind, it is possible to say the collaborative model is the one that works. For businesses to rapidly gain new skills and to also grow at the same rate as the industry, they need to work together. This is common practice and the default position when you talk to market leaders in Denmark or Germany. Indeed, even the very biggest industry players rarely embark upon a project alone.
A CHANGE OF MINDSET
OFFSHORE wIND SECTOR A BRAvE NEw wORLD

Are these people however suited to the new world of offshore wind power?
To a real extent this takes a mindset change. Here in the Humber we have pushed away traditional barriers and worked together to put our region on the forefront of the UKs offshore wind opportunities.
COLLABORATION THE wAY FORwARD
SUCCESSFUL COLLABORATION
From huge multi-national projects to SME joint-ventures, collaborations have been the way forward. The size of the nancial investment and rate of growth in UK offshore wind means that businesses, from the largest multi-national to the smallest SME, must be prepared to collaborate and consider joint ventures. Without that mindset those companies that dont collaborate will lose. Sam Pick Renewables Network www.renewablesnetwork.co.uk
ASTONISHING GROwTH POTENTIAL
This is a market where growth in the UK is predicted to be four times bigger in 2016 than in 2010. By 2030, it is expected to be eight times larger than in 2016.
Siemens and Associated British Ports around the Green Port Hull development The award-winning joint venture between Danish offshore wind and contractor Grimsby-based Cosalt Wind Energy Goole-based Danbrit Shippings UK collaboration with Danish logistics company Blue Water
PARTNERSHIPS IN PRACTICE
We also practice what we preach. Renewables Network is only able to deliver to our membership by actively forming partnerships with other organisations and associations. These range from other Humber-based groups to European and North Americanbased partners. If we are to continue growing with the industry we need to work with others. These partnerships have led to real commercial return for both Renewables Network and our membership.
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HULL COLLEGE GROUP SPONSORS OF HUMBER REvISITED

A PROUD PAST AND A BRIGHT FUTURE
The need now is greater than ever owing to the scale of renewable energy investments in the Hull and Humber region.
ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY
SECURINg jOBS FOR THE FUTURE MEANS EDUCATINg THE WORkFORCE OF THE FUTURE
It has been part of the Hull College Groups wide remit for more than 150 years the Colleges Hull School of Art and Design recently celebrated its 150th anniversary.
Preparing for the regions biggest economic opportunity, the College has extended an impressive range of city centre facilities with the development of the Centre for Energy and Climate, opened in March 2011.
THE COLLEGES RENEwABLES PROvISION
It is the focal point for the Colleges renewables provision, including training for adults and young people from the age of 14 upwards, and helping businesses wishing to grow into the new energy sector. It offers qualications for a wide range of occupations in renewables, including wind turbine maintenance, engineering, and logistics. We are providing the skills necessary for local people to secure the thousands of new jobs that could be created in the renewable energy supply chain. It is the biggest growth area and there will be jobs in many different elds, such as construction, says Gary Warke, Deputy Chief Executive and Deputy Principal pictured left with Dr Elaine McMahon, Cheif Executive and Principal.
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INDUSTRY COLLABORATION
With 30,000 students, sister campuses at Goole and Harrogate and ranked as one of the top ten further education institutions in the UK, the Hull College Group has talked with Siemens and regional businesses about the training required for this growing industry and has widened its range of academic and vocational courses, along with apprenticeships.
The Humber Renewables Awards are prestigious, regionwide business-to-business awards that recognise and reward local organisations that are committed to the success and development of renewable energy in the Humber region. Hull College Group www.hull-college.ac.uk
HENDERSON BUILDING
The Centre for Energy and Climate has been created within the existing Alex Henderson Building, already a byword for ecofriendly design with its sustainable building materials, ground source heating and rainwater harvesting, with solar power to come. Our investment in the Centre for Energy and Climate will help Hull and the region to benet from the opportunities created as a result of ventures by Siemens, Eon and other companies, says Dr Elaine McMahon CBE, Chief Executive and Principal.
HUMBER RENEwABLES AwARD
The College recently received a Humber Renewables Award for its work in Engaging the Community, recognising the Colleges approach to inspiring and educating local people to understand the benets of the renewables industry.
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INTERNATIONAL PROSPECTS NEvER BETTER

Prospects for international trade have never been better, according to Humber law rm Andrew Jackson.
WORLD TRADE CENTRE HULL & HUMBER FOUNDING PARTNER
GLOBAL BUSINESS
With its global business increasing year on year, and a clear strategy for capturing work from companies investing in the UK, Andrew Jacksons Hull and Grimsby-based lawyers are working with more than 10 countries around the globe on any one day.
The rm is a founding partner of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber and is using the contacts and knowledge it has gained from the initiative to assist in its aspirations to develop further business with target markets in Northern Europe, Scandinavia and India all of which have strong existing trade with the UK and the latter being one of the words four largest emerging economies.
HUMBER CONSULTANCY MAkING MARINE RENEwABLES MORE SECURE

An expected need for tight security at ports handling offshore wind developments is being met by a consultancy specialising in the maritime and renewables industries.
ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS OvERSEAS
Following regular visits to these countries to strengthen relationships, lucrative new business has been established, including signicant work in shipping, aviation, arbitration and in providing legal services for the establishment of companies and their executives in the UK. We have always been outward looking and tried to do things differently, and the World Trade Centre has made us far more conscious to look to new markets, says Mr Penrose.
STAFF TRAINING
Ferriby Group International is offering port and ship staff training courses to help them to secure locations that are home to hi-tech and sensitive equipment. It comes as more engineering companies, turbine manufacturers and developers look to base operations at ports, with the sites to handle components for use in Round Two and Round Three wind farm work.
EXPERIENCE OFFSHORE
The oceans have never been a barrier to the rm which has an international reputation for its experience in shipping law. But much of Andrew Jacksons overseas work is in other areas of business, covering a breadth of legal areas, specialist sectors and expertise. There is currently no better place than the Humber in the UK from which to engage in international trade, says Managing Partner Rob Penrose. The region is accessible to anywhere in the world due to our hugely advantageous geography. Along with the current value of sterling, our low cost base and the nature of future developments, we are in prime position to become a critical international business centre.
Renewable energy investment in the region is providing a multitude of opportunities for companies that have transferable, specialist skills, developed through centuries of operating on a principal trading estuary. And Andrew Jackson is a prime example of one that is already reaping the benets.
RENEwABLE ENERGY INvESTMENT
LOCATION
This includes land on the banks of the Humber estuary, close to their UK head ofce in the town of Hessle, near Hull. Jennie Hathway, the companys Ofce Manager, said: Some time ago we identied port security as a key area of need for the emerging marine renewables industry. Port locations around the UK and the rest of Europe are increasingly becoming home to equipment, materials and components as well as highly-skilled teams connected with the offshore wind sector. This being the case, there is a growing requirement for ports, ships and other maritime organisations to show competency in international security standards and codes. The three-day course, run by Ferriby Group International, covers a range of topics, from identifying threats and
OFFSHORE wIND
Having worked for many years in the energy sector, the rm is now providing legal services for a number of high prole offshore wind farm developments. Its the biggest opportunity the Humber has seen since the heyday of the shing industry, adds Mr Penrose. Hull is at the heart of the UK, facing the major business areas of Europe, and the entrepreneurial spirit of the people is enabling the region to thrive and prosper. Andrew Jackson Solicitors www.andrewjackson.co.uk
TRAINING COURSE CONTENT
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risk assessment to counter-terrorism and bomb search routines. Those who attend the sessions will also gain an understanding of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code. They work with businesses across the world and is offering the course at its own ofces as well in-house, at another rms premises.
HUMBERSIDE AIRPORT
HUMBERSIDE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IS ON THE RUNwAY TO GROwTH.
Already the second busiest heliport in the UK, due to the buoyant North Sea offshore industries, it is also anticipating signicant increases in plane trafc as the government aims to grow regional airports. This could see total passenger numbers at the Humber hub rise from 310,000 a year to 10 million by 2030.
REPUTATION
Humberside International Airport has an excellent reputation for quality of service, and this was validated by a recent customer satisfaction poll rating it as the UKs favourite airport. A long-standing relationship with KLM, with three ights a day to Amsterdam to connect with global ights, has seen the airport become an international travel centre, and it is anticipated that the next few years will see an exponential increase in long and short haul destinations.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
The company has been established since 1998 and has ofces in the UK, Panama, Philippines, Singapore and Australia.
INvESTMENT
SPECIALISMS
The rm specialises in consultancy and training, including ISPS training for Company Security Ofcer (CSO), Ship Security Ofcer (SSO) and Port Facility Ofcer (PFSO) roles.
HELIPORT
STANDARDS
Helicopter movements currently about a thousand a month are on an upwards curve in partnership with two worldleading operators, CHC and Bristow, to carry personnel and high value electronic components to North Sea gas rigs. In addition to having a heliport of national signicance, we are planning for signicant growth in airport trafc, which will come from many sources, including renewable energy developments around the Humber, says Simon Whitby, General Manager. Our ongoing investment programme will increasingly make us the airport of choice for Hull, the regions biggest population centre.
To support all of this increased activity, the airport has invested 1m on updating its instrument landing system to provide helicopters and planes with full electronic guidance, allowing ights to go ahead in conditions that would previously have grounded them. A new hold baggage screening system is also being installed this year ensuring the airport is ahead of new regulations, costing a further 600,000.
Ferriby Group Internationals services include working with companies on documented management systems that meet the needs of various International Standardisation Organisation (ISO) codes a standard seen by many global wind turbine companies as a necessary requirement for businesses working throughout the supply chain. Ferriby Group International www.ferribygroupinternational.com
OvERNIGHT ACCOMMODATION
Hull company Nightel has opened a 100-bedroom hotel on site for rig personnel while further improvements include more development land being made available and building new maintenance hangers for the growing helicopter eet. Humberside Airport www.humbersideairport.com
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OPPORTUNITIES FOR APPRENTICES IN OFFSHORE wIND

Blackrow Engineering believes that the Offshore Wind Industry provides another opportunity for the company to diversify and expand its capabilities, and following extensive market research, strategic initiatives have been employed that will hopefully bear fruit in the years to come.
Recent discussions with a turbine manufacturer surrounding the manufacture of the nacelle structural steelwork at their workshops in Grimsby are testament to the hard work being put in to attract major clients to the business and with continued effort, the company hope to turn these discussions into long term relationships. The company already has a strong commitment to supporting a leading supplier of secondary steelwork to the industry and this has resulted in investment in industry standards and procedures to ensure that the industry standards are being monitored and upheld. Blackrow has found the standards in the industry to be high and they have also invested in the OHSAS 18001 Accreditation which offers evidence of the companys commitment to Health and Safety and is becoming a part of many of the pre-qualication requirements for access into the industry.
HIGH STANDARDS
ONSHORE wIND
Onshore Wind is another area which the company has been focusing its market research and this has resulted in the development of a strong relationship with one of the UKs largest Onshore Developers.
INITIATIvE AND PERCEIvED GROwTH
Although the companys current capabilities provide a credible opportunity for growth, Blackrow have taken the initiative and recruited 5 young men who are undertaking Offshore Wind Apprenticeships at the HETA Training Facility in Stallingborough. These young men will provide the foundation for growth for years to come and the company are currently considering the recruitment of additional apprentices for this years intake to further entrench their offering when the opportunities arise.
ADDITIONAL CAPACITY AND COMMITMENT
Blackrows Health and Safety business unit, Group Safety Services have recently been contracted to manage the development and maintenance of all Health and Safety aspects of the business including managing of the installation phases of contracts.
GROUP SAFETY SERvICES HEALTH & SAFETY DEvELOPMENT
Other areas in which the company are developing growth strategies include the development of additional production capacity to supplement the existing facilities. With 10 and 20 tonne cranes currently operating in their workshops, plans to develop current storage areas into additional fabrication workshops are in the nal stages and this will support the companys commitment to provide fabrication support to Tier 1+2 customers.
HV SERvICES DEvELOPMENT
This has also provided the company with knowledge surrounding a gap in the industry for HV Services and Blackrow are currently developing strategic plans for the creation of a new division of the company specialising in this area and has funding in place to start training personnel within the company. Blackrow Engineering www.blackrow.com
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HUTTONS MOvE TO MEET HUMBER GROwTH

As the Humber region booms and the offshore sector expands, Huttons has opened a new head ofce in Hull to enable it to continue to meet its customers growing needs.
enables customers to store key items at its warehouse for immediate shipment worldwide to meet their individual requirements. Huttons also provides a dedicated logistics department to arrange urgent shipments. The UKs leading ship supplier Huttons is very active in supplying the offshore industry, supplying many types of vessels including those providing accommodation, cable installation, survey and support vessels. The companys Aberdeen ofce, supported by its central distribution centre in Hull, regularly processes large orders and makes frequent deliveries to energy sector vessels.
EXPERIENCE
LOCATION
Huttons new tailor-made building in Witty Street, has direct access on to the A63 and national motorway network and is just ve minutes drive from Hulls developing dockside, which is set to benet shortly from new deep water berths to accommodate the offshore sectors vessels. In addition the new Siemens base is nearby.
PREMISES CAPACITY
The new premises has plenty of room to accommodate Huttons extensive stocklist with 30,000 sq ft of warehousing and 3,000 sq ft of chilled and frozen storage. These are complemented by a packing, delivery area incorporating four loading bays, four temperature-controlled dock levellers and a customs-approved secure bonded warehouse. This new double-sized facility also has a dedicated area to store customer spares and strategic stores. Huttons is now able to offer a new service which
COMMITMENT TO wIND ENERGY DEvELOPMENT
Huttons MD Alex Taylor said: Our new location will enable us to meet the demands of the growing Offshore Wind Farm industry. The Port of Hull is gearing up for the increase in vessels working in the offshore windfarm sector and our new facility is situated in the middle of this exciting expansion area. Hutton & Co (Ships Chandlers) Ltd www.huttons-chandlers.com
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNCIL REGIONAL GROwTH FUND SUCCESS!

WITHIN THE LAST SIX MONTHS, NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN SECURING 10M OF REGIONAL GROwTH FUND (RGF) TO PROMOTE PRIvATE SECTOR INvESTMENT AND EMPLOYMENT GROwTH IN THE AREA. TATA STEEL TASkFORCE
The original bid was submitted by North Lincolnshire Council on behalf of the Tata Steel Taskforce and is now going through the due diligence process. economy which has been disadvantaged through the impact of job losses within both the public and private sector.
PRIORITIES
OBJECTIvE
The North Lincolnshire Regional Growth Fund Programmes prime objective is to create jobs through business development. Its aim is to help grow the
The key priorities of the fund will be to create new businesses; expansion, rationalisation, modernisation and diversication of existing businesses located in North Lincolnshire, and to encourage new companies to locate to and expand in the area. The 10m will be made available to support the generation of at least 500 new jobs in North Lincolnshire through a grant scheme aimed at businesses who meet the priorities outlined above.
Following the conclusion of the due diligence process, it is anticipated that the fund will be available from May 2012. North Lincolnshire Council www.northlincs.gov.uk

TATA STEEL & SIEMENS wORk TOGETHER
The order the largest to date for the steel companys dedicated wind tower hub in Scunthorpe, England is worth an eight gure pound sum and establishes Tata Steel as a key supplier to Siemens Wind Power. The company will deliver 25,000 tonnes of proled plate, cut into the desired shape, between April and September 2012 and will be used to build about 150 onshore wind turbine towers.
PREvIOUS BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP
Tata Steel has already supplied Siemens Wind Power with 6,000 tonnes of steel plate for similar developments in the UK and Europe. Scunthorpe Plate Mill Tata Steel has secured a major contract from Siemens Wind Power to supply 25,000 tonnes of high quality proled steel plate for wind towers. Phil Knowles, Tata Steel Commercial Manager for power generation, said: Demand for steel in the renewable energy sector will continue to grow, and were ideally placed to help our customers tap into this important opportunity.
This major contract, and our position as Siemens Wind Powers nominated sub contractor, is a direct result of the investment in our Scunthorpe wind tower hub and a great deal of work from the Tata Steel team. The agreement weve negotiated with Siemens Wind Power is a strategic customer alliance that will help in our objective to be a key supplier in the offshore wind power market. The steel plate will be manufactured at Tata Steels plate mills in Scunthorpe, and
NEw vESSELS TO BE BUILT IN HULL TO SERvE OFFSHORE wIND FARMS

A Hull shipyard is to build and operate a eet of vessels to serve giant offshore wind farms planned for the North Sea. MMS Ship Repair will both construct and run the boats, which will transfer technicians and equipment to the wind turbines. The design of the vessels is to be unveiled at a special event at the World Trade Centre Hull & Humber and Rob Langton, Managing Director of MMS, said the boats will meet the needs of the areas rapidlydeveloping offshore wind energy industry. We started looking at this project 12 months ago. These vessels will have a unique design and will be much larger than most current boats being purpose-built for the type of wind farms planned for the North Sea, which are further out from shore. The vessels will work much like a shuttle service and MMS will also crew the boats, so they will be operated by highlyexperienced local seamen. If approved, the plant will assemble turbines for the so-called Round Three, North Sea, wind farms, which are just 12 hours sailing time from the Humber. Mr Langton said: The Green Port Hull project and Round Three wind farms are the inspiration for the offshore transfer vessels. We have the perfect position, geographically in Hull and also the right experience and skills to build, operate and maintain these vessels as the offshore wind industry and supply chain grows around us in the Humber area.
SHUTTLE SERvICE
apable of carrying 12 passengers, the vessels would be able to run a shuttle service between the shore and the sites where hundreds of turbines are to be installed.
MULTI-MILLION POUND PROJECT
The multi-million pound project will see as many as six vessels, up to 24 metres in length, built by MMS with the rst ready for operation in approximately a year.
JOB CREATION
LOCATION
Established in 1988, MMS is based at Alexandra Dock, overlooking the Green Port Hull development the site earmarked for a proposed Siemens wind turbine factory.
Up to 50 new jobs could be created through the project, including apprentice positions. This will add to the companys existing workforce of 70 people.
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Dalzell, in Motherwell, Scotland, before being cut to size and edge proled at the companys dedicated wind tower hub in Scunthorpe. The steel will be delivered to a fabricator which will form the plate into round sections before they are welded together to form the turbine tower.
WIND ENERGY
Claus Loenvig Menne, Global Commodity Manager tower raw materials, Siemens Wind Power, said: Wind turbines represent an efcient and reliable option in terms of renewable energy sources. Siemens Wind Power already has an exceptional track record in this area and we are condent this supply agreement with Tata Steel will see us continue to enhance both companies reputation for operational excellence. Tata Steels wind tower hub in Scunthorpe was established in 2010 to process and distribute steel plate to manufacturers of wind turbine towers. It can deliver up to 200,000 tonnes annually, reducing customers processing time while ensuring full traceability.
FURTHER OPPORTUNITIES
It is anticipated the arrangement with Siemens Wind Power will open up further opportunities for Tata Steel to supply other steel products such as hot rolled coil and hollow sections which are also used in wind turbines. Tata Steel www.tatasteel.com
SPECIFICATION
The vessels to be built by MMS will be catamarans and feature a wave-piercing hull design, allowing them to remain stable, yet fast, in the North Seas often choppy conditions. The vessels will also have a unique turbine-transfer system to ensure they can safely disembark people and equipment upon reaching the offshore turbines. With a crew of three, the boats will be capable of 25 knots and have rst class galley, toilet and shower facilities, together with crews sleeping accommodation. MMS offshore transfer vessels will be unveiled at an event at the World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, Queen Street, Hull. The event is being run by the Renewables Network, a Humber-based private sector organisation which helps companies enter the green energy market. MMS Ship Repair www.mms-shiprepair.co.uk
Wind Tower Hub Plate Processing
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NEw TEAM HUMBER OFFSHORE wIND O&M GROUP OFFERS EXPERT SUPPLY CHAIN Ready, willing and able
Working collaboratively and sharing expertise, resources and knowledge will allow Team Humber members to increase the chances they have of winning or working on new service type contracts. Operating either between themselves or as a group, they not only come to a Each member has a different area of expertise and skills which they can bring to the group and which will complement any future projects and activities. thats the message from a new operations and maintenance supply chain sub-group set up by members of Team Humber Marine Alliance. Formed last year, and comprising about 20 businesses in the Humber region, the sub-group will serve North Sea and UK offshore wind energy operators. Were ready, were willing and were denitely able. The other companies alongside Towne Lifting and Testing include
Between us, we can provide a truly comprehensive O&M supply chain, said Chris.
COMPANIES EXPERTISE
The companies have expertise in most kinds of operations and maintenance functions in offshore wind related environments, including diving, access at height, electrical and marine engineering, and large-scale lifting and testing.
Colt Industrial Corrocoat Cosalt Danbrit Shipping Fairburns Group Giraffe Access (Zarafa Holdings) Humber Access Humber Electrical Engineering Mullion Northern Divers Engineering Parsons Brinckerhoff Point Engineering Precision Marine Engineering RES Offshore Rope Access NDT Survitec TIA Marine Wind Power Support greater understanding of each others capabilities, but it shows to some of the big renewable energy developers exactly what a strong combination of expertise they can provide. One company involved is Hullbased Towne Lifting and Testing, which supplies lifting equipment and testing services to this increasingly important sector. Chris Towne, Managing Director, said: As there are so many opportunities out there we believe we can take advantage more fully with this joint approach, whether it is making tender applications or even just attending important trade shows.
RES OFFSHORE vISIT
On May 16, representatives of the group will also visit the Hertfordshire head ofces of RES Offshore, which has the operations and maintenance contract for the Lynn and Inner Dowsing wind farm. This will allow members to look at what kinds of business opportunities are available and how companies can get involved either locally or nationally, added Mr OReilly. Team Humber Marine Alliance www.thma.co.uk
POTENTIAL FOR NEw BUSINESS
Mark OReilly, Director of Team Humber Marine Alliance, explained that the new sub-group offers real potential to win new business by member companies operating more closely together.
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UNIvERSITY OF HULL
The scale of green energy investments around the Humber is providing the University of Hull with an immense opportunity. Quick to see the potential for aligning its maritime expertise with exciting industry developments, it is investing in specialist research and innovation initiatives.
ALIGNING MARITIME EXPERTISE wITH INNOvATIvE INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES

A number of projects are underway, including a partnership with global consultancy rm Parsons Brinkerhoff to develop specialist software that will enable tidal stream power companies to estimate more accurately the energy available at potential sites.
RENEwABLE ENERGY SECTOR ENGAGEMENT
RESEARCH COUNCIL PROJECT
CASS ACTIvITY
Coordinated through its business-facing centre, CASS Renewable Energy and the Low Carbon Economy, it is engaged in activity that is vital to the development of the regions renewable energy sector and the Humber ports. Professor Stephanie Haywood, director of CASS, said: Our location in Hull has led to us building a unique body of marine and maritime inuenced research expertise which is in demand around the world. Now this special geography is presenting us with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on our own doorstep.
A high-prole Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council project is to inform industry on the design and suitable location for tidal devices. It utilises the Universitys world leading Total Environment Simulator, an experimental facility designed for modelling the dynamics of uid and sediment transfer under a wide range of environmental conditions. The simulator was recently used to contribute research to the highly successful Gravitas Offshore consortium, which is developing innovative solutions for wind turbine foundations. It has also played a key role in testing the prototypes for tidal devices now deployed in the Humber.
The University is already engaged by some of the biggest names in the renewable energy sector. It carries out environmental impact assessments for offshore wind developers in the UK and internationally, and behind the scenes, academics are working on a project to prolong the life of wind turbines through studying fault tolerance control.
NEw TRAINING CENTRE
A Renewable Energy Doctoral Training Centre will be opened on the Hull campus in the near future. As part of this, an industry-facing engineering doctorate degree to train students for a range of high-level careers in the tidal and wider renewables industries is being launched.
ASPIRATIONS
The University is aiming to become a major research centre for renewables on the national and international stage an opportunity stemming from its home in the Humber. University of Hull www2.hull.ac.uk
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A SEA OF OPPORTUNITY AS DELEGATES LEARN HOw TO GET THE MOST FROM RENEwABLES AT OFFSHORE WIND CONFERENCE
HOW CAN A HULL-BASED CAR SALESMAN OR A LOCAL HOTELIER CAPITALISE ON THE HUMBERS PREDICTED RENEWABLES BOOM?
As delegates at the recent Offshore Wind conference in Hessle discovered, there are lucrative opportunities available for companies across all sectors.
THE OPPORTUNITIES AvAILABLE ARE MORE THAN THE MANUFACTURE AND SERvICING OF wIND TURBINES
Eric Collis, General Manager of Humberside Engineering Training Association (Heta), said: Many people think all of the jobs linked to renewables will be in manufacturing and servicing turbines. Yes, there will be many opportunities like this, but behind those there will be more opportunities in everything else you can think of, from services and catering to car sales. When the South Yorkshire coal elds had redundancies, car salesmen would rub their hands as they knew some of that cash would end up with them. It is the same here in the Humber and the new jobs, and the money it will bring, will have wider benets.
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KEY SPEAkERS
Speakers at the event included Alan Johnson MP (pictured, opposite page), Sam Pick of Renewables Network, Professor Chee Wong of the Logistic Institute, John Britton of BCG Bridgepoint, Jonathan Rollison of Point Engineering and Andrew Morton of Footprint Renewables, Chairman on the day (pictured, below).
A COMBINED EFFORT wITH A COMMON GOAL
The conference, which took place at the Country Park Inn, was organised by Footprint Renewables and the Renewables Network. Its aim was to provide a guide for businesses on how they could prepare for the opportunities on the horizon.
Charles Heath, of Renewables Network, said: People often wonder what a hotel has to do with the renewables industry, but when you consider how many people will travel to the Humber as a result of what is happening here, you begin to realise they have as much chance to benet as companies already working in offshore wind.
HUMBER REGION OPPORTUNITIES
Rob Bell of Archomai also spoke at the conference, and said there will be plenty of exciting opportunities ahead for companies across the region. But he warned that simply being located in the Humber just 12 hours sailing time from the huge offshore wind farms that are set to transform the North Sea was not enough to guarantee a place in the supply chain. We started this journey saying we all have the benet of location. We have location in spades but if we are not careful we are going to fritter that away. We need to be upping our game. If we dont, others will come in and eat our lunch. Eds note we intend to feature articles from selected speakers in forthcoming editions Renewables Network www.renewables-network.co.uk

Footprint Renewables www.footprintrenewables.co.uk
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ABNORMAL LOAD SERvICES (INTERNATIONAL) LIMITED

Ships Agency, Cargo Handling, Chartering, & Marine Warranty Surveying under one roof.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT
MOvING AwkwARD CARGO
ALS has developed a broad range of specialised transport and logistics services for the global movement of abnormal loads and project cargo for the: renewable energy, oil & gas, tunnelling, mining and construction/capital equipment sectors. They provide a unique and comprehensive Nationwide Maritime & Ports Service to Vessel Owners, Cargo Owners, & Freight Forwarders alike. The team who have many years experience, and specialise in bulk, breakbulk, heavylift, supply chain and project services complement the complete service package ALS provides to their existing clients.
Using the latest technology to provide an onboard ofce environment for better supervision, and adopting a Control Tower Management concept, ALS attends vessels across the United Kingdom from afar as Southampton in the South, to Scrabster in the North of Scotland, providing clients with the entire range of services necessary for a vessels call or the handling of your cargo, whether it be for loading, discharging, or simply
SINGLE SOURCE SOLUTION
Believed to be a unique service, due to the fact that it is understood to be the only such company to have fully qualied staff in the ships agency, cargo handling, chartering, & marine warranty surveying profession as directly employed staff by their Hull headquarters without sub-contractors, ALS therefore provides a comprehensive, nationwide, single source solution.
MARINE SURvEYOR
ALS fully accredited marine surveyor and consultant complements the marine department. Recently having returned from South Africa to the United Kingdom, ALS new colleague is a Member of the International Institute of Marine Surveying (I.I.M.S), Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers and a Member of the Maritime Law Association of South Africa. He was instrumental in South Africa in conducting mining and civil engineering machinery landed and warranty condition surveys as well as providing consultative support at company senior executive level to various equipment supply companies and maritime advocates and lawyers.
WIND ENERGY INDUSTRY
ALS has recently provided UK port and vessel agency services for 3 x N80 R 60 wind turbines for Lairg Wind Farm and phase 1 importation phase for Drone Hill Wind Farm for 9 wind turbine towers from 3 vessels. A further 13 wind turbine towers are to follow to complete the project.
vessel requirements. These systems complement ABPs own PAVIS/Agents Online Systems for vessel management across their entire UK port range.
RENEwABLE ENERGY COMPANIES INvESTING IN THE REGIONS FUTURE wORkFORCE
ECOTRICITY
Four of those 11 apprentices are with Ecotricity, a green energy company that now have 17 wind parks operating across the UK with 53 turbines. Jacob Lofthouse, Hulls rst wind energy apprentice is currently in his second year of his apprenticeship as a wind turbine operations and maintenance technician. Mike Smith Jacob Lofthouse Ecotricity Head of Project Operations, Simon Vince said We have formed an excellent working relationship with HETA who have demonstrated that they are very exible & accommodating with this specialist industry requirements, and they have proven to be able to train and supply the industry with rst class wind turbine engineering apprentices. Being local to our main Service Centre and to a signicant number of our wind turbine
HETA have been training engineering and manufacturing advanced apprentices since 1967 across Humberside. Their number of client companies is currently over 140 including BP, Reckitt Benckiser, Saint Gobain Glass, Smith & Nephew, Conoco Philips, Total LOR, Centrica and many more.
BESPOkE RENEwABLE ENERGY APPRENTICESHIP
Over the last 2 years, HETA have developed a bespoke renewable energy apprenticeship to meet the demand of the wind industry. They now have 11 apprentices who are at various stages of the 4 year apprenticeship and looking to forge a career in Wind energy.
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SERvICES INCLUDE...
Vessel husbandry & agency Cargo services Marine warranty surveying & cargo surveys Marine chartering
AN INDIvIDUAL TAILORED APPROACH
ALS prides itself on providing an individually tailored approach to its clients by offering a full door-door delivery service for even the most challenging and oversized-loads. Their team of experienced personnel understand the mechanics of their individual clients business and are therefore dedicated to providing a service that reects the professional standards demanded in todays world. Abnormal Load Services (International) Limited www.abnormal-loads.com
assets makes HETA the perfect partner to assist with our Service team future expansions
RES
With a head ofce in Kings Langley and a local ofce in Grimsby, RES (Renewable Energy Systems) have also recruited a HETA apprentice. Mike Smith is the Humber Regions First Offshore Apprentice and is on the way to becoming an Offshore Wind Turbine Engineer RES are currently assisting with the Operations & Maintenance of Rounds 1 & 2 offshore wind farms and are also assisting Centrica in the Irish Sea Round 3 development Zone. RES Offshore Operations Manager Chris Holden is pleased with Mikes development As an ex HETA apprentice myself, I had a good idea of the type of training which I expected Mike to receive. The bonus was that HETA worked with me to create a bespoke syllabus which was much more rounded than an electrical or mechanical biased course. Mike is already contributing to our operations here in Grimsby and will himself be very placed to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities that are just around the corner HETA www.heta.co.uk

HUMBERS wIND POwER INDUSTRY
SPONSORS AND ORGANISERS
The awards were sponsored by communications provider KC Business and presented by Grimsby-born broadcaster Helen Fospero.
ON DISPLAY AT PIONEERING AwARDS

Companies helping to make the Humber a capital for renewable energy have been recognised at an awards ceremony in Hull.
Mike Smith, The Cobus Communications Group presents the Best Renewables Start-Up award to Bruce Marbrow of Alpha Energy, with Helen Fospero. Presenter Helen Fospero
HUMBER RENEwABLES AwARDS 2012
RENEwABLES HUB
Businesses involved in the regions emerging offshore wind sector, and its extensive supply chain, were among those celebrating at the Humber Renewables Awards 2012 and more than 150 people gathered at The Deep, Hull, for the event the rst of its type in the region.
The staging of the Humber Renewables Awards comes as the region looks to be a hub for green energy with offshore wind energy rms among those looking to base large-scale operations in the area, potentially creating thousands of jobs and worth 15 billion to the local economy.
The Humber Renewables Awards were staged by specialist public relations and marketing company Footprint Renewables, in association with Mail News & Media. Andrew Morton, Account Director of Hull-based Footprint Renewables which works exclusively in the green energy sector said: The volume and quality of nominations was tremendous not to mention the variety of submissions, which included every type of organisation, from energy companies and training providers to schools and logistics experts.
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This range tangibly demonstrates the strength of the renewables industry in the Humber and the justication for holding a dedicated green awards event. Congratulations to all of the winners and nominees for their efforts and determination to make the region a capital for renewables.
HOTA, which provides training for the offshore, maritime and general industry, was said by judges to be true market leader and is already tailoring its courses for the wind energy sector. Another winner was Humberside Engineering Training Association (HETA), which took the Excellence in Training Or Education accolade, sponsored by Arco. The organisation has more than 10 apprentices who are training as part of a bespoke renewable energy apprenticeship aimed at the wind energy industry.
THE wINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP

Best Renewables Product In The Humber Area, sponsored by The Insurance Partnership Winner: GWE Biogas Runners-up: EYMS, Yorkshire Heat Logs Excellence In Renewables Training Or Education, sponsored by Arco Winner: HETA Runners-up: Hornsea School, HOTA, Hull College Best Renewables Start-up, sponsored by The Cobus Communications Group Winner: Alpha Energy Runners-up: Yorkshire Heat Logs, Blue Water Danbrit UK Renewables Innovation, sponsored by BCG Bridgepoint Winner: Pulse Tidal Runners-up: HOTA, GWE Biogas Engaging The Community, sponsored by the Spencer Group Winner: Hull College Runner-up: HETA Humber Renewables Business Of The Year (small business), sponsored by Alan Wood & Partners Winner: HOTA Runners-up: Dodds Solar, Natural Gas Services, Neptune Renewable Energy Humber Renewables Business Of The Year (large business), sponsored by Andrew Jackson Winner: Transwaste Runners-up: EYMS, HETA Humber Renewables Champion, sponsored by Rollits Winner: Sam Pick, Renewables Network Runners-up: Team Humber Marine Alliance, Enterprise Europe Network in Yorkshire Footprint Renewables www.footprintreneweables.co.uk
AwARD CATEGORIES
Among the eight category winners was Hullbased Alpha Energy, which took the title of Best Renewables Start-Up, sponsored by The Cobus Commutations Group. The business is a partnership between a set of UK and Danish partners and provides contract engineers to the offshore wind industry. The independent panel of judges said not only has the company identied where, as a business, it ts into the supply chain, but its directors also display exceptional entrepreneurial spirit.
HUMBER RENEwABLES CHAMPION
Sam Pick, Business Development Director of the Renewables Network, was named Humber Renewables Champion 2012, an award sponsored by Rollits. Sean Royce, KCs Commercial and Finance Director, said: Events like the Humber Renewables Awards are important because they raise the prole
Mike Pennington, Mail News & Media, Sean Royce, for KC, broadcaster Helen Fospero and Andrew Morton of Footprint Renewables
TRAINING PROvIDERS
Demonstrating the wealth of expertise in the regions renewables arena, a number of training providers and those equipping individuals with skills to use in the wind power industry were recognised. This included Hull College, which won the Engaging The Community award, sponsored by The Spencer Group, and HOTA, which was recognised as the Humber Renewables Small Business Of The Year, sponsored by Alan Wood & Partners.
of the renewable energy sector and increase awareness of the opportunities it can deliver. The very early groundworks been done and were on the brink of something special but we as local business people and representatives of the public sector need to emulate the efforts of those whove got us this far and keep driving us forward. It is down to us to ensure we get the prize.
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TIDAL TRANSIT WIND FARM SUPPORT VESSEL

A BOAT TRIP wITH A DIFFERENCE
Recently, Mick Lochran and James Danby from the Grimsby Institute were invited to view the latest Tidal Transit Wind Farm Support Vessel, Ginny Louise by Chris Holden, Operations Manager for RES, a specialist renewables operations and maintenance company based on the Grimsby Docks. Grimsby East (POGE) two hours either side of high tide. The proposed improvements to accessing the dock should make 24 hr operation of these vessels possible in the future. (GRP), a group that brings together all parties involved in the operations and maintenance of offshore wind turbines. Other companies including Cosalt, Wind Power Support and the North East Lincolnshire Council are also part of the group. The main aim of the group is to pave the way for further development of offshore wind in Grimsby as the sector grows. James Danby, Head of Engineering at the Institute said: It has been a privilege to tour this vessel, which is of a very high specication. It has given us a further insight into some of the roles required for future employment in this exciting new sector.
Mick Lochran (GIG), David Robinson of Balfour Beatty and Winston Phillips of Cosalt
A 120 MILE ROUND TRIP AND DINNER ON BOARD!
SPECIALIST DESIGN
Ginny Louise is a brand new vessel that is specially designed to support the offshore wind turbine operations and maintenance teams such as those working out of Grimsby. Chris Holden said, As we move into deeper water and work further offshore, vessels like the Ginny Louise will become more commonplace. At 20 M long she can currently only access Port of
It demonstrates that it is not only engineers who will be required, David Robinson and Mick Lochran at the helm but also a full supply chain of of Ginny Louise support personnel including; procurement, administration, stores personnel and specialist vessel operators. RES used the vessel for a maintenance trip to Centricas Metrological Mast The need for a fully trained, skilled located 60 miles offshore from Grimsby. workforce will be vital to the industry and The vessel performed very well in the Grimsby Institute is working closely challenging conditions. The roast dinner with major employers to help ensure served on the way back to port was a very their requirements are met nice touch!
GRIMSBY RENEwABLES PARTNERSHIP (GRP)
The Grimsby Institute www.grimsby.ac.uk
The Institute and RES are members of the Grimsby Renewables Partnership
WHITBY AND SCARBOROUGH OFFSHORE WIND

In the North Yorkshire region Scarborough Borough Council have been working hard to forge the relationships necessary to drive forward their ambitions to see Whitby and Scarborough become a key area in supporting the offshore wind sector. Working with the industry and round 3 developers they have held a number of supply chain events and put a lot of resources into developing the skills agenda.
TRAINING AND SkILLS wORkSHOP
LOCATION
With the fastest transit times to the potential Dogger Bank development and good access to the Hornsea Site they are focused very much on the round 3 opportunities to deliver O&M, service and supply chain activities.
In November 2011 they had an excellent training and skills workshop, which saw about 100 delegates from throughout the Yorkshire and Humber region, meet with the offshore industry in Whitby.
grasped the opportunities that are facing them. Additionally, they are delighted to be part of Forewinds Champion for schools programme which is being delivered by HETA. This programme will see teacher champions for the offshore and renewable sectors created in their schools. These champions will help shape curriculum and careers advice for the renewables workforce of the future. In partnership educators and employers they have helped to create over 300 apprenticeships in the key engineering and manufacturing disciplines in this area over the past 2 years.
FOREwINDS CHAMPION FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME
The skills sector and employers in the region seem to have really recognised and
SCARBOROUGH AND WHITBY PORTS

Scarborough Port has seen its rst
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WORLD TRADE CENTRE TO TAkE HUMBER MESSAGE AROUND THE GLOBE

A major drive to promote the Humbers key sectors and build on international trade opportunities has been launched by World Trade Centre Hull & Humber. Carolyn Burgess, Chief Executive of Language is Everything and Director of World Trade Centre Hull & Humber, said: We are now making a sustained effort to act as an international marketing arm for businesses operating from the Humber. We have a strong role to play in complementing the work UK Trade & Investment, Team Humber Marine Alliance and the Renewables Network, all of which are based at the centre.
SECTOR PARTNERS
COLLABORATION
Collaborating with UK Trade & Investment, Team Humber Marine Alliance and the Renewables Network, the centre is working to help bring renewable energy related businesses to the region and encourage start up businesses in the sector. It is also promoting the Humber through its international networks. Rob Penrose, World Trade Centre Director and Managing Partner of Andrew Jackson, said: We are proactively seeking new global business relationships in areas where the Humber has specic expertise such as renewable energy. With the UK competition for inward investment in the sector being erce, the World Trade Centre is playing its role in making the Humber an attractive proposition and in nding international business leads for the many expert supply chain businesses based here.
The not-for-prot business is currently supported by nine private sector partners: Language is Everything, Garthwest, Andrew Jackson, Neill & Brown Global Logistics, Henderson Insurance Brokers, HSBC, Select Group, Mapa Public Relations and newly signed up Smailes Goldie Chartered Accountants. Associate supporters are IT @ Spectrum and Safety and Risk Management, with Hull City Council performing an advisory role.
PRIvATE SECTOR OwNERSHIP
Now in its second year under private sector ownership, World Trade Centre Hull & Humber has held regular international trade events, introduced a 24-hour interpreting service, and represented the Humber in Moscow, Doha, Recife and Sao Paulo. In December 2011, the centre met with other world trade centres at the WTCA headquarters in New York to look for new business partnerships. Lindsay West, Joint Managing Director of Garthwest and a World Trade Centre Director said that the recession had brought home the importance of the need to broaden our horizons. We have tried something different and it has started to bring results, he said. We have always wanted the World Trade Centre to be a hub for business and feel that its new location at Queen Street and energy from the partners has helped us achieve that in a short space of time.
EXPERT SERvICES AND STATE-OFTHE-ART FACILITIES
INTERNATIONAL TARGETS
Four countries are also being targeted over the coming months - Brazil, Russia, Qatar and India - utilising the global World Trade Centers Association network (WTCA), with a trade mission to Brazil scheduled to take place in June.
Many companies in the region have been making use of the world trade centres expert services and facilities, which include its team of international trade advisors from UK Trade & Investment, its meeting and conference spaces and videoconferencing facilities. World Trade Centre Hull & Humber www.wtchumber.com
offshore wind vessel operating out of the Port, survey craft Titan Endeavour, which is working on the Dogger Bank development. Scarborough and Whitby Port now have a number of live and signicant inward investment enquiries in support of the Offshore industry for survey, supply and operations and
maintenance activity and we are bringing forward new fully serviced business space to accommodate these new investments. The future for the Scarborough and Whitby area is looking very promising and they will be doing everything possible to keep the momentum to invest in their people, partnerships and infrastructure to ensure they maximise the economic benets of this new and exciting sector. Scarborough Borough Council www.scarborough.gov.uk
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ASSOCIATED BRITISH HUMBER PORTS

GRIMSBY AND IMMINGHAM
Located on the south bank of the Humber Estuary, the Ports of Grimsby and Immingham combine to form the UKs busiest port complex, handling more than 50m tonnes each year. Ideally located for easy access to the offshore wind zones in the North Sea, the ports are situated between the Dogger Bank Zone to the north and the Norfolk Zone to the south with the Hornsea Zone 40 miles from Grimsby.
PORT OF IMMINGHAM
PORT OF GRIMSBY
The Port of Grimsby is already an established centre of excellence for operations and maintenance activities for Round 1 and 2 wind farms in the North Sea. Companies such as Siemens, Centrica and RES are already operating on the port estate. Grimsby offers a number of sites suitable for the development of the O&M industry, as well as other offshore wind-associated activities.
Since the opening of the port in 1912, Immingham has become a port of strategic national interest, handling 30m tonnes of cargo a year for the energy industry alone. Immingham is a deepwater port with jetties capable of handling capesize and post panamax vessels. The Port of Immingham is synonymous with handling the largest bulk cargo shipments; it also has the widest range of roll-on/roll-off and container sailings to Baltic, Scandinavian, and near-Continent destinations. The port covers an area of over 1,200 acres, of which there are over 100 acres of extensive storage and warehousing facilities capable of being developed for offshore wind-related amenities.
Following extensive consultation with the Hull community, Siemens, in conjunction with ABP, has submitted a planning application for the development of Green Port Hull to Hull City Council. From the consultation, there was wide-spread public support for the scheme, which could generate thousands of jobs in the Hull region.
GREEN PORT HULL
ABP PLANNING AND DEvELOPMENT
ABP is planning for the development of pontoons outside of the entrance to the No. 1 Dock to enable the berthing of workboats outside of the lock restrictions. Grimsby Fish Dock Enterprises, which operates No. 1 Dock, is in addition planning for the extension of the lock gate facility to increase the availability of access for vessels arriving outside the tidal window. In addition to the above, ABP is constructing a new 25m riverside berth to accommodate car carrying vessels but the design includes provision of pontoons for smaller O&M support vessels. This facility is expected to be operational summer 2013.
In addition to Green Port Hull, the port can also offer a number of excellent O&M and load out opportunities with riverside access at its Albert and William Wright Docks and in-dock facilities in the King George Dock. Albert Docks Riverside Quay was recently chosen as a logistics base for the Lincs offshore wind farm by Centrica which is further evidence of the ports and regions capability to serve the offshore wind energy industry.
PORT OF HULL
The Port of Hull, a trailblazer in the offshore wind industry with the proposed Green Port Hull development, is superbly located in a prime location on the north bank of the Humber Estuary near all the key Round 2 and 3 sites in the North Sea.
ENTERPRISE ZONE
The Government recently awarded an area around the Humber Estuary with Enterprise Zone status. This Enterprise Zone includes a 253 hectare area in Hull including Alexandra Dock, Queen Elizabeth Dock, and Port Paull. Associated British Ports www.abports.co.uk
SIEMENS DEvELOPMENT
In January 2011, Siemens announced it had chosen the Port of Hull as its preferred location to develop its new offshore wind turbine manufacturing and export facility, involving a 220m regeneration of the ports Alexandra Dock. The 130 acre site will also include the development of a 600m riverside berth.
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ABLE MARINE ENERGY PARk

THE LONG TERM vIEw ENABLING THE UK TO MANUFACTURE A POSITION OF STRENGTH
The coalition Government is determined for the renewables sector to provide the path for the UK to manufacture itself out of these difcult economic times. This strategy requires balanced policy and scal pledges and - if we get it right - will provide immeasurable benets for both the UK economy and the ever increasing collective quest to tackle climate change. The stakes are high for UK Plc - who seems to be becoming slightly frustrated of the sectors well-laboured pleas for the supply chain to manoeuvre themselves into non-committal positions of preparedness.
of protability whilst at the same time reducing the overall costs of energy. Scalability is crucial and to achieve this, the UK must provide the infrastructure that the industry needs, not just for now, but for many years ahead. In the development of AMEP we seek to address a proportion of the UKs well-publicised ports capacity issues that the industry so frequently remind us of. Furthermore, we will deliver the versatile and futureproofed marine infrastructure that provides exibility and capacity to meet the growing requirements and trends of the offshore renewables industry.
UNDERSTANDING AND CAPABILITIES

Firstly, we must fully understand the magnitude of emerging capabilities within increasing globally competitive markets. Revolutionary new infrastructure projects such as integrated super-ports (Gulf), fabrication yards (South Korea), dry docks (Oman) are providing resounding economies of scale for the delivery of major investment contracts, somewhat usurping the UKs competitiveness. In a renewables context and on a European scale, we see this already happening through the principal ports of Bremerhaven, Cuxhaven and Esbjerg that have cumulatively received over 500m of liberal public sector funding to enable them to create offshore wind clusters. Secondly, we are dealing with a sector that is constrained by a need for large components and proximity to market.
COMPLEX AND IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS
LESSONS LEARNED
A number of crucial debates are still to be concluded between policy makers, planners, investors and a multitude of technicians and no doubt this will determine when the apparent burgeoning investment from the renewables industry happens. Put simply, wouldnt it be a shame if once this cocktail of complex considerations is concluded, the UK didnt have the right ports and infrastructure to secure and sustain the swathes of economic development that this sector so clearly offers? Able UK www.ableuk.com
If the renewables sector is to thrive in the UK and capture sustained economic benets we need to be mindful of key lessons learnt from the oil & gas sector. Nowadays, we disappointingly see lucrative oil & gas fabrication contracts awarded to overseas contractors despite the UK having suitable engineering capabilities and a renowned reputation for being able to manufacture high quality, complex components that have in the past allowed oil & gas operators to exploit the North Seas rich assets.
SCALABILITY IS kEY
Put quite simply, this is about scalability, and this is why ABLE is adopting a pioneering approach to the development of ABLE Marine Energy Park (AMEP). By providing a large super-port designed specically for the marine renewables industry we will enable businesses to obtain true economies of scale (that can currently only be achieved outside of the UK), increase speed to market, expedite installation rates and crucially allow the sector to maintain good levels
GOvERNMENT ACkNOwLEDGEMENT
This issue is acknowledged by UK Government with DECC and Oil & Gas UK who are currently working hard to assist UK fabricators to retain and sustain competitiveness, turning the tables back in the UKs favour.
A BLUEPRINT FOR THE EMERGING RENEwABLES MARkET
As the UK delivers its blueprint for the emergence of the renewables sector and continues the reform of our energy market we need to be mindful of two very simple, superseding trends within the renewables sector that lie at the heart of the UKs future ability to become and remain competitive.
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JAD FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERvICES LIMITED

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS
CLIENTS AND ADvICE GIvEN INCLUDE...
Mimimum risk nancial management advice for the wind energy supply chain with experience internationally in many SME industrial sectors, including Electronics, Food, Leisure and Health. during growth spurts of debtor issues, inappropriate investment in stock, inability to meet Bank Covenants IT specifications and driven installation of hardware and software systems in food companies, electrical engineering companies and hotel groups, and direction of IT operational and development departments Property purchasing and selling factories, breeding farms and hotels, in cooperation with commercial surveyors and property lawyers Insurance managing relationships between insurers and brokers it is vital that businesses have robust cover for identiable risk with an appropriate balance between premium cost and levels of self insurance
Hull based Vertual Ltd global presence in the radiotherapy healthcare training market Hull University Hull & East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust [HEY] Wind Energy Suppliers would also benet from their commercial experience outside the connes of a traditional nance and IT function which includes Foreign Exchange and Treasury management, turnaround situations, purchasing, distribution, IT, insurance and HR.
Purchasing professional management to ensure a whole company cost approach HR establishing retainer arrangements with respected HR lawyers for companies which is vital to keep abreast of employment legislation and its impact on a businesss workforce Tax - reviews of Tax issues and management of accounts JAD Financial Management Services Limited www.jadfms.co.uk
EXPERIENCE

Treasury establishing currency policy, hedging currency risk, strategic approach to currency movements, setting most suitable balance of long and short term bank nance, working capital control issues, funding for capital expenditure Turnaround micro management of the Cashbook which is critical that relationships with the Bank are professionally handled during the recovery process. Problems can arise
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SOBER HILL WIND FARM

CONSTRUCTION COMMENCED
Sober Hill Wind Farm Limited has announced the construction of Sober Hill Wind Farm, in the Humber area. The 6 turbine, 12.3MW wind farm will increase the areas contribution to renewable energy generation and assist the climate change commitments of the Yorkshire and Humber Region as well as helping the UK provide a secure, diverse and sustainable supply of energy.
and further regular meetings will take place throughout the construction period. Commenting on the construction works, Matthew Hayes, Planning and Development Manager of West Coast Energy, said, We are very pleased that the wind farm has now commenced construction and we look forward to delivering the benets of the development to the local community.
COLLABORATION
Both West Coast Energy Limited, who have been responsible for the development of the wind farm, and International Power plc, its now longterm owner and operator, have ensured that the local community is fully aware of the construction programme, and the operational benets of the new wind farm.
SPECIFICATION
LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
The Sober Hill Wind Farm will involve the erection of 6 x 2.05MW Repower MM82 turbines with a hub height of 59m and a total height of 100m. Once operational the wind farm will generate enough renewable energy to power the equivalent annual domestic electricity needs of around 7000 homes. West Coast Energy www.westcoastenergy.co.uk International Power plc www.iprplc-gdfsuez.com
West Coast Energy Limited and International Power plc have both committed to a series of local liaison meetings throughout the construction period. The rst meeting of the liaison committee took place on 13 March 2012
THE HALLMARk HOTEL

NORTH FERRIBY
WORkING AwAY FROM HOME
How often have you dreaded being away from home for long periods of time, missing all the home comforts which we take for granted until they are not available? I have personal experience of this in professions which have pulled me all over the country, and beyond, to conferences, training courses and events necessary to progress my professional career. My experience is however nowhere near that of our technicians who live offshore for the vast majority of their working life away from home, but I can understand what it may be like from what I have experienced.
STANDARDS
The hotel is one of a chain but extols the virtues of personal attention and service. In fact during our visits we got to know the individual staff members on each occasion, which is a compliment in itself.
RECENT REFURBISHMENT
The hotel has been very tastefully upgraded recently and the restaurant has fantastic views overlooking the Humber bridge with a varied menu choice to suit all tastes. A choice of tapas in the early evening over few drinks is an unusual and welcome addition.
This in our view is its major asset it is recognised as a meeting place for colleagues to enjoy a chat in a comfortable atmosphere, which takes away some of the pain from having to work away from home. The Hallmark Hotel Hull is conveniently located just off the A63 and is just 6 miles outside of Hull City Centre with direct links to the Humber Bridge and M62 motorway. The Hallmark Hotel Hull www.hallmarkhotels.co.uk
INDUSTRY MEETING PLACE
Where we stay is key to being as happy as you can be when working away and the Hallmark Hotel in North Ferriby, overlooking the iconic Humber Bridge, is looking to serve that need.
INDUSTRY SUPPORT
There are a number companies and organisations within the industry who use the hotels considerable facilities to hold conferences, training courses and events, as well as its comfortable en-suite accommodation, so it is difcult not to bump into someone you know.

DESTINATION HUMBER
SHOwCASING RENEwABLES BUSINESSES IN THE HUMBER
Destination Humber is a striking, professional lm boldly showcasing the regions growing reputation and ambitions as a key location for the renewable energy industry.
THE CONCEPT
Destination Humber will prole the work going on to make the region a capital of renewable energy and low carbon commerce. The lm will be used without charge by any organisation, local authority, network or business to promote the regions strengths, whether to a local, national or international audience.
FILM PRODUCTION
WHY YOU SHOULD GET INvOLvED
The lm, the rst of its type produced for the area, pulls together all of the features that make the Humber the perfect choice for green energy investment-from skills, expertise, to location and infrastructure.
Destination Humber will allow those on the lm to showcase their brand, services and work to new audiences and potential clients, as well as illustrating their expertise locally. The production process provides a unique chance to prove how a company is rmly positioned in an expanding renewables arena that features global players.
REACHING OUT GLOBALLY
Such a powerful and compelling tool will also ensure the Humber is well represented at future industry events, corporate shows and overseas trade missions. The aim of the lm is to create a modern resource that will project a consistent message producing a common thread for every renewables-related offering in the Humber, whether it is connected with offshore wind, biomass, solar power or tidal energy.
WHO IS PRODUCING DESTINATION HUMBER?
The lm is being produced by two Humber-based businesses Classlane Media and Footprint Renewables.
CLASSLANE MEDIA
Classlane Media is an innovative digital media production company that has been creating video-driven communication for more than 20 years, and is a six-times Royal Television Society Award Nominee.
FOOTPRINTS RENEwABLES
Footprints Renewables is a public relations and marketing company that works exclusively in the green energy market, with core skills in journalism, creative design, event management and sales.
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IN RETURN, YOUR INvESTMENT wILL COvER
HOw TO GET INvOLvED
Classlane Media and Footprint Renewables are part-funding Destination Humber. Those organisations willing to play a key role in its production and be featured are being asked to make a contribution, with the investment securing many benets.
The film shoot typically 3-4 hours on location at your business or area of work, with interviews and cutaway shots Editing and production of the material at Classlane Medias state-of-the-art studio facilities Company logo/corporate identify featured on the lm Free copies of the completed film for the business to use, including on your website Invitation to view the films premiere at a launch event Publicity, coordinated by Footprint Renewables, of Destination Humber targeting both mainstream and trade press For more details about Destination Humber and to discuss how your business can get involved with this pioneering lm, contact;
Footprint Renewables www.footprintrenewables.co.uk Classlane Media www.classlane.co.uk
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ZF
COMPANY PROFILE
Perhaps best known for automotive transmissions, ZF is also playing its part in the renewable energy market initially as an independent repairer of wind turbine gearboxes, and more recently as a designer and manufacturer of custom-built gearboxes for multi-megawatt wind turbines.
ADDS WIND POwER TECHNOLOGY TO ITS PORTFOLIO
PREvENTION BETTER THAN CURE
THE ENTRY POINT A FAST, LOCAL SERvICE CONCEPT FOR THE UKS wIND TURBINE OPERATORS
As a damaged wind turbine gearbox is unlikely to deliver its rated performance safely and reliably under heavy and uctuating loads, the turbine may be shut down and cease to generate revenue as a result.
Under ideal circumstances, it should be feasible to eliminate this costly downtime through preventive measures such as onsite gearbox component condition analysis using oil sampling, vibration analysis and endoscopic techniques. Similarly, in a situation where a fault had already developed, a local service centre should be able to dismantle and repair a defective gearbox applying the same protocols as the original equipment manufacturer. Any required technical updates could also be performed simultaneously.
To ZF, the need for UK-based overhaul services to reduce costs and lead times was obvious. The company initially consulted with the UKs major wind turbine operators to understand the challenges they faced in keeping winddriven generating equipment operating at peak performance. This open-minded approach was well received, and the decision was subsequently taken by ZF to invest in dedicated tooling and handling facilities to diagnose and overhaul these large gearboxes.
UK BASED EXPERTISE AND SERvICE REDUCING COSTS AND LEAD TIMES
THE PRESENT POSITION
Obtaining access to diagnostics and repair programmes within a narrow timeframe has rarely been a viable option for UK wind farm operators. In the majority of cases, a failed unit or part would be shipped to the original equipment manufacturer outside the UK.
Work on the new wind turbine gearbox repair and overhaul facility began in 2009 at the Nottingham headquarters of ZF Services UK Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of German parent company ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
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COMPANY PROFILE
GLOBAL PRESENCE
Fast-forward to today and ZF Services UK is rmly established in the wind energy market, having already achieved approved supplier status with ve of the top wind farm operators. The company offers a multi-brand, localised service incorporating preventive maintenance, unit overhaul and eld service to both onshore and offshore wind farm operators.
The company began expanding its activities by building a wind turbine gearbox manufacturing plant in Gainesville, USA. ZF Friedrichshafen AG subsequently acquired leading wind turbine gearbox manufacturer Hansen Transmissions International NV, headquartered in Lommel, Belgium which now trades as ZF Wind Power.
Although market share was never the primary focus, the company has also effectively been fast-tracked into a top three position in terms of global presence, with state-of-the-art manufacturing plants for gearboxes in China, Europe, India and the US. The inherent opportunities for rapid access to the market plus a broad product portfolio undoubtedly make ZF Wind Power suddenly more interesting as a potential supplier for the key players in the wind sector.
SPECIALIST wIND TURBINE FACILITY

The wind turbine facility is currently equipped to handle wind turbine gearboxes of up to 30 tonnes and accommodates a unique, purposebuilt validation test rig for gearboxes from turbines of up to two megawatts generating capacity. This can analyse oil ow, gearbox temperature, tooth contact pattern, and noise and vibration proles.
Together, these developments escalated ZFs role from gearbox overhaul and maintenance service provider to that of wind turbine gearbox original equipment manufacturer.
FUTURE ASPIRATIONS
HANSEN ACQUISITION BENEFITS
The joint ZF and Hansen operation has an annual production capacity of ten gigawatts. While the combined business is viewed as a platform for growth, the immediate focus is to make use of that capacity rather than broaden it. In the foreseeable future, the next step will be using Hansen products to help expand the ZF Wind Power portfolio with wind turbines from 1.5 to more than six megawatts capacity and beyond. ZF Services www.zf.com
CAPACITY
To cope with growing demand, overhaul capacity has recently been doubled by extending the workshop oor area, the travel of the 30t crane and the productivity of the overhaul validation test rig.
The reasoning behind the Hansen acquisition is twofold. One benet is that diversication into alternative markets reduces dependency on the automotive business sectors, while still drawing on ZFs expertise and experience in these industries. The second is an almost instant gain in technological advantage in the wind power arena, addressing a key ZF strategic objective of achieving technology leadership across all of its business units. According to Hans-Georg Hrter, CEO of ZF, Hansen ts perfectly with our company, from both a strategic and operational perspective. It adds sound know-how in wind turbine technology to our own, long-established R&D competencies in driveline technology.
FROM O&M TO OEM HEADING FOR TECHNOLOGY LEADERSHIP
ZF supported wind power operations with overhaul and maintenance services for some time before becoming more deeply involved at the manufacturing level.
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RENEWABLEUK
RenewableUKs newly formed Small and Medium Wind Strategy Group recognises growth in the sector
The opportunity via the Governments Feed in Tariff (FIT) scheme to generate clean, affordable electricity, cut carbon emission and provide another income stream for farms, businesses with land, communities and landowners has resulted in the rapid growth of the medium wind sector (50kW 500kW) over the last 18 months. During 2010 there were only a handful of medium wind installations across the UK but by 2014/15 this is predicted to rise to 400 turbines, making it less of a niche industry and more mainstream and affordable like its small wind industry cousins.
IMPROvING EFFICIENCIES
The small and medium wind sector are both improving efciencies in manufacturing and installation but are facing similar challenges across their business from planning constraints and grid connection costs to setting standards, ensuring certication and quality assurance. In recognition of these similarities the industry body, RenewableUK, has amalgamated the medium wind subgroup with the small wind strategy group to create one committee, The Small and Medium Wind Strategy Group, which reports directly back to RenewableUK Board.
THE GROUP
The group comprises of key industry players, both manufactures and installers, and will set the standards and direction of the UK small and medium wind industry. It will play a key role in discussion with the Government over the FIT review and the threat of cuts in the support mechanism to the small wind sector.
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HEALTH RENEWABLEUK & SAFETY
ELECTED CHAIRMAN
It will explore a variety of issues of interest to small and medium wind turbine manufacturers and installers, from wind resource assessment and planning to certication and project nancing. While the conference is aimed at the small and medium wind experts, the event will provide a valuable opportunity to learn more about this growing wind market segment for everyone interested, including consultants, nance community and landowners. The Chief Executive of RenewableUK, Maria McCaffery, said: This event offers a golden opportunity for everyone interested in small and medium wind to nd out just how much these expanding sectors have to offer. The conference sessions and interactive seminars give unique access to leading gures with a wealth of expertise in this dynamic area of the market. The UK is a prime destination for this global industry, as the current Feed-in Tariff has stimulated the small wind sector, and a wide range of products are available here to meet the growing demand. RenewableUK www.renewable-uk.com ICE Renewables www.icerenewables.com
Julian Martin, CEO of medium wind specialists, ICE Renewables Ltd, has been elected as the inaugural chairman of the Group. The small and medium wind industry faces similar challenges and we can learn from each others strengths. We have strong industry representation on the committee which will ensure the work we do has commitment from across the sector so that standards are accepted and workable. As a committee we are all determined to work with Renewable UK and the Government to provide direction and support for the small and medium wind sector. says Julian. The growth of this sector is set to continue to rise and it is vital that it does so with workable standards to protect both the consumer and the reputation of the industry.
NEw INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2012
Renewable UK are holding its rst annual International Conference aimed at both the Small and Medium wind sector on 17-18 April 2012, in Glasgow, UK. The event primarily has an industry business to business focus and is to enable the sharing of knowledge, technical development and business connections.
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NOF ConfeRence
NOF Energy Conference Energy: A Balanced Future

ENERgY MINISTER vISITS THE NORTH EAST AND ENDORSES THE qUALITY OF THE UK SUPPLY CHAIN
Audience during the Ministers speech At the annual NOF Energy conference, Energy Minister Charles Hendry MP reiterated the Governments commitment to supporting UK supply chain companies ambitions to win contracts. Mr Hendry, who is Minister of State for the Department of Energy and Climate Change, was speaking at NOF Energys conference, Energy: A Balanced Future in Newcastle-upon-Tyne recently. AREVA UKs Andrew Bellamy
GOvERNMENT BACkING
He praised the quality of companies in the UK supply chain and the desire of the Government to ensure British suppliers were not only more visible to international operators, but regularly part of tender lists for contracts.
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NOF ConfeRence
INTERNATIONAL INTEREST
Over 250 delegates from the UK and international supply chain were in attendance for Mr Hendrys speech at the conference, including a delegation from Brazil, which was followed by a series of presentations from leading executives from across the energy sectors. Charles Hendry said: The role of the supply chain in a balanced energy future is an important issue for the whole economy. What we are determined to achieve in the oil & gas, nuclear and renewables sectors is much higher elements of British content. We want companies investing in the UK to understand the excellence and skills that exist among the businesses here which can meet their needs. We also want to be much clearer about what government can do to remove barriers for companies as they try to win international contracts. Keith Hunter Seimens Energy Service
I dont want that manufacturing excellence and success just to be the North East history, I want it to be its future as well. George Rafferty, Chief Executive of NOF Energy, said: It was pleasing to hear the Ministers endorsement of the UK supply chain and the Governments continuing support to achieve a greater element of UK content in energy sector contracts. His comments really set the tone for the conference, which provided the ideal opportunity for attendees to understand the challenges and future prospects over the next couple of decades in the existing and new emerging energy sectors. The development of the UK offshore wind industry was a key area of debate across the conference schedule and there was optimism among delegates Energy Minister Charles Hendry
SPEAkERS
Keith Hunter, General Manager Training, from Siemens Energy Service explained to delegates the challenges and opportunities for the development of a skilled workforce for the sector. Andrew Bellamy, Senior Industrial and Supply Chain Project Manager, with AREVA UK, explained the companys plans for offshore wind and took part in a number of networking sessions with delegates.
NETwORkING
Networking was a key part of the conference, with a number of opportunities incorporated in the days schedule to encourage delegates to develop new and existing relationships.
UK companies are well-established with a strong track record of doing business internationally and have a skilled and willing workforce. We can support them by constantly reminding people of the skills that exist here. We need 200bn of new investment in our energy sector and we want that money to bring in an enormous amount of jobs right across the United Kingdom because we believe we have the best skills to offer the market.
from the Ministers comments that supply chain opportunities will begin to present themselves.
CONFERENCE FOCUS
Sponsored by Dickinson Dees and Tees Valley Unlimited, the conference addressed the role the supply chain has to play in achieving a balanced energy future. A strong panel of speakers, exhibitors and leading executives from respected organisations, including AREVA UK and Siemens Energy Service from the offshore wind industry discussed the future of the energy sectors served by a multi-skilled, adaptable, integrated supply chain.
On the evening before the conference, NOF Energy hosted a networking reception, sponsored by Recognition PR, which presented an excellent opportunity to meet new contacts including a special delegation from Brazil. NOF Energy www.nofenergy.co.uk

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GLoBaL WInD ALLIance
THE GLOBAL WIND ALLIANCE

...AND THE STORY CONTINUES...
We rst featured the Global Wind Alliance within our Quo Vadis conference article held in Belfast late in 2011 then a followed up in a more in depth feature on their philosophy and aspirations in the last edition.
DANISH WIND POwER ACADEMY
COLLABORATION
The main principal of the Global Wind Alliance, as the name would suggest, is collaboration.
SIMPLE CONCEPT
The concept is simple. Alone, each company can only offer a part of the solution that global customers require; but by collaborating with others, who can offer complementary products and services, they can compete and win work on a global stage that would otherwise be unobtainable. We continue their important work by concentrating this editions feature on The Danish Wind Power Academy, one of their member companies.
A turbines efciency is heavily dependent on the expertise of its technicians. When they lack the appropriate level of skill, they risk causing excessive downtime and unnecessary costs. Hence having fully trained and competent technicians is important. However since different turbines have different operational requirements, a catch-all training model will not sufce. For a course to be successful, it needs to take into account both the specic demands of the turbine and the participants existing levels of know-how.
We start by acquiring a customers operational data, including event logs and error reports, says CEO Carsten Andersen. Then we will build up a training programme around the operational conditions of those turbines on that particular day.
TRAINING CONCEPT
INDIvIDUALLY TAILORED TRAINING SOLUTIONS
DWPAs training concept is based on a ve-pronged model. In the rst phase, a technicians existing knowledge is assessed and the clients expectations are set out. Secondly, DWPA examines technical documentation to gain an overview of the turbines function. This leads seamlessly into the third phase, in which the client and instructor collaborate to draw up a programme of study. The key phase is the training itself, which combines group work with individual tasks and while due attention is paid to the theory, clients can also benet from practical training.
The Danish Wind Power Academy (DWPA) was founded in 2004 and today is a market-leading provider of individually tailored training solutions. Its instructors together provide over 60 years of practical hands-on experience from a wide range of turbine type and it has developed an innovative educational concept for technical personnel at all levels.
STRONG INDUSTRY LINkS
With strong links to manufacturers and owners, as well as sub suppliers from the industry, the DWPA strives to always be at the cutting edge of industry developments, and prides itself on knowing the needs of the client inside out.
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GLoBaL WInD ALLIance
The OEMs develop a course when the machine is new, and this training hardly ever alters, says Andersen. But as wind turbines grow old, the content of the errors change, and so too do the solutions required to x them. Our courses are constantly being adapted.
EXPERIENCE
With four hands-on instructors, who have amassed around 60 years experience between them, DWPA endeavours to always pass on the most up-to-date technical information while motivating and inspiring course participants. The Danish Wind Power Academy is a member of the Global Wind Alliance, a collaborative network of 14 member companies. Each experts in their own eld and together they provide the complete range of O&M services for windfarms. The DWPA has provided training and services to most of the largest and successful utilities, owners and manufacturers, across the globe. Dong Energy, E.ON, Vattenfall, RWE npower renewables, Enel, AGL, Pacic Hydro to name a few. Turbine manufacturers that have benetted from the DWPA products include Siemens Suzlon, Gamesa and Vestas.
We host open classes here in Denmark, but our instructors also travel worldwide to perform on-site training, says Andersen. Because we have clients across 20 countries, we can be in Australia one day and China or Finland the next.
well as providing a consultative service aimed at pre-empting future challenges. This anchoring phase ensures that knowledge gains are consolidated across the organisation. Payback for the client is immediate, says Andersen. Technicians become more efcient at troubleshooting, ensuring they are quickly back on the grid. We reduce scheduled maintenance times, and increase the mean time between failures. Because we train people in surveillance and risk management, as well as technicians, there are benets for the entire company. And further explains that these procedures apply regardless of the turbine model or the stage it has reached in its lifespan.
CERTIFICATION AND BEYOND
CLOSE wORkING RELATIONSHIPS
The training phase culminates in a nal test and certicate for the participants, following which other training providers might consider their job done. However, DWPA goes the extra mile by offering assistance for any participants who may not have passed the test rst time, as
The key to its success is a close working relationship with industry suppliers. Our most important partners, apart from our customers, are the specialists whose technologies are used in the manufacturing of wind turbines, says Andersen. They enable us to stay at the forefront of advances in the industry, and we help convey these advances to our customers. Danish Wind Power Academy www.danishwpa.com Global Wind Alliance www.globalwindalliance.com
CONTINUOUS DEvELOPMENT
As the needs of clients evolve, DWPAs training programmes are updated. This gives the company an edge over original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), whose training programmes become less applicable as time goes by.
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CABLE INSTALLATION FEATURE
Cable
No one will argue that planning and preparation is paramount before we embark on anything we do. The planning and designing of cable installation for a wind farm, whether on or offshore, ranks fairly high in that stated scenario for some obvious reasons. In this feature we asked the industry leaders to let us know their thoughts and advice on the subject. As with most subject areas there is no definitive advice and/or solutions, so please do not hesitate to get in touch with your views on what has been written, and let us have your comments. We start with Thomson Ecology, the UKs leading ecological consultants, who just want us to get it right....
INSTALLATiON
the importance of planning and design
Planning and designing a wind farm for cable installation Make biodiversity an asset - not a liability Obtain expert advice from the start If you obtain expert ecology advice from the start of your cabling project, you are far less likely to encounter project delays and you can minimise the mitigation costs associated with biodiversity. Often small changes to a cabling route can make a big difference to the impact on biodiversity and as a result of making these small changes, you will encounter fewer planning problems. By preparing a full scoping report of the surveys required, the rationale, methods and frequency, in line with current guidance, and then agreeing this with the regulators, you are far less likely to encounter problems further down the line.
ENSURE YOU PLAN-IN SEASONAL SURvEYS
Surveys for the onshore element of the cabling route can be highly seasonal. It is therefore important that such surveys are in the project plan from the start otherwise you may nd you are facing delays of 6-12 months whilst you wait for the survey window of, say, the great crested newt, to reappear. Offshore surveys are not constrained to the same extent. However, in some cases it may be necessary to understand seasonal variations in distribution, for example, sh spawning grounds or migratory routes.
LIAISE CLOSELY wITH THE STATUTORY CONSULTEES
For a development requiring assessment under EIA Regulations, it is very important to seek a scoping opinion from the statutory consultees. In England and Wales this may be via the Infrastructure Planning Commission, who will consult with other bodies, such as Natural England.
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FOLLOw BEST PRACTICE GUIDANCE
Use a reputable ecology consultancy to ensure that the surveys are implemented to a high standard and fully in accordance with the best practice guidelines. These surveys often involve years of data collection. By making sure that the data is both accurate and easily comparable, the nightmare of having to go back and resurvey can be avoided.
ENSURE CONSTRUCTION wORkS ARE IN ACCORDANCE wITH THE MITIGATION PLAN
Your ecologists should provide you with a robust mitigation plan. Ensure that construction is in accordance with this so that you prevent disturbance or damage to protected species, for example, avoiding construction during the bird breeding season. Richard Arnold, Technical Director Thomson Ecology www.thomsonecology.com
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JOINING UP THE DOTS

BACkGROUND HISTORY
High voltage submarine cable interconnectors between adjacent countries have been around for over 50years. Traditionally, they have been relatively short and HVAC (HighVoltage Alternating Current) cables. Due to high heat losses, they have been limited to cable lengths of typically 70km100km - depending on the amount of energy being carried. But in recent years, with improving technologies, there has been a shift to HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) systems. These transmit energy for far greater distances. For example, the BritNed interconnector recently commissioned between the UK and the Netherlands is over 240km. Many more are underway.
THE FUTURE OF THE GRiD

A GREATER CHALLENGE
However, a second consequence is even more challenging: how do we integrate the many offshore windfarms being built into a pan-European system?
THE SUPERGRID
An offshore grid, as envisioned by Eddie OConnor of Mainstream, which would link farms and interconnectors, could be the answer. HVDC technology accepts multiple connection nodes and could form the platform on which this Supergrid could be built. However, lets not think that the infrastructure companies and investors have fully grasped this vision and will look to the construction of an offshore grid from the beginning. This is not going to be the case. None of the projects mentioned here currently have nodes planned to create an offshore network; they are point-to-point. But this is not surprising, as the investment needed and the commercial and supply chain challenges (restricted availability of materials and components, vessels and skilled staff are common to all offshore infrastructure projects) on such a large scale from the outset are prohibitive.
Also, recent research, commissioned by the EU, suggests that a nodal, or hub, approach to interconnector and windfarm development may result in savings in the order of 20billion. Therefore, it is probably only a matter of time (if not already) before offshore generation and transmission developers in Western Europe engage in substantive discussions to develop the rst node connections to interconnectors. In the end, joining up the dots will give us the bigger picture. James Hunt Intertek METOC www.metoc.co.uk
GROwTH MARkET
This growth in the interconnector market has many drivers... Achieving security of supply Overcoming onerous onshore environmental constraints Advances in DC converter technology EU directives
The latter requires 15 percent of energy to be from renewable sources by 2020. This means 30-35% of all electricity generated will be from renewable energy. One consequence is that the countries of Western Europe will need to share renewable energy much more effectively through marine interconnectors; a major challenge given the timescales.
FUTURE SCENARIO NODAL GRID?

So what will happen in the future? Clearly, there is a rm commitment to interconnector development, and, interestingly, toes are being dipped into the water with respect to a nodal grid.
For example, the Dutch company, Tennet, is providing export cables for the German offshore wind market, which include the connection of projects under different ownership to a single export cable system.
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DIvING EXPERTISE CRUCIAL FOR PROBLEM-FREE CABLE INSTALLATION

Problem-solving and working around extreme weather are both qualities needed when considering cable installation for an offshore wind farm, according to a leading commercial diving company.
John Sparrowe, Managing Director of Northern Divers, said: One of the great skills we bring to a wind farm project is our ability to look at the early designs and interpret them, in a practical straightforward way. This involves taking the technical theory and working out how best to go about the cable installation, ensuring the developer gets much more than just a diving company, but rather a specialist company that can spot problems before they happen. Above all, having this outlook and expertise means the project is completed safely, quicker and in a more costeffective way.
NORTHERN DIvERS
Experts from Northern Divers say the tough, physical challenges of xing cables to and from turbines in the sea, several miles off a coastline, are essential to plan for when designing a wind farm. The Hull-based company, which specialises in underwater civil engineering and commercial diving, has a wealth of knowledge of this kind of cable installation, having worked on the Princess Amalia Wind Farm in the North Sea. This was the second offshore wind farm in the seas Dutch sector and the worlds rst to be located at such a distance from the coast outside of the 12-mile limit.
PRINCESS AMALIA WIND FARM SHORT CASE STUDY
The construction of the Princess Amalia Wind Farm started in 2006 and the divers began their six-month project by installing cables to all of the turbines via a J-Tube arrangement. Diving teams often working in zero visibility then moved on to the burial of cables between the turbines and the installation of main, export, cables to the Dutch coast. Mr Sparrowe said: The biggest obstacles of offshore cable installation are the weather and tides. You sometimes have only a short gap between tides and the work is always weather-permitting, so you need to be very focussed and productive when the right opportunity arises.
Northern Divers was the main diving contractor for the Princess Amalia project which has 60 turbines and is one of the worlds deepest offshore wind farms, constructed at a depth of 19-24m. This selection is one of a number of occasions over the last 20 years that the diving company has worked with Van Oord, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor for the wind farm. Northern Divers www.northerndivers.co.uk
75
BELwIND OFFSHORE a case stUDy

The Belwind offshore wind farm is located in the North Sea, about 50 kilometers off the coast of Belgium. In a rst building phase, 55 3MW turbines have been installed, equaling a total output power of 165 MW. The farm was made fully operational in December 2010.
INNOvATIvE GRID CONNECTION CONCEPT

In order to get the generated electrical power on the onshore grid of Belgian transmission system operator (TSO) ELIA, an innovative grid connection concept was used. All wind turbines are connected at 33-kV level to the offshore high-voltage substation (OVHS). The main component of that substation is a 3-winding 33/150kV step-up transformer. From the OVHS, the power is transported to a 150kV onshore substation and there fed to the 380kV ELIA transmission grid. The new grid connection concept used for the Belwind project is shown below. In this concept, there is no static VAR compensator onshore. The required capability curve by ELIA is met due to... The reactive power of the export cable The regulating capabilities of the wind turbines The installation of offshore reactors
ONSHORE TRANSFORMER
Onshore, a booster transformer has been added to the system. This transformer is a series-compensated 150/150kV autotransformer and has 2 main functions. The most important function is the voltage regulation of the 33kV offshore grid. In order to benefit from the reactive power capabilities of the wind turbines, this voltage needs to be constant with only small deviations (+/- 1%) of the nominal voltage. A second function of the booster transformer is to limit the switch-in current as well as voltage transients occurring when the onshore highvoltage breaker is closed. Therefore, this transformer is equipped with a softclosing device. This device is connected to an internal circuit at a medium voltage level.
76
wIND FARM
CONNECTION CONCEPT ADvANTAGES
The new connection concept used for the Belwind wind farm has a number of advantages Reduction of short-circuit current the use of a booster transformer in the onshore substation gives a large reduction in short-circuit current on the export cable and on the high-voltage offshore substation (up to one fourth of the initial current). This makes it possible to use cables and switchgear with a lower rating. For the export cable, the lower earth fault current could, for example, result in a cable with a smaller metallic screen section Use of offshore reactors - the placement of the reactors offshore has the advantage that these reactors can be connected at medium-voltage level. This makes them smaller. Another advantage is that switching phenomena will be damped by the export cable and less visible for the onshore grid
Soft-closing the soft-closing feature has the dual advantage of minimising the transients during switching in of the export cable and offshore transformer and of making part of the offshore high-voltage switchgear installation unnecessary. Because the export cable and the offshore step-up transformer can be energized simultaneously, there is no need to install a high-voltage circuit breaker on the offshore platform. This results in a simplified platform design and a lower maintenance cost CG Power Systems www.cgglobal.com
77
PLOUGHING AHEAD
Thats the message from Scottish and Southern Energy as they lead the way in the new and innovative methods of utility installation.
ENvIRONMENTAL CONSIDERATIONS
One SSE core value is safeguarding environmental interests, the conventional methods of laying utility apparatus using open trenches across rural landscapes along with areas such as SSSI, Natural Heritage Sites, contributes signicantly to the environmental impact utility installations have.
With this in mind caring for the environment along with the safety of their employees is a priority for SSE as they tackle the many varied requests for cable and pipe installations.
MOLE PLOUGH INSTALLATION
One of the options is the use of the FSP22 Mole plough. Cables and pipes can be laid virtually wherever they are required. Preparatory work such as removing of topsoil and excavation of the subsoil is no longer required, so therefore minimal soil structure changes take place. The cable and pipe laying plough makes a narrow slit in the earth up to a depth of two metres in a single operation with the aid of a cable winch and at the same time several cable and pipe variations, along with the respective warning tapes can be placed at the base of this slit. The cable or pipe drums are also mounted on the plough, multiple drums can be pulled behind using specially designed drum trailers, after the cable and/or pipes has been laid, the narrow slit is closed almost automatically, with little reinstatement required to complete the works.
THE NEED FOR CHANGE
With local authority compliance and environmental agency legislation/policy, coupled with strong public interest in how utility companies deliver value for money the need for change became apparent to SSE.
PARTNERSHIP
One initiative to tackle these challenges led SSE to seek out alternative methods of utility installation. Since 2003 in partnership with German based Joseph Schnell, SSE has successfully been using and modifying mole plough technology to install specic underground network installations. During this period the Working Together relationship between SSE and Schnell has developed arguably to become the industry leaders in this specialist market.
FLEXIBILITY
The exibility of the plough is also a contributing factor in its use, its not only its mobility and off road ability which are noteworthy. Using its all round adjustable wheel jibs it can adjust its wheels vertically so it can plough vertically into embankments which have inclines up to 45 degrees.
78 www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
In addition the wheel jibs can be adjusted horizontally from a minimum of 1.9 metres to a maximum of 5.50metres, Therefore the plough can tackle trenches, ditches and other obstacles. It can be used on embankments, through woods, near trees, on hills, behind and over roadside barriers, near tar road surfaces, through streams and rivers, in wet areas, in fact almost anywhere.
OTHER BENEFITS
Another plus is the efciency savings made by using the plough method of installation, conventional open trenching by nature is extremely cost and time intensive. As a result of the large number of procedures involved. The main benet of the cable plough is the speed at which operations can be carried out. A good example of this is at the SSE owned and operated site at Hadyard Hill near Girvin in Ayrshire, Scotland, currently the countrys largest windfarm with 52 2.3MW turbines.
SSEUS (Scottish and Southern Electric Utility Services) direct labour teams undertook the underground installation project of laying 150KM of 33KV circuit laid in trefoil conguration including earth wire and bre optic ducting across a challenging terrain of moorland, peat hags, water course crossings, along with the remoteness of the site.
MASSIvE TIME SAvING
Using the plough to install all the infrastructure took 50 days the old open trench technique would have taken 200 days. Apart from the obvious time saving involved, the amount of machinery and personnel that would have been required were greatly reduced on site. Laying the infrastructure this way was safer for all concerned and damage and disruption to the local environment was minimal. Scottish and Southern Energy www.sse.co.uk Josef Schnell www.josefschnell.de
CLYDE VALLEY WINDFARM
The latest project is Clyde Valley Windfarm with 157 turbines. On this site 350 KM of 33 KV Cable in trefoil plus service pipes are invloved.
79
ENGINEERING FEATURE
Lessons learned
No need to re-invent the wheel
IN THE LAST EDITION wE INTRODUCED OUR READERSHIP TO THE NEwCASTLE CHAMBERS OF ENGINEERING (NCOE)
We continue with the second in the series...
STRUCTURAL COMPARISONS
When comparing a North Sea offshore wind turbine structure with an offshore oil & gas installation, especially a Normally Unmanned Installation (NUI) the similarities are striking. Experience and lessons learned from the offshore oil & gas industry are invaluable to the offshore wind farm industry, much more than one would initially consider!
DESIGN
OFFSHORE CONDITIONS AND COMPARISONS wITH THE OFFSHORE OIL & GAS INDUSTRY OFFSHORE WIND FARMS
Within the North Sea there are at least 45 to 50 years of experience to call upon for the design, construction and installation of xed or oating offshore structures for the oil & gas industry.
LEGISLATION AND STANDARDS
The extreme harsh environmental conditions for the UK offshore oil & gas and wind farm industry inuence the design, installation and maintenance of structures and equipment. Most offshore oil & gas installations are still in place and operating long after their design life making the lifecycle cost of such facilities an important consideration for new oil & gas developments.
MATURITY vERSUS YOUTH
The UK offshore oil & gas industry is a mature industry in many ways with the offshore wind farm industry still in its infancy by comparison. Exciting times lie ahead for the offshore wind farm industry and are characteristic of a rapidly growing industry. This is unlike the mature oil & gas industry where production declines each year in the UK as eld reserves deplete and the tax regime makes the UK less attractive for exploration.
National, European and International Standards exist for almost every engineering aspect within the oil and gas industry, from design to decommissioning. So many of the standards are relevant to the engineering of offshore wind farms, but are not necessarily stated. In the absence of a standard in the offshore wind farm industry our recommendation is to reference the equivalent offshore oil & gas standard. One may expect oil and gas standards to be revised to include offshore wind farms under the umbrella of offshore energy installations. It is acknowledged that further work is required in the areas of legislation and engineering standards for the offshore wind industry.
PROBLEMS wITH MAINTENANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY

Today, many oil & gas installations in the North Sea are 30 to 40 years old and are now facing serious problems of maintenance and sustainability. This is not the structure or major piece of equipment as one may suspect, but the electronic control and safety critical systems, without which the equipment will not run.
80
ENGINEERING FEATURE
Hugh Yendole: DONG Energy Power (UK) Ltd . Director and Programme Manager: DONG Supply Chain Requirements, presented at Wynyard Hall Hotel, Teesside, North East England, 29 February 2012.
Many systems were obsolete within 10 to 15 years, dependent on either the manufacturer or technology selected. This is something that the wind farm industry should bear in mind when designing offshore wind farm support systems.
HIGH RISk ACTIvITIES
RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL ADvANCES
The offshore wind farm associated technology is developing at a fast pace. A lesson gained from the offshore industry is to ensure the structure and facilities can accommodate modications, if technology advances make it protable to install future upgrades. This is a difcult balance, but one must consider the lifecycle of wind farms as opposed to driving costs down early in the design.
Installation and lifting large loads in the oil & gas industry are deemed high risk activities due to the nature of high potential consequences. Risk Management and meticulous planning are employed for such activities. Even with the best planning and risk management processes in place, undesirable outcomes can still happen.
At a recent DONG Energy presentation, Hugh Yendole informed the assembled audience that DONG Energy were presently developing offshore wind farms using the six megawatt (6MW) generation of wind turbines that are specically designed for offshore operation rather being onshore derivatives of the three megawatt (3MW) on land units. The discussions included the development of ten or even twenty (10-20MW) units (with the 20MW units each having their own helipad!). DONG indicate from this that the way ahead is one of continuous improvement. These developments open up great opportunities for UK companies and, especially, engineers and consultants who have a wealth of offshore experience. Newcastle Chambers of Engineering www.ncoe.co.uk
MAINTENANCE
INSTALLATION
Installation of both types of facilities, offshore NUI and wind turbines, including associated subsea infrastructure depend upon limited availability of sea going vessels. Also, installation is typically planned for the summer months to avoid delays due to bad weather. Securing a sea going vessel for the installation early in the design phase will greatly inuence the installation date and cost of installation
In the oil & gas industry new facilities make use of the latest technology for performance monitoring to aid planned and predictive maintenance as opposed to reactive maintenance when a component fails. There has been a shift to more information is better, sometimes the items you think will be the most likely to fail are often the ones that do not. Having the more information as opposed to no information allows maintenance engineers to make informative decisions as opposed to blind ones.
SUMMARY
UK companies are encouraged to grasp the opportunities developing in the offshore wind farm industry.
81
WELLBEING IN THE WORK PLACE
NATIONAL WORK YOUR PROPER HOURS DAY TUESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2012
5.26 million people worked unpaid overtime last year the highest since records began in 1992, clocking a UK average of 7 hours 12 minutes per week worth 5,485.00 per person and contributing 28.9 billion to the economy (TUC Analysis). The analysis generalised that the 24th of February would have been the rst paid day that employees would have had, taking into consideration all the unpaid overtime hours. I am neither in support of, or against the Work Your Proper Hours Day event; my observation is simply in relation to the potential impact on an individuals work / life balance and their resilience and wellbeing; and let us not forget that stress is now cited as the No 1 reason for workplace long term absence, and leads to all manner of physical, mental and emotional illness. There is no question that business needs to have, perhaps more at this time than any other, the full support of their employees who are willing to go the extra mile, to dig deep to provide the effort. It is tough for many businesses and there is no doubt that we are in a time of austerity and focussing on the economic climate where raising quality, increasing safety, faster delivery, customer satisfaction, morale and wellbeing of workforce, whilst at the same time reducing costs is the order of the day. Equally, employees have never more needed their employers support and to work with them in balancing their work-life effort by working in partnership, helping to achieve each others needs. Indeed in a climate where pay may have been frozen or cut back, bonuses stopped and fringe benets reduced, employees are expecting their employers to support them in other ways, for example employee assistance programmes (EAP). There is also an increasing expectation that employers will actively be seen to be good corporate citizens and engage in activities that contribute to the sustainable development of local communities, and society as a whole; and demonstrating this is increasingly used as a tool to build effective relationships with the internal and external stakeholders.
In tHe woRkPLace
BECOMING A WELLBEING CHAMPION COMPANY

In this edition I begin a two part article that continues with the practical How Tos in implementing wellbeing approaches with little or no cost, by accessing resources readily available. In the next edition I share a case-study of how a company operating in the wind energy sector integrates wellness practices in their business, as a
Wellbeing Champion Company
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WELLBEING IN THE WORK PLACE
Daily Mail Article (February 2012) Dubbed the silent killer with causes normally through being overweight, drinking too much and sometimes genetics, the article stated that controlling your blood pressure is vital to help maintain a healthy heart and thats why we want to encourage a change in peoples attitudes towards their heart health. If everyone made getting tested a priority this would be a huge step towards preventing serious conditions such as heart attacks and strokes. Having this tested is easily achieved by individuals popping into one of the healthy living pharmacies on their doorstep. Employers can serve their employees very well by nding out where their nearest healthy living pharmacy is and the identied Health Champion, educating their employees and pointing them in the right direction. A free readily available resource to add to any company wellbeing strategy! (www.sotw.nhs.uk for the North East and Google Healthy Living Pharmacies for National information) As always I am happy to help organisations in their wellbeing of the workforce journey and in creating both wealth and health. Gill Main Partnering4Performance www.partnering4performance.com
In todays austere focused times, organisations need to be creative in providing this support; and also in taking a more pro-active role in educating their employees to take more responsibility for their own life choices that impact health, wellbeing and resilience.
THeRe Is a weLLBeIng ReVoLUtIon goIng on wHeRe eVeRyone stanDs to wIn

HEALTHY LIVING PHARMACIES LAUNCH
As a resource to access, a welcome addition to wellbeing services to help organisations and people in implementing a Total Health Approach are Healthy Living Pharmacies. In the North East which is my own home patch and the area in particular I seek to inuence, there are 30 of these pharmacies that are working in line with the Governments Healthy Lives, Healthy People White Paper. The Government described the pharmacies as a valuable and trusted public health resource with millions of direct contacts with the public every day.
In line with the 2011/2012 NHS Operating Framework and set up in partnership between NHS South Tyneside and Gateshead PCTs (Primary Care Trusts) and the Gateshead and South Tyneside Local Pharmaceutical Committee, these pharmacies have met strict criteria to provide drop in support and services for people who want to improve their health by for example: giving up smoking losing weight treatment of minor ailments NHS health checks flu vaccinations contraception sexual health advice on medicines usage
Located in populated areas these pharmacies can offer advice and support on a range of healthy living initiatives. Each pharmacy has a Healthy Living Champion who as well as delivering an up to date service on health initiatives in the community and can signpost people towards other services as appropriate.
FEELING THE PRESSURE
7 out of 10 people are at risk of serious health problems due to high blood pressure.
EEEGR SNS 2012
EEEGRs message at their recent SNS Conference 2012
East of England must grab its energy opportunities

Rainer Mohr speaking at the SNS Conference (Right) Delegates pack the auditorium for the SNS Conference
More than 320 delegates attended the biggest ever conference staged by EEEGR (the East of England Energy Group) but it was the scale of the challenges and the potential of the multibillion pounds opportunities for the region which engaged them most.
Delegates were urged to make sure the East of England took its chance to become a world leader in the energy market with the potential to create employment for about 170,000 people by 2020.
A MESSAGE FROM FORMER BP CHAIRMAN LORD BROwNE
A TIMELY wARNING BY INTERNATIONAL SPEAkERS
Former BP chairman Lord Browne had to call-off from the Norwich event but sent a specially recorded video message urging delegates to make the most of the remarkable resources of the Southern North Sea (SNS) in gas, offshore wind and marine energy. He said the region must create the right skills through innovative partnerships, ensure the essential infrastructure for an energy hub and to maintain public support throughout the development.
But leading international speakers on both windpower and oil & gas warned that delays, lack of skilled workers and too little aggression in the market place could thwart some of the local ambitions.
84
EEEGR SNS 2012
Lord Browne is now partner and Managing Director of Riverstone LLC, owner of Seajacks, whose own Managing Director Blair Ainslie told the conference that the region must not lose sight of the value of its gas industry.
Theres a chance of the East of England to become a world leader in an emergent market with huge export potential for the future, he added. Dr Rainer Mohr, President of Offshore Sales for REpower, said they would be looking for UK partners to deliver projects in the SNS but urged a more realistic approach from the supply chain. This is a preferred region but we need to build up a sound order book before we think of announcing a production site in the UK.
EEEGR CHIEF EXECUTIvE JOHN BESTS FAREwELL
WORk IN OIL & GAS BUT GROwTH IN THE SUBSTANTIAL GROwTH IN OFFSHORE wIND
It was the last conference for John Best before he steps down as Chief Executive of EEEGR, the group he founded 11 years ago. People ask what will happen when I leave. But the future is up to you, he said. We have built a platform over 11 years but the story is only just beginning. EEEGR will continue to thrive and support the supply chain. We have an absolutely fabulous resource.
There was 7.5bn invested in UK oil & gas in 2011 and with enhanced production and extended eld life, coupled with the decommissioning of older platforms, ensuring decades of work to come in the sector.
But he also acknowledged the growth of the offshore wind industry with Seajacks launching a third jack-up lift vessel later this year which expected to focus on turbine installation in the North Sea. Another three vessels were lined up in a $500m investment programme.
Because of delayed projects, they were also looking for business in the 2013-17 period. We have the technology which can be installed tomorrow. We can start negotiations today, he added. Conference chair John Westwood, Chairman of Douglas-Westwood, looked ahead to the next ve years in the SNS and warned of the end of cheap electricity with the potential for bills to soar as global energy demand doubled.
SPONSORSHIP AND SUPPORT
The conference was sponsored by Seajacks with support from the University of East Anglia, ODE and the European Regional Development Fund. EEEGR www.eeegr.com
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