Ocean Winds (OW) is not only assessing the Polish market with the goal of constructing the BC-Wind farm but is also committed to a long-term strategy aimed at promoting industry education among young people and implementing practical measures to harness the potential of Polish companies in developing innovative solutions.
Kacper Kostrzewa, BC-Wind Project Director
Our activities lead not only to an increase in the participation of domestic companies in projects developed in the Polish Baltic Sea. OW being one of the world’s largest offshore developers also opens the door for Polish companies to global markets. By supporting and facilitating companies to develop and implement innovative solutions, Ocean Winds is fulfilling its commitments under the BC-Wind Project Innovation Strategy.
OW’s goal is to support a market that relies on local companies and people by providing them with opportunities to benefit from offshore wind farm development. That is why Ocean Winds is involved in several initiatives among which are:
ELBE Challenge
The competition, organized last year with the support of the European Commission by the ELBE (European Leaders of Blue Energy) Alliance, offered the opportunity to prepare solutions for offshore wind farm developers who were invited to support the initiative, including Ocean Winds. Among the winners is the Polish company Blue Armada Robotics, which presented a project to implement the operation of unmanned autonomous vessels to support offshore wind farms. In Poland, for the BC-Wind project, Ocean Winds reported a very specific need for ready-made solutions to carry out their implementation as early as 2024 from the four thematic areas of inspection, safety, rescue support and provision of means of transportation to wind farms.
As the representatives of the small and medium-sized companies participating in the competition emphasized, in addition to the financial support they won, the involvement of the industry representing the end users of the deployed technologies, such as Ocean Winds, was crucial. Their participation in this program was a unique opportunity to learn about the real needs of the offshore wind industry and prepare technologies and services that have a great chance of being implemented. Such involvement on the part of OW and other experienced companies helps develop European, including Polish, players focused on innovation.
Aleksandra Jampolska, Public Affairs and Stakeholders Senior Manager BC-Wind
OW, considering support for Polish offshore talent, has long been engaged in educational initiatives on both national and international scales. We ensure that these efforts yield tangible outcomes. We firmly believe in the significance of knowledge transfer and endeavor to ensure that nurturing young talent and fostering interest in the renewable energy sector truly contribute to the advancement of the industry in Poland.
MEWy Competition
Ocean Winds is proud to be the sponsor of a competition organized by the Maritime University of Technology in Szczecin (Politechnika Morska w Szczecinie) and the Marshal’s Office of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship (Urząd Marszałkowski Województwa Zachodniopomorskiego). This contest, ongoing since 2020, targets high school students, undergraduates, and PhD students, aiming to promote the topic of renewable energy sources and stimulate participants’ creativity. Ocean Winds sponsors paid internships at its Warsaw office for students and PhD candidates. During the awards ceremony of the 4th edition on March 22 this year, another individual was honored with a unique opportunity to gain hands-on industry experience under the guidance of specialists involved in the BC-Wind project. Last year, two students completed a 6-month internship at Ocean Winds’ office, and since the first edition of the competition, two individuals have secured employment in Ocean Winds’ technical and procurement departments. Alongside Ocean Winds, this year’s edition was also supported by PWEA, RWE, ORLEN Neptun, and WindHunter Academy. (logotypy zamiast nazw)
Career with Wind Progrmme
Source: Polska Akademia Rozwoju
Career with Wind (Kariera z Wiatrem) is a program developed since 2021 in selected vocational schools in Gdańsk, Częstochowa, Puck, Kłanino and Szczecin. Starting with the first edition, 250 students studying the profile of renewable energy technician have already participated in lectures and workshops. During the Career with Wind classes, young people learn about many practical aspects of offshore wind farm construction, the creation of a component supply chain and strategic stages of farm development using examples of specific OW investments around the world. The program is implemented by Ocean Winds together with the Przemysłowa Akademia Rozwoju.
WindExperts Competition
The international competition is organized by Ocean Winds in Poland, the UK, Portugal, and Spain starting in 2020. The program involves conducting a series of online lessons for elementary school students on offshore wind energy. Each school participating in the program receives access to an educational platform, which includes lessons and educational games to test students’ knowledge. The program culminates with a short film competition on the construction of the most interesting offshore wind turbine from recycled materials. Among the winners of the 2023 edition selected by Ocean Winds are seventh-grade students from Elementary School No. 84 in Gdańsk (Szkoła Podstawowa in Gdańsk).
Trade Fair EDU OFFSHORE WIND
Launched in 2023, this project stands as Poland’s sole career fair connecting students and schoolchildren with opportunities in the green energy sector. Since its inception, Ocean Winds has been a consistent supporter of the EDU OFFSHORE WIND initiative, serving as a partner for both editions of the fair. Previous editions held in Gdansk attracted nearly 20,000 visitors, primarily pupils and students from the Pomeranian Voivodeship. The fair provided young attendees with the chance to engage with Ocean Winds employees and discuss potential career paths within our company.
