Offshore wind energy - regulatory and economic track

Offshore wind has a vital role to play in the global transition to green energy. As a rapidly growing energy technology, offshore wind has huge potential around the world. In the Belgian North Sea, offshore wind farms generate about 10% of Belgium’s total electricity demand. By 2030, offshore wind capacity in the North Sea will continue to grow, generating about 30% of electricity demand of Belgium.

For this booming industrial sector, Ghent University provides three tracks of lifelong learning courses for those who want to expand their knowledge of all phases of offshore wind energy, with a mix of academic and industrial speakers:

• Foundational track
• Advanced track: Technological aspects
• Regulatory and economic track

The regulatory and economic track will give you an overview of the legal frameworks and economics in offshore wind energy industry.

This regulatory and economic track provides an overview of the offshore wind policy and legislation and operational & functional safety.
Also the wide range of activities preceding the installation are discussed: project financing, environmental impact assessment, …
The energy market is another important topic in this course.

• International law & Belgian Maritime Spatial Planning
• Offshore wind policy: beyond the horizon
• Offshore wind farm environmental impacts
• Environmental permit & impact assessment
• Project financing & development
• Introduction into (offshore) energy legislation and cross boundary transmission aspects
• Operational & functional safety
• Offshore wind resource & energy yield assessment
• Energy markets based on weather forecasts
• Energy markets & ancillary services
• Offshore adequacy
• Future grid coupling: inter alia / the Energy Island

Dates: 7, 14, 21 and 28 May and 4 June 2025

Regulatory and economic track