Dispatch from Wind Europe

I am attending a conference, Wind Europe 2024, this week. It’s being held in Bilbao, a beautiful city on the northern coast of Spain.

There are thousands of delegates here, primarily from Europe, and just a handful from Canada.

The first day has been fascinating, motivating, and productive.

I came here for two key reasons: (1) to represent a client of Pedal & Shift who we are helping pursue work in the European market; and a second client who I am helping look ahead on what they can offer the sector in NL; (2) to get a granular and tangible understanding of what the sector has the potential to become in Atlantic Canada in the next decade.

On this second point, I believe Atlantic Canada - Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia especially - have massive potential to grow a new industry. An industry that produces renewable energy, is export driven, and highly skilled. And very importantly, that helps reduce the degree of our changing climate.

Pedal & Shift is focused on bridging the gap between technical companies (whether they be construction, engineering, or technical services) and this new sector. I believe this is done through strategic actions and learning from those who are years ahead in this sector. Hence, why I am here in Spain.

Topics today included: optimizing energy output based on market electricity price and wind speed; reducing wake impacts on adjacent turbines, blade reuse and recycling, nature-based solutions for protecting under-water electricity cables, and much more. There is tremendous opportunity for Atlantic Canada to contribute to this sector - both by contributing our expertise in Europe itself, and by developing our own wind industry.

It’s just been one day of the Wind Europe 2024 conference so far, and I look forward to what I learn about tomorrow, and who I will meet.