What will happen next with the expansion of offshore wind energy in Germany and Europe? How can climate and species protection be better combined? Why does it make sense to harmonize the European systems for refinancing offshore wind projects? And which factors influence whether we can achieve a rapid market ramp-up for green hydrogen in Europe? These and many other exciting topics will be discussed by around 250 representatives from politics, science and the offshore industry at "Future Offshore 2021". The fourth annual conference of the BWO eV takes place online and has the motto "Departure in stormy times".

State Secretary Andreas Feicht from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) kicked off yesterday's Wednesday: “In order to achieve the German climate and energy goals, we need the fastest and largest possible contribution from offshore wind energy. We are creating the prerequisites for this in the new regional planning plan, ”he said, heralding the subsequent discussion rounds - some in German and some in English. The big topics of the industry were discussed here: Maritime spatial planning, electricity market design, green hydrogen, offshore safety.

“We are currently seeing high growth dynamics in the offshore wind sector in Europe and worldwide. Thanks to the new offshore targets, the central tenders that are now starting and the hydrogen prospects, the German market is becoming attractive again for operators, ”said BWO CEO Sven Utermöhlen. Nevertheless, European cooperation will also play an increasingly important role - everyone agreed on that.

A special focus of the event this year is on the federal election in September: "The greatest challenges of the energy transition are still ahead of us and must be addressed by the next federal government," said Kerstin Andreae, Managing Director of the German Association of Energy and Water Industries (BDEW) .

The specialist discussions on the first day of the conference will be followed by a top-class "Parliamentary Online Breakfast" on Thursday. Together with MP Mark Helfrich (CDU / CSU), MP Julia Verlinden (Bündnis 90 / DIE GRÜNEN), MP Dr. Nina Scheer (SPD), Member of the Bundestag Lorenz Gösta Beutin (DIE LINKE) and Member of the Bundestag Dr. Martin Neumann (FDP), BWO Managing Director Stefan Thimm will take up the most important results of yesterday's kick-off event and talk about possible political solutions. Registration here.

At the beginning of the year, the BWO published a series of political recommendations for action for the next legislative period. Enclosed you will find the most important points summarized on four fact sheets.