German wind energy business network WAB is to co-operate with the UK Department for International Trade (DIT) on offshore wind and green hydrogen.
The partners will start cooperating on 6 February with a joint WAB regulars’ meeting at the British Embassy in Berlin.
At the event, Karl John will talk about the role of offshore wind on the way to climate neutrality.
Six companies will give presentations, including WAB members Convent Experts, Neova and Steelwind Nordenham and UK companies 3Sun Group, Offshore Design Engineering and LOC Germany.
Participation at the event is free of charge and non-WAB members are also welcome.
Cooperation will continue at the Windforce 2020 Conference on 12-13 May in Bremerhaven.
The UK is the official partner country at the conference and experts from the country will be on site to speak about current market developments, political frameworks and the latest innovations.
WAB said the aim is to continue working with DIT regardless of Brexit, with the UK leaving the EU today.
WAB managing director Heike Winkler said: “Our members represent the entire value chain of offshore wind.
“They are making a significant contribution to the establishment and industrialisation of the industry in Germany and other markets and are proving that offshore wind energy is cost-efficient and reliably delivers large amounts of electricity.
“In the future, we will also need offshore wind farms to produce green hydrogen.
“In view of the federal government’s inadequate expansion plans, we support our members in taking advantage of the export opportunities that arise in the UK and other markets.”
Deputy Trade Commissioner for Europe and Counsellor International Trade Germany Kenan Poleo said: “The fact that over 80% of the North Sea offshore wind generation capacity is installed in German and British waters, as well as the increased focus on economies of scale, cost reduction and the common sense of collaborating on infrastructure and planning, motivates us to pursue a closer working relation than ever with the German offshore wind industry to the benefit of both countries.
“The partnership agreement recently signed between WAB’s chairwoman of the board Irina Lucke and our Trade Commissioner Andrew Mitchell is the beginning of that journey together.
“We believe that we can learn from one another and support each other towards a cleaner more sustainable future energy supply in a challenging environment where offshore wind plays a key role.”