The U.S. Department of Energy forecasts the industry will employ 43,000 people along the East Coast by 2030, and as a result, will create thousands of jobs in southeastern Massachusetts, providing area residents career opportunities in the emerging 21st-century global economy. The U.S. offshore wind industry is emerging in the North Atlantic near the Massachusetts coastline and Bristol Community College is leading the way in workforce development.   

Course Description:

Onshore Supply to Offshore Wind will provide a basic introduction to the opportunities for land-based organizations interested in entering the offshore wind market. The course will be segmented into three – technical, professional services and ancillary elements.  

Under ‘technical’, suppliers of consumables such as paints, sprays, tapes, ropes, and fasteners represent an important cog in the machine of offshore wind. Similarly, suppliers of sensors, IT systems, instrumentation and control equipment have a tremendous opportunity to diversify traditional business lines and markets and add huge value to the challenges faced by offshore wind. Under this section, the course will also look at the overlap between other safety-critical sectors such as aerospace, oil & gas, automotive, nuclear and defense to raise awareness of the opportunities for transferring products and services into offshore wind, and to build confidence to do so.  

Technical aspects of the course will be complemented by awareness raising around the ‘professional services’ opportunities presented by the sector – legal, financial, intellectual property, consulting and training. Explanations will be given of how professional services providers can engage with the sector and the types of readjustments required by their businesses to do so.   

The final section will cover ‘ancillary’ elements of the offshore wind supply chain that have been shown in other parts of the world to be key to support the growth of the offshore wind sector. This will be of value of owners and operators of hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars, boat yards, taxis, car sales & rental firms, realtors, etc. In short, this section of the course will cover the ‘hygiene factors’ that need to be in place to support i) a growing, transient, dynamic workforce with significant disposable income plus ii) their employers or clients that need to provide a safe, comfortable and pleasant experience to retain staff and service providers.  

Learning Objectives :

• On successful completion of this module, students will understand:  
• The holistic nature of the supporting infrastructure needed by offshore wind.  
• The onshore-based technical, professional, and logistical services components that make up the offshore wind support mechanism.  
• How existing products and services could map onto the needs of the sector.  

The course will also:  

• Stimulate interest in the sector of firms previously unsure of the relevance of it to them and/or how to enter the offshore wind market.  
• Increase the confidence of firms to approach the sector with their offerings.  
• Improve the chances of companies to enter the sector quickly to diversify and grow their businesses.  
• Help to develop local supply chains to support economic development.  

About the Instructor:

Dr Alan Lowdon, Director of Strategic Development for the National Offshore Wind Institute (NOWI) over 30 years’ experience as a practitioner within the international energy and utilities sectors, having held senior positions with international corporations, Rolls Royce Industrial Power, British Gas, Suez, Shell, Mott MacDonald and Jacobs. At Mott MacDonald, Alan was involved in wind resource analyses for the Cape Wind and Fishermen’s Energy offshore wind projects. He has also acted as an advisor to Lake Erie Energy Development Corporation’s offshore wind farm in Cleveland, OH.  

Read full bio: Dr Alan Lowdon Bio 2021

Link to Bristol National Offshore Wind Institute website: http://nowi.org/