Vysus Group’s Planit22 details a new world where the international community learns how to utilise the full potential of clean energy sources. However, this can only be achieved through collective, global cooperation.
William Hodshon, Head of Offshore Wind Site Assessment, illustrates why the energy transition requires collaboration on both a large and small scale.
For me personally, collaboration is people who wouldn’t normally work together, assembling for a mutually beneficial outcome. It can involve a variety of stakeholders working towards a common goal, which can work on a variety of scales.
Collaboration on a microscale is what we at Vysus Group practise regularly. In my service line of survey & GeoEngineering, we initiate our projects by understanding the geology of a potential offshore wind farm, in order to assist foundation engineers with their designs. A huge part of our work is international, and we collaborate with other specialists to assess the potential for wind farm leaseholds. Through workshops, we are able to bring together our own specialisms such as MET ocean risk, UXO risk, visual impact or orthological issues. Together, we come to a mutual agreement which benefits all sides in terms of the project’s success.
Alternately, on a larger scale, there are three parties working simultaneously - the consumer, the industry and the government. All parties would admittedly prefer renewable energy to be the norm, however, each has their own set of conditions before this can be in effect. For instance, the consumer demands price efficiency, the industry is riddled with competition, and government has a multitude of prerequisites within geo-political and social issues. For collaboration to be successful on this wide scale, each party must recognise that the energy transition involves every single person on the planet. Therefore, the speed in which it needs to happen should be a priority, especially when events such as the Ukraine conflict are factored in. Energy security is now at the forefront of our concerns.
The benefits of international collaboration are limitless, particularly in my area of expertise. There is often not one type of foundation that works best; there are usually a few options. However, this decision is made based on the economic benefits and what can be sourced locally. The US, for example, has its oil and gas industry, where energy can be mass produced effectively and locally. Yet, a lack of familiarity with monopiles means these would have to be imported, at great cost.
If countries were to work together in supplying resources to make improvements, then collaboration would have a lot of potential in supporting the energy transition.