Ports are the hubs of supply chains, both for today's global trade as well as for offshore wind and ocean energy in the future. There is no question that ports will prosper in the transition to renewable ocean energy. All ports are not equal, however. Some thrive in the fossil fuel economy of the past 150 years and may or may not pivot to renewables. At the same time, many others have not thrived and are looking towards a more sustainable future by serving the offshore wind and ocean energy sectors. Some of the biggest questions are what economy will the new ports be built for? What upland infrastructure and ecology do they tap into? What supply chains will they specialize in? Where will the jobs be? To plan for a sustainable future, ports need to create and support a clean energy industrial sector.
Fortunately, the offshore wind experience in the NL provides several relevant examples of port revitalization. NL panelists will describe experiences at very large as well as relatively small ports, showing over time how the human ecosystems in offshore wind and the energy transition are changing the mixes in land use, employment, water dependent activities and larger supply chains. Panelists from the US will discuss plans for port revitalization, local content requirements, opportunities and barriers, and port readiness.
This program is co-hosted and co-organized by the Clean Energy States Alliance (CESA) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Confirmed speakers include representatives from:
Groningen Seaports, Royal HaskoningDHV, and Bow Terminal in the Netherlands and State of Virginia, New Jersey Economic Development Agency, and NYSERDA. Register to join the conversation!
