Interested in learning more about offshore wind?
You ask the questions. We’ll find the expert to help answer them.
Curious to know more about offshore wind in Canada – how it’s going to happen, who’s involved, what’s at stake, and how it will affect your business, industry or community? After surveying Canadians across the country about their burning questions about offshore wind here at home, Marine Renewables Canada has launched its Ask an Expert educational webinar series to address these questions.
Drawing upon lessons learned from mature markets globally, Ask an Expert will connect anyone interested in offshore wind with leading experts in areas like development, operations, technologies, environmental effects, and more. Together, we’ll get a clearer picture of how Canada’s offshore wind industry will look by discussing key topics using the best available and latest science.
Upcoming Webinars
Stay tuned for our next Ask an Expert in early summer 2025!
Past Webinars
Webinar 6 | Connecting the Dots: Planning For Offshore Wind Electricity
Date: March 6th, 2025
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 2:00 – 3:00 pm AT
Location: Zoom
Imagine this: offshore wind turbines are spinning off Canada’s Atlantic coast, generating clean energy that’s transmitted to shore via subsea cables… but then what? Where does that energy go? Who’s buying it and how do we get it to them efficiently, equitably, and cost-effectively?
Offshore wind energy has many potential applications, but in the next edition of MRC’s Ask an Expert, we’ll focus on how to connect it to the grid. This is a complex issue involving numerous stakeholders and jurisdictions. Addressing it will require taking a hard look at Canada’s current transmission infrastructure and interprovincial electricity policies, but doing so is vital to the success of our offshore wind industry.
We’re excited to welcome transmission expert and grid guru, Philip Duguay, to lead this discussion. His expertise will guide us through the key challenges and opportunities in this area. Join us and gain valuable insights into the path forward for Canada’s offshore wind industry!
Meet the Speaker 👇
Philip is a co-founder and advisor to the Northeast Grid Planning Forum, a non-profit advocacy initiative led by Nergica and the US-based Acadia Center. He works as Vice President of Business Development for Grid United, incubating new transmission initiatives based out of Montreal, Québec. Phil works with Grid United’s various in-house subject matter experts and external consultants to develop interregional transmission projects across North America, with a focus on Canada-US and intra-provincial projects. As a proud dual citizen of Canada and the US, Phil interfaces with utilities, regulators, state/provincial and federal officials on both sides of the border, as well as First Nations and community leaders, to foster collaboration and to achieve broad support for interregional transmission projects and policies.
Date: October 23, 2024
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 2:00 – 3:00 pm AT
Location: Zoom
In our fifth Ask an Expert OSW Webinar Series gain first-hand knowledge about how offshore wind projects advance through initial planning phases through to operation. From planning and site selection to development and operational phases, this webinar will cover key activities, requirements, and best practices. Learn about the steps taken by developers to successfully develop a project including procurement, financing, business case preparation and environmental considerations. This webinar will provide valuable insights and practical knowledge to advance your understanding of offshore wind energy. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your expertise and engage with an industry expert.
Meet the Speaker 👇
Sean McDermott is a graduate of the University of British Columbia, where he completed a degree in International Relations with an emphasis on China. In 2000, he moved to Shanghai and worked first with the Canada China Business Council and later with the Economist Intelligence Unit, the business intelligence arm of The Economist Group. In 2008, Sean returned to Canada to pursue a Juris Doctorate at Dalhousie University, where he graduated with a specialization in Environmental Law. Upon graduation in 2011, Sean began working in Toronto as a lawyer at Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP, one of Canada’s leading corporate law firms, where his practice focused on construction law and renewable energy project finance. In March 2016, Sean joined Northland Power Inc., one of Canada’s largest green energy project developers, and thereafter relocated to Taiwan to develop the 1,044 MW Hai Long Offshore Wind projects and the Taiwan Round 3 projects, with emphasis on securing and negotiating Corporate Power Purchase Agreements. Sean and his family relocated to his hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia in August, 2024, from which he continues to provide local and global support for the development of early stage offshore wind projects.
Webinar 4 | Lessons Learned and Best Practices for Coexistence with Other Ocean Users
Date: June 20, 2024
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 2:00 – 3:00 pm AT
Location: Zoom
Our fourth installment focused on lessons learned and best practices for coexistence with other ocean users (e.g. fisheries, tourism, etc.).
This session featured Dr. Alison Bates, Associate Professor of Environmental Studies at Colby College in Maine, who brings extensive expertise in environmental policy and marine spatial planning.
Offshore wind is an emerging industry for Canada – and coexistence with other ocean users and uses is essential for this industry’s success. As the interest in offshore wind increases, it’s crucial for this industry to understand potential impacts, plan thoughtfully, and engage early with other oceans users.
During this webinar, Dr. Bates highlights some of the lessons learned from her work in offshore wind and co-existence, providing valuable knowledge and perspective that can inform the responsible development of offshore wind.
Webinar 3 | The Future of Offshore Wind Regulation in Canada & Insights from Global Best Practices
Date: 5 March 2024
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 2:00 – 3:00 pm AT
Location: Zoom
MRC’s third webinar dove into the complex world of regulatory frameworks, focusing on the policies and laws that guide the development, deployment, and management of offshore wind farms.
This time, the webinar will featured two speakers – providing attendees with a unique opportunity to explore and compare different ways of regulating offshore wind, while also gaining insight into how Canada’s approach fits within the global context.
Get ready to dive into the fascinating world of offshore wind regulation with expert guests, Jon Brady, Deputy Director of the Renewable and Electrical Energy Division in the Department of Natural Resources and Gordon McIntosh, Chairman of Aberdeen International Associates (AIA).
Meet the speakers 👇
Jon Brady serves as Deputy Director of the Renewable and Electrical Energy Division at Canada’s Department of Natural Resources. He leads the Offshore Renewables team, driving legislative, regulatory, and policy development for offshore renewable energy projects. Notably, Jon spearheads efforts such as Bill C-49, expanding the mandate of Offshore Petroleum Boards to regulate these projects in Canada’s offshore areas. His team is also developing regulations under the Canadian Energy Regulator Act for federal offshore areas. With two decades of experience, Jon has shaped federal legislative frameworks for renewable energy projects and possesses expertise in wind, solar, geothermal, tidal energy, and transmission lines.
Gordon McIntosh has over 40 years of experience in the energy sector and has been involved with Offshore Wind since 2001. He co-founded Aberdeen Renewable Energy Group (AREG) to bolster the region’s economy by integrating renewables alongside North Sea Oil and Gas. As a former Director of the Aberdeen Bay Offshore Wind Farm, Gordon oversaw project planning, consent, and delivery. He now advises various stakeholders globally, spanning governments, developers, supply chains, and local communities. At AIA, Gordon consults for Offshore Wind developers like SSE and CIP. He’s recently advised Nova Scotia’s Provincial Government on Offshore Wind Licensing and Power-to-X. AIA serves as advisors to Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, leveraging local supply chains through organizations like MRC.
Gordon’s extensive career includes roles as Deputy Minister of Natural Resources for Newfoundland and Labrador and Director of Economic Development for Aberdeen City. He remains a Director at AREG, holds a Visiting Professorship at Robert Gordon University, and previously led the World Energy Cities Partnership as Secretary General.
Webinar 2 | Environmental Impacts & Effects of Offshore Wind
Date: 14 December 2023
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm ET / 2:00 – 3:00 pm AT
Location: Zoom
In this second webinar of MRC’s Ask an Expert series, we’ll explore the Environmental Impacts and Effects of Offshore Wind with expert guest Dr. Sarah Courbis, Marine Protected Species & Regulatory Specialist with Advisian. Join us as we delve into topics like mitigation measures and the latest technology innovations for improving marine environment monitoring and mitigation, as well as the potential range of onshore and offshore impacts on marine mammals, fish, benthic habitats, and more.
Dr. Courbis has been working in marine science and regulation for over 25 years. As a senior scientist with Advisian/Worley Group, Sarah focuses on marine protected species and specializes in impact assessment, permitting and compliance, and mitigation. She has been supporting offshore wind projects in the US for nearly a decade and worked on environmental assessment and compliance for LNG, seismic, fisheries, coastal development, marine hydrokinetics (tidal and wave energy), and oil and gas projects. She has co-managed a National Marine Sanctuary for the US National Marine Fisheries Service and has done projects for organizations such as the American Clean Power Association, including a review of offshore wind impacts to wildlife.
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge from an industry expert on the environmental impacts and effects of offshore wind, as well as the innovative mitigation measures and monitoring strategies that are shaping the future of sustainable marine energy solutions.
Webinar 1 | Offshore Wind Technologies 101
Date: 12 October 2023
Time: 1:00 – 2:00 pm EST
Location: Zoom
Let’s start at the very beginning. How does offshore wind work? In this first webinar of MRC’s Ask an Expert series, we’ll explore how power is created, where it goes, how big these offshore wind turbines really are, the difference between floating and fixed, footprint of farms, onshore facilities required, and more!
To answer these questions for Canadians, we’ll be hearing from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) Research Engineer, Mark Severy. PNNL is one of America’s leading centers for scientific discovery and innovation in sustainable energy. Mark’s cutting edge work on offshore wind energy at PNNL includes collecting meteorological and oceanographic data on potential offshore wind areas via lidar buoys, evaluating the potential environmental effects of offshore wind farms, and planning for transmission. Mark is a licensed mechanical engineer and holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and a MS in Environmental Engineering from Humboldt State University in California.
Join MRC and guest speaker, Mark Severy, to learn more about offshore wind technology basics and best practices to address some of the challenges with deploying offshore wind at a commercial scale.