We are excited to announce the upcoming visit of the French delegation “Le Parlement de la Mer” from Occitania to the Netherlands on July 2, 2024. This event follows our successful trade mission to Occitania in 2022 and the innovation mission in 2023. Le Parlement de la Mer represents different stakeholders that are involved in the future of the Mediterranean, like fishery, tourism, municipalities, wind power organisations, ports etc.  

Offshore wind Occitania 

France considers the offshore energy sector as an important sector for European strategic autonomy, cooperation should aim at maintaining the value chain in Europe (also for new innovative “floating” technologies). France has the ambition to become a world leader in floating wind farms and the Occitania region is the area where most of the developments in this field are taking place. Two pre-commercial floating wind farms will be built in the next few years and the realisation of the first commercial project with a capacity of 250 megawatts should start in 2030. Port-la-Nouvelle, located southwest of Montpellier, is currently being developed as a dedicated port for the floating wind farms. 

Wind’OCC, the cluster organisation for wind energy in the Occitan region, is the catalyst for local offshore wind developments. This organisation is very open to European cooperation, witness the MoU signed between Holland Home of Wind Energy (HHWE) and Wind’OCC, in April 2022.

Focus

The main themes of the mission are: 

• Stakeholder management wind farms (fisheries, tourism, …) 
• Spatial planning 
• Public acceptance 
• Shared use of offshore wind farms (e.g. floating solar, ecology enhancement) 
• Strengthening collaboration in the widest sense of the word

Program 

The itinerary includes visits to  Futureland, Haliade X, the pilot project of Touchwind at the Fieldlab Westvoorne and a visit to the TU Delft.There will be ample opportunities for networking, company pitches, and discussing potential partnerships.

Tuesday July 2 – Morning session

• Visit Port of Rotterdam 
• Visit FutureLand (with presentations / company pitches)  
• Visit Touchwind pilot project 
• Networking lunch 

Tuesday July 2 – Afternoon session

• Visit TU Delft (Presentation and visit facilities TU Delft and Deltares)
• Networking cocktail reception 

There will be two opportunities to join this mission. The first is in the morning, which includes a networking lunch, and the second is in the afternoon, which includes a networking reception. If you join in the morning, you are, of course, welcome to stay for the entire day.

For whom? 

Anyone interested in the floating wind developments in Occitania. Especially companies that have participated in the innovation mission to Occitania in 2023 are encouraged to participate. The mission is small-scale with a maximum of 25 participants. We will take in consideration how your expertise matches the focus and purpose of this mission. You will receive final confirmation of your participation after the closing of the application period. 

Costs 

Participation in the intake mission is free of charge. Participants are responsible for covering the following expenses:

• travel and accommodation costs (if necessary)
• all individual costs, such as lunches and dinners outside the programme

Registation 

Are you interested in participating in this innovation mission? Please register via the ticket system above before June 23, 2024. 

Organisation 

The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO) is organising this mission, in cooperation with Holland Home of Wind Energy (HHWE) and Netherlands Business Support Office (NBSO) in Nantes.  

More information? 

Do you have any questions about this incoming mission? Please contact us via events@hhwe.eu