Norway Pavilions showcase Norwegian offshore wind technology

“We gather the entire Norwegian offshore wind supply chain in one location. Here you will find exactly the right people to connect with,” continues Veronica Broholm, Project Manager for Offshore Wind Norway Pavilions at Innovation Norway.

“Our aim is to create an outstanding networking arena for Norwegian and international companies,” she adds.

Norway Pavilions always take part in Europe’s two largest wind energy trade fairs: the WindEurope Annual Event and the biannual WindEnergy Hamburg. The Hamburg trade fair is the largest event, welcoming 40 000 attendees from 100 nations and provide access to over 1 500 exhibitors from 40 countries. On the other side of the Atlantic, Norway attends the International Partnering Forum (IPF), the largest offshore wind and ocean renewables conference in the Americas.

In addition, the pavilion can be found throughout the year at other networking events, both large and small, in Asia, the EU, the UK and the US. The most recent addition to the schedule is Japan, owing to the expanding Japanese-Norwegian collaboration on floating offshore wind development.

Norway Pavilions continue to grow in strength and numbers. Today’s iteration covers Subsea Engineering and Installation, Simulation and Design Software, Marine Operations and Vessels, Heavy Lifting and Handling Equipment, Safety and Security, Project Management and Engineering Services, Environmental Solutions and Financing.

“With such broad coverage, our pavilion can serve as a one-stop shop for the entire offshore wind supply chain, from equipment manufacturing to project management and safety solutions,” states Jan Buttle-Ulvin, EVP Renewables at Norwegian Energy Partners (NORWEP), a non-commercial, public-private organisation promoting the internationalisation of the Norwegian energy industry.

“In addition, Norway’s most innovative technology is on display in areas such as shipbuilding, subsea solutions and wind simulation software,” he adds.

Norwegians are well known for their ability to collaborate internationally. Innovation Norway is the main organiser of many of the pavilions on behalf of Team Norway, whose motto is “stronger together”. Norway Pavilions host seminars, social mixers and side events to facilitate knowledge sharing and interaction.

Thanks to the pavilions, new business relationships always emerge from wind energy conferences – ranging from MoU signings to new memberships in country associations and joint planning of future events.

How is this kind of success possible? For one thing, Norway’s best and brightest in offshore wind are in attendance, actively pursuing collaboration. Participants include CEOs, CTOs, expert sales directors, world-leading engineers and public policy makers. They are available on the conference floor and in organised social mixers, including receptions hosted by the Royal Norwegian Embassy.

Moreover, both well-established companies and start-ups are present, creating a dynamic environment for networking.

When a Norway Pavilion is present, so is Team Norway – the group of professionals from Innovation Norway, NORWEP and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Berlin – whose main task is to connect Norwegian and international companies.

Drawing on years of business ties, he and his colleagues invite international suppliers to speak to potential Norwegian customers, and vice versa. “Small B2B meetings are crucial to everyone’s success. We help to ensure that the right parties sit down at the table together. This is how relationships are established, and business deals are made,” he explains.

“Norwegians tend to be reserved in large social situations. NORWEP is well-known across various energy industry segments, which makes it easier for us to approach customers on behalf of and together with our Norwegian partners,” he adds.

Offshore wind is not the only type of pavilion. Norwegian seafood and aquaculture, for example, has the largest representation at the massive Seafood Expo Global. Pavilions are also arranged for other Norwegian areas of expertise, including solar power, hydropower, hydrogen, and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). Finally, a pavilion for Norwegian health and life science is being developed to reflect the Government’s recently launched strategic initiative in this industry.