Author: PM

On October 30th, the launch event for the SHOREWINNER project in Greece, organized by the Hellenic Wind Energy Association HWEA/ELETAEN, was held at the premises of OTE ACADEMY. The event opened with introductory remarks from the Deputy Minister of Education, Religion, and Sports, Ms. Ioanna Lytrivi, the Managing Director of HEREMA, Mr. Aris Stefatos, and the Scientific Manager of the SHOREWINNER project, Emeritus Professor at the University of the Aegean, Ms. Chrissi Vitsilaki.

In the first part of the event, there was a broader discussion on offshore wind energy in Greece, covering topics such as wind potential, future prospects, and the supply chain. Mr. Panagiotis Haviaropoulos, Board Member of ELETAEN and CEO of iWind Renewables, spoke about the upcoming institutional, technological and commercial steps needed for offshore wind energy in Greece. Dr. Takvor Soukisian, Research Director of HCMR, presented the results of a detailed analysis of Greece’s offshore energy potential. Mr. Panagiotis Kastanidis, Head of the Energy Sector of Samaras & Associates, shared key findings from research conducted for ELETAEN, which examined the current state of Greece’s offshore wind supply chain and highlighted the need for specialized knowledge and technical personnel.

In the second part of the event, the SHOREWINNER project, its planning and deliverables were presented in detail, followed by an interactive workshop designed to provide information and gather feedback from participants for the project stakeholders. Ms. Teresa Alexandra Nogueira, Project Director, gave an overview of the entire SHOREWINNER initiative and described the national hubs – Centers of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs) – in other consortium countries, including Portugal, Spain, Italy, and Cyprus. Mr. Stavros Pitsikalis, representing University of the Aegean and serving as the Greek CoVE Coordinator, provided a detailed overview of the SHOREWINNER project’s implementation in Greece. Dr. Ilona-Elefteryja Lasica, Research Associate of the University of the Aegean, discussed about the structure and procedures of the Greek CoVE and highlighted synergies with CoVEs in other participating countries. Finally, Mr. Dimitris Kyriakos, Director of public VET school DIEK Aigaleo, spoke about the role of the market and businesses within the SHOREWINNER project in Greece, sharing experiences from similar vocational training programs.

CIS Ferrol, Spain — October 2024

The SHOREWINNER project was officially launched yesterday in a dynamic hybrid event held at CIS Ferrol, with participants joining both face-to-face and online. Hosted by Spanish COVE and spearheaded by the Universidade da Coruña, the event marked the beginning of an ambitious initiative to enhance vocational education across Southern Europe in the marine renewable energy sector.

Bringing together representatives from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus, SHOREWINNER aims to build a robust Community of Practice (CoP) among Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVEs). The primary focus: align training programs with the emerging needs of the offshore wind energy industry.

In Spain, the CoP will concentrate on the regions of Galicia and the Canary Islands, addressing region-specific skills gaps and developing tailored training materials. The project is supported by key stakeholders including the Department of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training of the Xunta de Galicia, CETMAR, and AQUATERA Atlántico.

The 90-minute launch workshop featured insightful sessions on the strategic goals of the SHOREWINNER project, interactive discussions on future skills requirements, and the benefits of community participation. Moderated by Lucía Fraga Lago from CETMAR, the sessions emphasized the project’s role in shaping a future-ready workforce for the offshore wind industry.

The event concluded with a call to action for new stakeholders to join the Spanish CoP, underlining SHOREWINNER’s collaborative spirit and commitment to sustainable energy development.

Co-funded under the Erasmus+ Programme (Project No. 101143967), SHOREWINNER is poised to become a cornerstone in the development of specialized vocational training for offshore wind across Southern Europe.

The Shorewinner project, which aims to set up and develop a Southern European offshore wind energy community of practice, was successfully launched in Cyprus this week.

The hybrid event took place on Thursday at the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Keve) in Nicosia, under the title ‘Energy for the Future’.

The launch attracted key members of the academic and business community, as well as government officials, and was co-organised by Keve, Intercollege, the University of Cyprus, and CARDET.

The announcement noted that the event kicked off with Keve secretary general Marios Tsiakkis welcoming attendees.

During his address, Tsiakkis underscored the importance of offshore wind energy for achieving Cyprus’ sustainable development goals.

Moreover, Intercollege executive director Nicholas Kythreotis outlined the objectives of the Shorewinner project.

He also highlighted the cooperation among five Centres of Excellence from Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus.

Gerasimos Gerasimou, energy service officer at the Energy Ministry, discussed the prospects and challenges of renewable energy sources in Cyprus.

Constantinos Panayiotou from the Human Resource Development Authority (Anad) presented the identified needs in green professions and skills within the Cypriot economy.

A notable contribution came from Christos Tsingis, Executive Director of the Cyprus Wind Energy Association, who spoke on the development potential of wind energy in the country.

Andreas Livera, Special Research Scientist at the University of Cyprus, analysed the goals and challenges facing both the photovoltaic and wind energy sectors.

The event concluded with an interactive workshop moderated by Pavlos Papadopoulos, a special research scientist at the University of Cyprus, allowing participants to exchange views and ideas on emerging opportunities in the field of renewable energy sources.

The launch event of the SHOREWINNER project was successfully held in Portugal!
The highly anticipated launch event of the SHOREWINNER project, a pioneering initiative aimed at fostering the development of the offshore renewable energy sector in Southern Europe, was successfully held at the Instituto Superior de Engenharia do Porto in Portugal on September 20, 2024. The event brought together key stakeholders from industry, academia, and government, marking the beginning of a collaborative journey to boost skills and innovation in the blue economy.
The event commenced with a warm welcome from the P.Porto project coordinator, who provided an overview of SHOREWINNER’s objectives and the anticipated impact on the region’s offshore wind energy capabilities.

Two engaging round-table discussions followed, each moderated by representatives from project partners FOR-MAR, EPATV, and APREN. The first session focused on “Excellence in Vocational Training and Marine Renewable Energies,” exploring the current market needs and the alignment of training programs with industry demands. Experts from various sectors provided insights into the challenges and opportunities for vocational training in the renewable energy field, emphasizing the importance of a skilled workforce to support the rapid growth of the offshore sector.
The second round-table session delved into “Excellence in Co-operation and Partnerships,” highlighting the critical role of synergies between industry and vocational training institutions.

Discussions centered around the development of skills ecosystems that can drive innovation and sustainability in the offshore renewable energy industry. Participants shared their experiences and best practices, fostering a collaborative environment that set the stage for future cooperation.