CrossWind pledges support for AYOP’s De Noordzee Learning Community

Anil says, “If we want to deliver the highest possible energy output in the coming decades, it’s vitally important to ensure that our wind turbines are safely maintained and always in perfect condition. But this is being hindered by an issue that’s affecting the entire industry: the struggle to find skilled staff capable of performing maintenance. While we do some maintenance ourselves, our partner, Siemens Gamesa, handles a significant amount.

“AYOP is a network association in the offshore energy industry. We support its mission to show the next generation that a career in offshore wind energy is a fantastic opportunity. This cheque embodies that pledge. As a wind farm owner ourselves, we know how exciting our industry is and want to spread the word.”

“AYOP is a network association in the offshore energy industry. We support its mission to show the next generation that a career in offshore wind energy is a fantastic opportunity.”

- Anil Kisoensingh, CrossWind CEO and Director of Operations

Richard says, “My most important task at AYOP is to help businesses connect, particularly through the triple helix model, in which local government plays a key role. We are active in the offshore energy industry that is rapidly shifting its traditional reliance on oil and gas to wind energy.

“The Dutch energy industry is undergoing dramatic change, and our initial downscaling from oil and gas has morphed into upscaling offshore wind. The Dutch government also has major ambitions for wind energy, having set a capacity target of 70 GW for 2050. This is massively impacting the entire energy supply chain, and everyone in the industry is committed to doing their bit.

“Energy aside, there’s a growing awareness of the importance of marine ecosystems both below and above the water. We value all flora and fauna that rely on the North Sea and must keep the entire ecological chain healthy. That’s where system integration comes into play. We are researching into other energy sources that can be integrated offshore and looking at how we can generate and use energy locally. This includes offshore hydrogen production. But we need talent, lots of it, to deliver on these many ambitions. That’s why I want to tell young people just how great this industry really is.

“Eneco’s Remco Streppel came up with a great remark when he said that the industry included everything from seaweed to helicopters, perfectly encapsulating how those massive steel wind turbines represent just a small part of the offshore wind energy sector. What we do involves clever design, innovation and maintenance, all of which require lots of people. We also need marine biologists, an entire range of suppliers and seafaring professionals at every level.

“When I started at AYOP, I noticed a mismatch between the skills needed by the industry and what potential new recruits were being taught in education. Things were also compounded by the consistently low number of young people enrolling on technical courses. That’s why my day-to-day work focuses on promoting this fantastic industry. Support from partners like CrossWind is exactly what we need.”

“We need talent, lots of it, to deliver on these many ambitions. That’s why I want to tell young people just how great this industry really is.”

- Richard Engelkes, AYOP

Anil adds, “By working together with all of our partners, the CrossWind project team has managed to construct a top-notch wind farm, Hollandse Kust Noord, in record time. Today, it’s fully operational with all turbines supplying energy to the Dutch market. The most sustainable thing we can do now is maximise each turbine’s serviceable lifetime. That’s another reason why effective maintenance, performed by skilled professionals, is absolutely key.”

Richard continues, “AYOP represents over 125 member companies, and we seek to work closely with a range of partners. We support new tenders and have close links with organisations that emphasise human capital and innovation. Given the industry’s broad scope and increasing focus on aspects like marine ecology, system integration and hydrogen, it’s essential to find qualified staff.

“That’s why I’m proud of our learning community, something which we initiated after noticing a significant discrepancy between the industry’s needs and educational practice. We have established partnerships between education and business to address this and aim to create an environment that stimulates innovation and prepares new generations for future challenges. We will certainly put CrossWind’s support to good use.”

“We aim to create an environment that stimulates innovation and prepares new generations for future challenges. We will certainly put Crosswind’s support to good use.”

- Richard Engelkes, AYOP

Anil concludes, “We have observed a huge gap between supply and demand for people with practical skills who want to work in the offshore industry. We are as affected as everyone else, which is why we hope that more people will choose to pursue a career in this sector. They could even join us from other industries and create momentum in this relatively new industry. There are so many exciting things happening in offshore wind, not least innovative crossovers with offshore hydrogen and solar. CrossWind is helping to guide the tricky first steps, and the range of skills we require only adds to the challenge.”

In finishing, Richard says, “Our industry is full of opportunities and challenges. New ideas, such as repurposing old gas pipes to transport hydrogen, must be part of the overall process of continuous innovation. Communications and marketing also have a key role in involving the public — showing all the good things that we are doing — and attracting new talent. So, I really look forward to working with partners like CrossWind, inspiring a new generation to opt for a career in the offshore wind industry.”