The Business Network for Offshore Wind (the Network) announced the offshore wind industry leaders that will headline the sixth annual International Partnering Forum (IPF), currently the top technical conference in the U.S. dedicated to moving the nation’s offshore wind industry forward.
To register for the International Partnering Forum, which takes place April 8 to 10, click here.
“The IPF will bring together state, federal and international leaders with industry experts to harness the momentum of the U.S. industry and push forward the establishment of a U.S. offshore wind supply chain,” said Liz Burdock, CEO & President of the Network.“Along the U.S. coastline lies a resource with the power to create clean energy, unparalleled jobs and economic growth. We are on the cusp of a booming offshore wind industry, with states along the eastern seaboard committing to large-scale offshore wind at an unprecedented rate.”
The IPF will feature presentations from U.S. and global leaders including:
- Governor Phil Murphy, Governor of the State of New Jersey
- Richard Kauffman, Chairman of the Board, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
- Alicia Barton, President and Chief Executive Officer, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority
- Gil C. Quiniones, President and Chief Executive Officer of New York Power Authority, the nation’s largest state-owned electric utility
- Thomas Brostrøm, President, Ørsted North America
- Walter Cruickshank, Acting Director, U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
- The Baroness Brown of Cambridge, UK Low Carbon Business Ambassador and Vice Chair of the Committee on Climate Change.
The 2½-day conference, starting April 8, 2019, will feature cutting-edge educational programs, top-notch exhibitors, and abundant networking opportunities to facilitate partnerships that will grow the industry and build capacity within the U.S. offshore wind supply chain. Programming and workshops will cover critical issues facing the U.S. offshore wind industry, including supply chain capacity, grid connectivity, big data and long-term outlooks for 100% renewable energy by 2045. More than 1,000 attendees are expected at the largest IPF conference to date.
“Growing the offshore wind industry in New Jersey has been a boon to both to our economic development goals, as well as the urgent need to improve our environmental stewardship,” said Governor Phil Murphy. “I’m thrilled to speak alongside industry leaders and public officials from around the world who share my commitment to developing this industry and decreasing our reliance on fossil fuels.”
Momentum for the development of U.S. offshore wind has never been stronger, with European and U.S. companies seeking to invest in major projects along both coasts.
In just the last year:
- Massachusetts approved the first commercial-scale wind farm along its coastline, with the potential to power nearly 400,000 homes.
- New Jersey authorized 1,100 MW of offshore wind capacity in the largest single-state offshore wind solicitation, paired with a commitment to 3,500 MW by 2030.
- New York, the host state of IPF 2019, called for quadrupling New York’s offshore wind goals to 9,000 MW by 2035, and received an unprecedented response to its inaugural solicitation for 800 megawatts or more of offshore wind.
In addition, 11 states including Maine, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, California and Hawaii are actively engaged in offshore wind development.
“Partnerships and collaboration are the hallmark of New York’s holistic approach to offshore wind development, and events like the IPF support our goal of bringing industry stakeholders to the table in a way that ensures offshore wind is developed responsibly and cost-effectively,” said Alicia Barton, President and CEO, NYSERDA. “Under Governor Cuomo’s bold leadership, New York continues to build the foundation to position New York as a national hub for this budding industry and we look forward to working with the federal government, our neighbor states and industry partners to bring its economic and environmental benefits to the entire Northeast and beyond.”
The IPF conference is also the setting for significant announcements, as it was last year when then-Secretary of the Interior Zinke proclaimed his enthusiastic support of the offshore wind industry and highlighted it as a key part of the Trump Administration’s “All of the Above” national energy strategy.
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