Offshore wind needs industry-specific safety regulations

By Renewable Energy Focus staff

Many believe that the rapid increase in offshore wind installations will push existing regulations to the limit. Those regulations often originate from the oil and gas sector.

Lars Odby, a Vestas Safety Specialist who works with the Global Wind Organisation collaboration, believes that unique solutions will have to be formulated for offshore wind: “We have being looking in to what has been done in the oil and gas industry, but have found that we need to create our own standard.”

Paul Wilkins, International Relations Manager for the UK Marine Coastguard Agency (MCA), adds that “renewable [energy offshore] has different risks compared to oil and gas”.