18th NRW Wind Energy Industry Day with a large proportion of offshore wind

I am looking forward to the 18th NRW Wind Energy Industry Day ⚓🌊 on June 30 and July 1, 2026 in Neuss and especially to the offshore wind part of the event. Of course, I’m also looking forward to the many other areas of the energy transition, such as onshore wind energy and green hydrogen.

Last year, we were already able to establish that NRW and the offshore wind industry in Germany absolutely belong together. As discussed last time, I am setting up an Offshore Wind NRW working group for the 18th NRW Wind Energy Industry Day – the dates are being coordinated, as only the local players can correctly assess the priorities from their perspective.

The Zeughaus in Neuss is the perfect place to find out about the latest developments, talk to leading experts from the energy sector and play an active role in shaping the energy transition.

First program highlights:

• Patron Mona Neubaur, NRW Minister of Economic Affairs, reports on the path to Europe’s first climate-neutral industrial region.
• Opening session on 30 June: Ursula Heinen-Esser (President BEE), Klaus Müller (President BNetzA), Christian Seyfert (Managing Director VIK), Dr. Sebastian Bolay (DIHK Head of Energy, Environment, Industry) and Milan Nitzschke (Managing Director SL Naturenergie) will be present. Topic: How can industry make even greater use of the expansion of renewables?
• International experts will show how the energy industry protects itself against real and digital attacks and what strategies operators can implement.
• Grid strategy in focus: Challenges in grid expansion and the integration of wind power and other renewables into the existing system.

Two days full of future topics and intensive exchange with key players in the industry.

“The offshore part of the 17th Industry Day impressively demonstrated the opportunities that offshore wind energy offers for NRW and its industry. With the 18th Industry Day 2025, we will use this dynamic to network technology, politics and practice even more closely and further accelerate the expansion,” says organizer Klaus Lorenz from Lorenz Kommunikation, looking back and ahead.

The offshore wind supply industry is responsible for the majority of cost optimization paths and, if market conditions permit, can significantly reduce overall costs through scaling, among other things. Many important players in the offshore wind supply industry are based in North Rhine-Westphalia.

The Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) must form the basis for the design of German tenders for offshore wind energy in order to ensure a level playing field. The first consultation of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy was completed on December 23, 2025. The NSEC North Sea Summit is scheduled to take place in Hamburg in January 2026. We can therefore expect significant federal and European policy decisions for the offshore wind industry, particularly with regard to the production of green steel and green hydrogen. Our program content will address these developments.

As a native of Duisburg who moved to northern Germany very early on in her life, I am delighted to be able to link the two hometowns and even more so because the connection lies in my favorite topic of offshore wind energy.

I started planning the program in December and am looking forward to continuing and finalizing the offshore wind part of the NRW Wind Energy Industry Day in the new year 2026. https://nrw-windenergie.de/

If you have any ideas ⚓🌊 for program content, please let me know directly. I’m looking forward to a few wonderful, content-rich and productive days in NRW next year.

Hopefully with mEErFrauen e.V. https://www. meerfrauen.org/

Now I wish everyone a happy and healthy new year 2026!