Off to Baltimore...

In Baltimore this week, the American Wind Energy Association will play host to the Offshore Windpower Conference and Exhibition.

According to the pre-conference pitch, the organisers expect over 2,000 attendees and over 120 exhibitors, as the annual gathering continues to grow. There will be the usual mix of meetings and workshops, as well as some carefully stage-managed project signings, partnerships and deal wins.

If only everyone in the international offshore sector could be quite so positive.

The reality for many of course – particularly as the European winter sets in – is that diving into the offshore wind energy market is not for the faint hearted.

Despite huge steps forward having been made in the last twelve months, the ongoing battle over costs and delays at the Greater Gabbard site serves as a timely reminder of what operators, developers and investors stand to lose.

What’s more, the unpalatable truth is that this legal battle won’t be the last – particularly when the United States enters the fray. This, combined with the challenges of attracting cheap capital and the ongoing issues associated with safeguarding the supply chain, make this an area of the market that is not always as cheer-filled as some might have you believe.

However, now is no time to lose heart. As interest and experience within the market grows and as new participants walk through the conference doors, now more than ever is the time to look forwards, not back. For the Greater Gabbard consortium, that might prove painfully expensive in the short term but nevertheless it remains an important lesson to learn. To Baltimore - see you there?