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Editorial October

Editorial October
Podium discussion at the WindEnergy Hamburg 2016: Lars Bondo Kroogsgaard, Nordex SE; Michael Westhagemann, Siemens AG; Gunnar Groebler, Vattenfall Europe GmbH; Ilka Groenewold, Prof. Dr. Timo Busch, Universität Hamburg, and Senator for Energy Jens Kerstan

What role can offshore wind energy play in the future European electricity mix? Will the recent breathtakingly low prices offered for electricity from new offshore wind farms in the Netherlands and Denmark fall even lower? How fast will the pending price decline be, and how much does this development depend on the future expansion path for offshore wind in Germany, Europe and worldwide? These are all highly topical questions that we aim to discuss with a top-class programme at the “Hamburg Offshore Wind – HOW 2017” conference.

The HOW conferences have been running since 2002 in Hamburg, initially organised by the well-known certification company Germanischer Lloyd, and by DNV GL since 2014. We are delighted that we as the Renewable Energy Hamburg Cluster will be able to pool our strengths with DNV GL from 2017 on, and build on the positive conference experience of the past. Together, we want to communicate the significance of offshore wind energy for the Hamburg metropolitan region, for all of Northern Germany and also for the success of the energy transition in Germany.

We will also learn more about the further optimisation of the wind turbines here. With constant generator sizes, they are producing more and more electricity, and do so more constantly. Statistically, this electricity is also produced very reliably in the dark months of the year, when electricity consumption is highest in Germany. Offshore electricity therefore offers a high system value for the electricity mix of the future.

The conference takes place on 5 April, when the first round of tenders for offshore wind farms will have been completed based on the new Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG). That is a perfect time to reflect intensively on initial experience with tenders in Germany with the most important managers in the national and international industry, representatives of regulatory bodies and others. Of course, it will also be important to reconsider the possible role of offshore wind in the energy transition between now and 2030. We are particularly looking forward to this conference and hope to welcome many of you there!

Jan Rispens

About Astrid Dose

Profilbild zu: Astrid Dose

Talking, writing, organising – and having lots of fun! This is what my days at the EEHH Cluster look like. I’ve been responsible for public relations and marketing for the Hamburg industry network since 2011. I studied History and English and have a soft spot for technical issues.

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