Offshore Round 3 Coordination: Bringing it all together Chaired by Adam Bruce, BWEA Chairman

Panel:

• Katherine MacNeill, Deputy Director, Renewables Deployment Team, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
  
• Rob Hastings, Director of Marine Estates, The Crown Estate
  
• Ian Woodman, Director of Maritime and Dangerous Goods, Department for Transport
  
• David Crowther, Centrica & Chair of BWEA Future Offshore Group
  
• Robert Hull, Director Regulatory Services, Ofgem
  
• Darius Campbell, Head of Marine Strategy and Evidence Division, Defra.
  

Following the Crown Estate’s announcement at the BWEA’s Offshore Conference in early June, the offshore wind sector has been a buzz of excitement throughout the summer. Playing the leading role in delivering the EU targets, 20% of UK electricity from offshore wind requires a step change in process and coordination. An informed panel of experts across a range of Government departments and industry discuss how the Round 3 process will be managed to ensure successful delivery.

Aviation and Wind Energy – On the up? Chaired by Robin Felgett, Director and Deputy Head, Economic and Domestic Secretariat, Cabinet Office

15 minute opening presentation on the new Aviation Structure from Bill Richmond, Clipper Windpower Europe Limited and BWEA Aviation Strategy Group Chair.

• Introduction and discussion
  
• Katherine MacNeill, Deputy Director, Renewables Deployment Team, BERR
  
• Gp. Capt. Tom Barrett, Assistant Director – Operations, Ministry of Defence (MoD), Directorate Air Staff
  
• Bill Richmond, BWEA Board Member for Aviation, and Clipper Windpower Europe Limited
  
• Mark Asquith, Head of Policy and Standards, Strategy and Investment, NATS Enroute Operations
  
• John Arscott, UK Director of Airspace Policy, Civil Aviation Authority
  
• Capt Peter Griffiths, Director General of Civil Aviation, Department for Transport.
  

This lively session will see each of the Aviation Memorandum of Understanding signatories present a short overview of their challenges and progress before taking questions from the floor.

Nick Clegg MP, Leader of the Liberal Democrats: Keynote Address

Can the Planning System Deliver 14GW of Onshore Wind by 2020? Chaired by Julian Rush, Science & Environment Correspondent, Channel 4 News

Panel debate

• Katherine MacNeill, Deputy Director, Renewables Deployment Team, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
  
• Gideon Amos, Chief Executive, Town and Country Planning Association
  
• Peter Ellis, Planning Resources and Environment Policy Division, Communities and Local Government
  
• Colin Imrie, Deputy Director, Energy Markets, The Scottish Government
  
• Richard Mardon, CEO, Your Energy Ltd and BWEA Board Director
  
• Matt Partridge, Head of Strategic Wind Development, Ecotricity and BWEA Board Director
  
• Marcus Trinick, Eversheds LLP and BWEA Board Director.
  

Onshore wind consents may have exceeded expectations of late, but for the majority of the last decade securing planning decisions has been a slow, unpredictable and often expensive process. Julian Rush chairs a panel of Government officials, planning experts and developers with experience north and south of the border, to review the current planning system and the lessons leant from 2010, assess the proposals for new planning legislation, and investigate what additional initiatives may need to be introduced to secure a six-fold increase in onshore wind deployment just 12 years from now.

Go Live! The Offshore Transmission Licensing Regime Chaired by Guy Phillips, Senior Project Developer, E.ON Climate and Renewables and BWEA Offshore Grid Group Chair

Introduction:

Panellists:

• John Overton, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR)
  
• Robert Hull, Director Regulatory Services, Ofgem
  
• Danielle Lane, Round 3 Project Manager, The Crown Estate
  
• Simon Cowdroy, Head of Design, Econnect Consulting
  
• Eddie O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Mainstream Renewable Power Limited.
  

Go Live! Q&A:

On the eve of the implementation of a new regime for offshore transmission licensing, this session will provide the latest thinking on the regime and the timetable for putting it in place. It will also give an opportunity to consider the contribution of offshore electricity networks and interconnection in delivering offshore wind expansion.

Financing Renewables Chaired by Willie Heller, CEO, Falck Renewables, BWEA Board Director and Economics & Markets Strategy Group Chair

• Maartje van den Berg, Senior Associate Clean Tech Research, Rabobank International: A bankers view on the European/British wind energy market
  
• Peter Dickson, Technical Director, Fortis Investments Clean Energy Fund: Trends for Wind Energy Investments: Potential for Private Equity Investment in the current market
  
• Erik Sejersen, Financial Engineer, Vestas Offshore: Trends in Finance for Wind
  
• Paul McQuillan, Legal Director, Pinsent Masons LLP: Risk Procurement.
  
• Q&A Session
  

With world financial markets in turmoil, getting finance for your project or company has become an increasing concern to all. This is especially so when the amounts of investment required in the whole energy sector are increasing by an order of magnitude. The presentations in this session will examine aspects of financing for renewables and will give an opportunity for conference participants to discuss the issues that affect whether they can find the investment they need.

SEA Planning for Round 3 Chaired by David Crowther, Business Development Manager, Renewables, Centrica Energy & Chair of BWEA Future Offshore Group

• John Hartley, Director, Hartley Anderson Associates: The BERR Offshore Energy SEA
  
• Dr. Tim Norman, Environment Manager, The Crown Estate: Planning for Round 3
  
• Tom Jennings, Strategy Manager, The Carbon Trust: The potential impact of the SEA to the deliverability and cost of the EU 2020 renewable energy target
  
• Marcus Trinick, Partner, Eversheds LLP: An industry view of Round 3 Planning.
  
• Q&A Session
  

A stimulating sequence of presentations devoted to the planning and interaction between Round 3 offshore wind, the Strategic Environmental Assessment for Offshore Energy, the Marine Bill and the Planning Bill. All these important initiatives and programmes are inextricably interlinked and the coordination is therefore central to the overall success of offshore wind energy development in the UK and our ability to deliver the EU renewable energy targets.

Offshore Consenting Today and Tomorrow Chaired by Jesper Holst, Development Manager, DONG Energy and BWEA Consents & Licensing Group Chair

• Richard Mellish, Director, Development Consents and Planning Reform, Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) Consents Team: Offshore consenting under the Infrastructure Planning Commission
  
• Jamie Hume, Deputy Director Renewable Energy, The Scottish Government
  
• Rachael Mills, Head of Offshore Renewables FEPA Licensing Team, Marine Fisheries Agency, DEFRA - The EIA Guidelines
  
• Victoria Copley, Senior Specialist - Marine Operations, Natural England: Policies on consenting
  
• John Houghton, Partner, Bond Pearce LLP: Large Wind Farm Consents - A case study of the new regime
  
• Cathryn Hooper, Offshore Project Manager, Mainstream Renewable Power Ltd: Developer Demands from the Consenting Process.
  
• Q&A Session
  

A panel session with 5 minute presentations followed by debate. A third round of offshore wind is being planned and many other projects hoping to deliver as soon as possible. A large number of these projects will fall into a new consenting framework with the advent of the Marine Bill and Planning Bill. Giving a Government, stakeholder and developer view, this session will consider how these projects will be consented and whether new policy will make improvements.

Future Delivery & Economic Benefits Chaired by Bo Mørup, Senior Vice President, Sales & Projects, Vestas

• Paul Gibson, CEO, MPI Offshore Limited
  
• Bruce Valpy, Director, BVG Associates and Head of Business Development, UK Renewables: UK Ports for Offshore Wind: Changing Attitudes
  
• Mike Hay, Technology Acceleration Manager, The Carbon Trust: The Offshore Wind Accelerator
  
• Anthony Richardson, Aftermarket Sales Manager, SKF (UK) Ltd: Establishing an effective supply chain.
  
• Q&A Session
  

If the UK is to deliver the significant offshore wind capacity required to meet our commitments under the EU 2020 renewable target, investment is required in the ports infrastructure and industrial capacity. Innovative new technology must also be brought forward and commercialised. This session will examine how we can promote the solutions to these issues, and capture the maximum economic benefit for the UK in the process.

Can SPP6, NPF2, a reformed S36 process and the Planning Act (Scotland) 2006 deliver good wind farms in Scotland more quickly? Chaired by Jason Ormiston, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

Panel Debate:

• Aedán Smith MRTPI, Senior Conservation Planner, RSPB Scotland Headquarters
• Colin Imrie, Deputy Director, Energy Markets, Scottish Government
• Keith Maclean, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Scottish and Southern Energy, and Chair of FREDS Sub- Group on Planning and Consents
• Harry Malyon, Development Director, Coriolis Energy LLP & Chair of Scottish Renewables Planning Work Group
• Marcus Trinick, Partner, Eversheds LLP and BWEA Board Director.

A panel of planning experts will discuss and attempt to answer the question of whether Scottish policies can deliver better wind farms more quickly.

The View from the English Regions Chaired by Matt Partridge, Head of Strategic Wind Development, Ecotricity & BWEA Board Director

• Cheryl Hiles, Acting Chief Executive, Regen SW: The South West’s Road to 2020
  
• James Beal, Managing Director, Renewables East: East of England – leading the way forward for renewables
  
• Ian Sibbick, Head of Energy, Envirolink Northwest: West Coast Wind
  
• Kate Hatton, Leadership Council Senior Specialist, One Northeast Energy Northeast: Supporting the wind of change: Supply chain opportunities for the energy industries in North East England.
  
• Q&A Session
  

High level RDA / renewable energy agency representatives take a look at the issues which are key to them.

Onshore Wind in Wales & Northern Ireland Chaired by John Woodruff, Senior Development Manager, Natural Power Consultants and BWEA Cymru Chair

• Roger Williams MP, Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, Liberal Democrat Food and Rural Affairs Spokesperson: The political considerations of a strategic approach
  
• Mike Paffey, Senior Development Manager, Acciona Energy UK Ltd: A Summary of the Impacts of the Strategic Search Area Approach to Wind Farm Development in Wales.
  
• Andy McCrea, Executive Director, Action Renewables: Renewable Energy in Northern Ireland – the Way Forward
  
• Gavin Forkan, Commercial Manager, Enviros Consulting Limited: Draft Supplementary Planning Guidance to PPS 18 – where does the Northern Ireland wind industry stand?
  
• Q&A Session
  

Will Wales and Northern Ireland meet their share of the UK’s contribution to EU 2020 targets? In 2005 Wales adopted a strategic policy to locate large scale wind farms in specific areas. In this session Roger Williams MP will outline the political consequences to his constituency, whilst a Wales based developer will share some of the good and bad experiences they’ve encountered using this type of planning framework.

Their observations will be of interest to the industry and stakeholders in Northern Ireland, where planning policy for renewable energy is currently under review, with possible consequences for the criteria based approach. Andy McCrea will give an outline of the renewable potential waiting to be harnessed in the Northern Ireland while Gavin Forkan will share the potential problems that adopting such an approach will take.

A Planning Officer’s View of the Wind Industry Chaired by Annette Deveson, Head of Development for England and Wales, RES

Three Planning Officers offer their view on the industry

• Chris Norman, West Lothian Council.
  
• Peter Chaplin, Development Manager, Development Services, Kettering Borough Council
  
• Nigel Brown, Fenland District Council
  
• Q&A Session
  

From a planning officer’s perspective, how can the planning process be improved? What are the concerns and issues from Planning Officers? Planning Officers offer their views on the industry and some thoughts on what can be improved to speed up the planning system.

Grid for Dummies Chair: Richard Ford, RES

• Nigel Fox, Charging & Revenue Manager, National Grid
  
• Guy Nicholson, Chief Executive, Econnect Group Limited
• Robert Longden, UK Regulatory Affairs Manager, Airtricity and Deputy Chair of the BWEA Grid Strategy Group
• Peter Jones, Head of Technology, ABB Ltd.

Grid along with planning is the biggest threat to renewable generation. This session goes back to basics, how does it all work? What are the issues for renewables? What do you need to consider when planning a wind farm? How do you get a quote, what is involved and what does it cost? What will the quote look like? What are my obligations? What does it all cost? What are final sums? How do I sell the electricity?

Think Global, Win Local Chaired by Geoffrey Lean, Environment Editor of The Independent on Sunday

Looking at the steps necessary for developers to engage the local community and win planning consents.

• Rick Nye, Director, Populus
  
• Angelika Pullen, Communications Director, Global Wind Energy Council
• Anna Stanford, Communications Manager, RES.

The discussion will focus on how to recast global issues such as climate change, peak oil and renewable energy targets, in terms of tangible benefits for local communities which host renewable energy projects.

Wind Farm Design, Performance and Operation Chaired by Neil Douglas, Associate Director (Technical), The Natural Power Consultants Ltd

• Juan Amate López, Iberdrola Ingeniería y Contrucción: Development of an optimisation tool for electrical infrastructures for offshore wind farms
  
• Peter Stuart, Technical Analyst, RES: Wind Farm Performance Verification
• Dave McLaughlin, Senior Consultant, Sgurr Energy: Making the most of SCADA data
• Scott Mackenzie, Business Manager – Asset Management, The Natural Power Consultants Ltd: Best practice WTSR Operational control and analysis
• Ruediger Kipke, Senior Consultant and member of the Executive Board, 8.2 Consulting: Analysis of strengths and weaknesses of inspection methods for the detection of damages on wind turbines / Failure statistics for a large number of wind turbines.

This session discusses methods for optimising your wind farm’s performance and for operating and maintaining it according to best practice guidelines. Options include using SCADA, condition monitoring and operational data, including breakdown statistics, and preventative maintenance to reduce downtime due to serial faults. A new gearbox inspection procedure is also presented with results from an extensive study, plus a tool for optimising the electrical infrastructure of offshore wind farms.

Wave & Tidal: Design Factors for Success Chaired by Andrew Mill, Chair of RAB Wave & Tidal Group and Chief Executive, New and Renewable Energy Centre Ltd (NaREC)

• John W. Griffiths, C Eng, Technical Director, European Marine Energy Centre Ltd (EMEC): Wave & Tidal – Design Factors for Success
  
• Captain Peter Hodgetts, Chief Executive, SeaRoc: Health & Safety
• Professor Ian Bryden, Professor of Renewable Energy: Supergen Marine
• Paul Jordan, Business Development Director, Ocean Power Technologies Ltd: Operation & Maintenance Lessons Learnt.

Wave and tidal energy technology development is forging ahead in the UK. The industry is growing and it is vital that lessons learnt are captured and best practice is recognised, recorded and communicated. This ground breaking session explores the factors that are helping the industry to succeed and establishing the UK’s credentials as the world leader.

Aviation Central Fund BWEA Member Meeting – BWEA members only Chaired by Simon Christian, ScottishPower Renewables

Panel discussion and Presentations

• Bill Richmond, Clipper Windpower Europe Limited & BWEA Aviation Group Chair
  
• Chris Tomlinson, Director of Programme Strategy, BWEA
  
• Nicola Vaughan, Head of Aviation, BWEA
  
• Tom Ferguson, Eversheds LLP.
  

A number of research and development programmes have been identified under the Aviation Memorandum of Understanding to progress solutions to the wind farm interference issue on radar. These programmes will require in the order of £10m of investment over the next 3-5 years. BWEA member developers will have received a letter from BWEA in early October accompanied with a Business Plan setting out the preferred model for establishing the fund. We would encourage members to take advantage of this opportunity to find out more about the development of the Central Aviation Fund, put forward your views and understand how you can be a part of it.