ESTABLISHING AN OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY ENGINEERING INDUSTRY
Below we have laid out ASPAC's base strategy for establishing an offshore wind energy engineering and marine services industry sector in your nation or state.
The length of time it takes ASPAC to implement the strategies will solely depend on the relevant government’s commitment to developing the industry sector.
COUNTRIES HAVE JUST A FEW YEARS TO ESTABLISH THEIR HOMEGROWN OFFSHORE ENGINEERING INDUSTRIES
At present, very few nations outside of Europe and China have their own homegrown offshore wind energy engineering and maritime services industries.
However, for at least the next 40-50 years, the global offshore wind energy industry is going to expand almost exponentially, creating millions of jobs, along with huge income streams for those countries which today, recognize the urgent need to establish and nurture their very own homegrown offshore wind energy engineering and maritime services industries.
Governments & nations which do not in the next 5 years put into place strategies to establish and nurture their own offshore wind energy engineering and maritime services industries will have missed the opportunity, as by this time, it will be much cheaper to import the foundations, towers, turbines, etc, from neighboring countries, than to try and start a new offshore fabrication industry from scratch within their own country.
ESTABLISHMENT OF YOUR COUNTRY SPECIFIC OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY ENGINEERING & MARITIME SERVICES ASSOCIATION
The first step should be the establishment of a country specific ‘Offshore Wind Energy Engineering & Maritime Services Association’. This association should be at arm’s length from any existing Wind Energy Associations in your country, as these associations by and large represent the corporations who are the bidders, owners, project managers or overseas suppliers of equipment such as the turbines to offshore wind energy projects within the country. These associations are rightfully focused on achieving a good regulatory government framework for their members to construct and operate their offshore wind farms.
The Offshore Wind Energy Engineering & Maritime Services Association will solely be focused on further growing the engineering and maritime services of your nation. It will not concern itself with national Power Purchase Agreements or any such things.
The association will become an extensive database of your country’s capabilities with respect to all things related to offshore wind energy engineering and maritime services.
ORGANISE AN OFFSHORE WIND ENERGY ENGINEERING & MARITIME SERVICES ROUNDTABLE
It is important that you invite a wide cross-section of offshore wind energy stakeholders to the initial roundtable. Participants should include,
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Government representatives
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Various Port Authority Representatives
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Supportive Ambassadors from various countries
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Donors such as,
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Asian Development Bank
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IFC
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World Bank
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Just Energy Transition Partnership
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Project Developers & Planners
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Offshore fabricators
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Marine service operators, cranes, vessels, barges, etc.
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The national electricity provider
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Offshore Energy Consultants
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Vocational Training Centers
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Supply Chain Manufacturers & Suppliers
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International Offshore Wind Energy Corporations
The initial roundtable should have a clearly defined goal which can be summed up by,
“What sections of our emerging national Offshore Wind Energy Engineering & Maritime Services Industries do we together need to look at further supporting, upgrading, enhancing, expanding, or modifying over the next 2-3 years, which will assist the country develop a strong resilient
Offshore Wind Energy Engineering Industry Sector
capable of achieving the installation of 1GW of offshore wind energy per year.
Establishment of an Offshore Wind Energy Engineering & Logistics Industry Development Fund
At present almost all Asian-Pacific Offshore Engineering Industry Sectors comprise only of a few large oil, gas and shipbuilding fabrication companies, which are supported by a number of smaller fabricators and contractors at various ports along their coastlines.
Lack of funding to expand and re-tool is the greatest single hurdle in-country offshore wind engineering companies face. This is greatly hampering any growth of a nation’s local offshore wind energy engineering sector.
ASPAC will establish a US$100 million plus, Offshore Wind Energy Engineering & Maritime Services Industry Development Fund, with monies from supportive donors such as the Just Energy Transition Fund, IFC, World Bank, Asian Development Bank, etc.
Establishment of a Foreign Corporations & Investment Facilitation Group
Key to developing a strong Offshore Wind Energy Engineering Industry Sector, is a nation’s ability to attract foreign investment, and a small number of large international well experienced offshore wind energy engineering corporations, to establish a presence in-country.
To achieve this goal, ASPAC will,
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Identify a small number of well experienced, competent foreign Offshore wind energy engineering corporations, which it believes could greatly assist grow the local Offshore Wind Engineering Industry Sector.
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Develop a list of incentives etc, which will greatly assist attract the targeted companies to establish presences in-country.
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Work with the various government departments to approve the list of incentives.
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Make various presentations too and meet with decision makers of the targeted companies.