Agenda
Offshore Wind Farm Construction: EPC or Multi-Contracting
Tuesday, February 16, 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET
As some US offshore wind projects get closer to the point where they have sufficient visibility on their permitting process to get started on the contracting of the construction of their windfarms, the question of the structure of these contracts comes to the fore - and in particular a question which has bogged the industry since the early days: EPC or no EPC? Fixed-price, date-certain turnkey contracts are common in many industries, but do not dominate in offshore wind. The specific challenges of the sector (wind and marine industry companies not familiar with one another, the unusual twin requirements of heavy lift capacity and high precision in the middle of the open sea, the need for new vessels) have made suppliers reluctant to provide the expected "wraps."
Can projects take on the additional risks from multi-contracting? Do they have the requisite project management capacity? Will such contractual structures prove to be bankable?
Moderator:
Jérôme Guillet, Head of Energy, DEXIA CREDIT
Panelists:
Joel Constantino, VP, Director of Operations, NEW ENGLAND STEAMSHIP AGENTS, INC.
Graham Mason, Director, Infrastructure, FLUOR CORPORATION
Additional Panelists to be Announced
Round 1: The Great Lakes, Renewables and Economic Acceleration
Thursday, February 18, 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET
This presentation will focus on the considerable offshore wind potential in the bi-national Great Lakes and the tremendous economic and environmental benefits that would flow from its development. Momentum to install tens of thousands of megawatts in The Great Lakes, on both sides of the border, is building rapidly due to their large size, strong wind resources, favourable building environment, new permitting rules and incentives and proximity to load. Moreover, the large scale of commercial offshore wind projects is vital to attracting large turbine manufacturers capable of revitalizing the struggling manufacturing sector throughout The Great Lakes region.
Trillium Power Wind Corporation, which is planning to build a large offshore wind power facility in Lake Ontario, and one of the first in North America, submits that developers have recently applied to lease contiguous offshore areas reserved under the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources’ Site Release Program that would generate a total of 20,790 MW of offshore wind power. According to Trillium Power’s calculations, this would generate a total of C$253.6 billion in gross economic activity and create between 65,000 and 100,000 jobs. In effect, Ontario has the potential to become a catalyst to accelerate the offshore wind market in both The Great Lakes and North America.
Moderator:
John Kourtoff, Chief Executive Officer, TRILLIUM POWER WIND CORPORATION
Panelists:
Mary Ann Christopher, Partner, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP
Dr. Jose Etcheverry, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Environmental Studies, YORK UNIVERSITY
Sean Logan, Director, OHIO DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Developing Regional Trade Agreements Related to Offshore Wind
Tuesday, February 23, 2010 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET
To be successful, the offshore wind industry in North America will require the development of a supply chain and infrastructure that can bring thousands of jobs and new industries to a region. This webinar will discuss opportunities for regional cooperation and public-private partnerships to facilitate growth of the offshore industry and maximize the related potential for job and industrial growth.
Regional Ports and Harbors Study, Ken Fields, TetraTech
Developers have yet to construct any offshore wind generation facilities in U.S. waters and thus Massachusetts port facilities have yet to stage construction of any offshore wind farms. East Coast ports have no experience in handling, storing and assembling the larger scale offshore wind generation components. Their ability to cost effectively stage offshore wind construction will require both physical improvements and significant problem solving. The focus of the port infrastructure analysis is to determine:
- The required features of a port facility to be considered a staging point for construction of offshore wind generation facilities;
- The difference between traditional port facility features and those required for delivery, storage, and deployment of very large wind farm components;
- The impacts to ports called on by purpose-built installation and component delivery vessels;
- Port facilities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts that could be upgraded or expanded to be considered relevant staging points;
- The costs for engineering such upgrades or expansions; and
- The ability of facility improvements to attract wind farm developers, government investment, and ensure a return on investment to the economy.
Moderator:
Mary Ann Christopher, Partner, FOLEY & LARDNER LLP
Panelists:
Michael Ernst, Director, Regulatory Affairs, TETRATECH
Ken Fields, Senior Project Manager, TETRATECH
Additional Panelists to be Announced
North American Offshore Supply Chain
Thursday, February 25, 2010 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM ET
As the United States is just beginning to make preparations for its first offshore wind farms, we will speak to the building blocks of the offshore supply chain, namely wind turbine availability and which turbine OEMs are likely to venture into the US space. This branches out into the North American presence of these OEMs and how they will need to grow to meet this new challenge.
Moderator:
Dan Shreve, Director - Americas, MAKE CONSULTING
Panelists:
Russ Germick, Strategic Sourcing Manager, REPOWER USA CORP.
Chris Raine, Engineering Manager, TPI COMPOSITE RI
Additional Panelists to be Announced