Home of the energy transition opens its doors

Offshore Energy Exhibition and Conference (OEEC) and Navingo Career Event, united under the banner of the energy transition, have officially kicked off this year in Amsterdam with a physical exhibition floor and content programme combined with an online event environment that is guaranteed to answer the most challenging questions of the ever-changing offshore energy sector.

Filled with various different activities – such as networking and matchmaking, masterclasses and industry showcases – the event floor is already buzzing with the positive energy charge.

Two content-packed days promise to shed more light on how the energy transition is reshaping the industry, and the offshore energy workforce with sustainability taking the wheels of innovation on the road to net-zero.

Eva Brouwer, our event host, kicked off the event presenting three speakers from major Dutch trade organisations – Sander Vergroesen, Managing Director at the Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Offshore Energy Industry (IRO), Arendo Schreurs, Director at the Netherlands Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Association (NOGEPA,) and Hans Timmers, Chairman at the Netherlands Wind Energy Association (NWEA).

When asked about the recent rise of oil and gas prices, Schreurs said: “The fact that the gas price is that high, and we are discussing our worries about the security of demand, is for me an example that the energy transition is not as easy as intended.

“For me, that is the main focus of these two days – to discuss how we can accelerate the energy transition on one hand, and on the other hand maintain the task we have of delivering the energy of today”.

Reflecting on the news that the Dutch biggest pension fund will no longer be investing in fossil fuels energy, Vergroesen said: “It is the sign of the time. My personal opinion is that it is a bit early because we are not ready with the alternatives yet. So, to stop completely investing in this field – I do not think it is a very good decision”.

Commenting on the interconnectedness between fossil fuel and renewable energy industries, Timmers said: “Wind needs gas, so you have to do it together. I don’t like to ‘oil and gas’ – we have to do it in a smooth way. Of course, we have to accelerate energy transition – but we have to do it together”.