It is no shame to learn from the experience of others. That goes in more than the OWF business.
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has started an experiment called “Little Scandinavia” to see if the Scandinavian model of incarceration focuses on rehabilitation and reintegration, not hardship and punishment to see if this have the potential to reduce recidivism and improve community outcomes:
A video if you have the time and interest:
Agreed.
Not sure Americans would like to see correctional officers playing video games and eating with the inmates, but I get your larger point. Note the Americans went to observe the Scandinavian Prisons. This model in US offshore wind would be US Mariners that for example will work on the Charybdis should go and learn from a foreign flag wtiv to pick up knowledge.
It’s probably best for US trainees to see the whole operation in full elsewhere, instead of being thrown in it here with teachers at their side.
Probably not, but most people don’t see, know, or care much, what is happening behind prison walls. They do care about keeping criminals off the street. however.
There are two ways to do that; lock them up and throw away the key, or educate and rehabilitate them so more of them become good productive members of society when they get out: http://www.antoniocasella.eu/nume/Deady_march2014.pdf
To gain experience and learn from others are definitely better than to have to learn all from scratch. The best way to gain knowledge and experience is by working together with somebody that already have done the mistakes before (and learnt from it)
But who is going to pay for the trainees? Are they going to be in addition to the regular crew, or part of it?
The European partners of American contractors that will operate the future US-flag WTIVs, SOVs etc. could probably place a few trainees spread around on their existing fleet to learn on the job. This could be while working in US waters, or worldwide, but in limited number per vessel. But will that be enough to fully man the vessel with US crews when the first US-flag WTIV is ready to operate?
The way it was done in the 1970s and early 80s when “every” Norwegian Shipowner wanted to own and operate drilling rigs was to form a partnership with experienced US Drilling Contractors that supplied the expertise ashore and experienced crew to fill key positions on the rigs, while lower positions were filled by local crews who gained experience knowledge to slowly be promoted into higher positions.
As the need for better trained crews became clear a system of training and certification for rig crews were implemented, largely based on the Maritime system.
One of the first training centres for Drill crews were set up in Stavanger:
https://sotskurs.no/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/SOTS-CC-Presentation-2012.pdf
There is even a full scale drilling rig: https://ullrigg.norceresearch.no/
Private Training Centres for the OWF industry has been established in Norway as it is a growing business:
PS> Not saying that this should be copied, but some ideas may be transferable to the US (??)
US Offshore Wind training is ultimately paid for by American electric rate payers and taxpayers.
Foreign companies that want to make a lot of money building US offshore wind need to front tbe cost to train Americans now, or they need to stay home and forget about being allowed to work in America.
And you “ruling” applies equally to Americans and American companies working in foreign countries in whatever industries and business??
Other countries are free to do what they want.
The thing that is different about US offshore wind is that American households must pay higher electric bills to pay for its construction.
If we must pay for it, we must get the jobs. If we are not going to get the jobs, we are not willing to pay for it.
Foreign offshore wind companies have assumed that US offshore wind would be like oil and gas - no need to hire Americans. Therefore, foreign offshore wind choose not to train any Americans over the last decade.
Oil and gas is sold based on international market pricing.
US offshore wind is monopoly. It can only be sold in the US (because it cannot be transported) and it’s not a free market. Electricity generation and sales is a regulated monopoly with rates set by Public Utilities commissions that guarantee a healthy profit.
Do they?? Since there are no OWF of any size in operation in the US yet and most of the planned OWFs are financed by foreign companies it is hard to see how any American households have suffered.
Locally we are using electricity for just about everything, like heating, cooking and charging EVs. While the south and east of Norway and most of the rest of Europe suffer high electricity costs because of drought and high gas prices, we have only hydro and wind power.
Today it is raining and blowing a moderat gale. Right now our cost per kwh is 1.64 øre (NOK 0.0164)
With the forecast for the next few days we’ll probably get paid for using power, since we have to use the power that is produced, even at lowest production level relative to capacity.
Here is the published cost per kwh for today:
PS> We are not connected to the export cable to Europe and UK, only to Sweden and Finland.
UPDATE:
Tomorrow 07.Oct. our cost for electric power will dip below 0 for a few hours:
Highest price tomorrow at 09.00-10.00: 19.48 øre/kWh
Average tomorrow: 10.12 øre/kWh
Lowest price tomorrow at 01.00-02.00: -1.25 øre/kWh
This is due to ample supply of wind power from onshore WFs and heavy rain, causing water reservoirs to overflow:
The wind companies will make money by selling the power… to us households. Financing is irrelevant.
They have to pay back any loans/financing with the money made from selling the power. It is a bit different than a commodity like oil which can be sold by anyone.
Your logic only works if OWF are (for example) selling power to ports for cold ironing of ships. Foreign flag vessels like the cruise industry could buy it. Then its more like a commodity like oil in that its sold to whomever, although with this example, still not wherever
US OWFs are usually developed by consortiums of foreign and US companies based on a PPA with utilities, usually at a fixed price per MWh. (What the utilities charge their customers per KWh is a different matter)
What is PPA?:
The Consortiums finance, build, manage, service and operate the OWFs utilizing the best and most economical equipment, contractors and personnel available, within the restrictions that applies, set by federal and local Laws, rules and regulations.
All you need to know about US OWF industry for the specially interested:
GE will slash hundreds of jobs at its US onshore wind unit, accounting for about 20% of staff, a person familiar said. Months of uncertainty surrounding a tax credit designed to spur installations contributed to a slowdown in orders, while inflation and labor shortages added to the unit’s struggles this year.
Wind power is an industry totally dependent on subsidies (tax credits are a subsidy) that ordinary Americans have to pay for.
Additionally, Americans are forced to pay premium prices for “green energy” mandates that are folded into our electric bills.
GE’s Offshore wind turbines are developed and produced in France by GE Renewable Energy which was aquitaine from Alstom in 2015:
In any case their newest models of large offshore turbines cannot be sold in the US:
No electrical generating company decides to invest in wind power solely based on subsidies from the US Government just as the oil companies do not base their business decisions on the subsidies they have been receiving for many years from the US. BUT tax credits as subsidies have been absorbed for many, many years by ordinary citizens to benefit the big money boys. The oil depletion allowance is a fine example. It basically says that they pay less tax as their reserves go down. They want a guaranteed income while they eat themselves out of house and home. That is socialism and welfare on steroids
They invest in electricity generation knowing that the Public utilities commission guarantees them high enough electric rates to make a healthy profit. The PUC requires electric utilities to buy a certain percentage of “green” energy.
We all pay for this in our monthly electric bills.
A Dutch company has developed a motion compensation system for barges to enable safer transport of offshore wind turbine components from shore bases to WTIVs offshore:
Specially aimed at the US market:
The great lengths the foreign offshore wind operators will go to.
Why not just reflag some vessels US, hire some Americans, and apply for “temporary and targeted” Jones Act waivers of the US built requirement. They would get the Jones Act waivers, no problem.
What happens when the US passes a new law (like Canada and Mexico) that requires offshore vessels working off the coast to reflag US and employ Americans?
