Program for the 15th Offshore Helgoland Economic Forum

August 27–28, 2026

27. August 2026
August 27, 2026
10:00
15:00
Accreditation
until 13:15
Arrival to the island

By ICE / RE or by car.

13:30
13:50
Reception in the inner courtyard of the Saal am Kliff

followed by words of welcome from Kai Müller, Mayor of Wenningstedt-Braderup and Joschka
Knuth, State Secretary in the Ministry of Energy Transition, Agriculture, Environment, Nature and Digitization of the State of Schleswig-Holstein

  • as well as a welcoming speech by:
    Dr. Tobias Keitel, CTO RWE Offshore Wind.
13:50
14:30
Maritime lunch at the Saal am Kliff
14:30
15:00
Opening speech from

Opening speeches from

N.N.,
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)

Dr. Tobias Keitel
CTO RWE Offshore Wind

Damien Lhors,
Head of Global Offshore Wind, Vestas

 

15:00
15:50
Prof. Dr. Ehrhart, CEO, Takon

"New auction design in Germany"
(Experiments with all participants)

15:50
16:05
Tinne Van der Straeten, CEO of Wind Europe (online)
16:05
16:20
Coffee break
16:20
17:00
„Is Europe ready for the next offshore wave?“

Panel discussion moderated by Dr. Christine Falken-Großer, Managing Director BEE e.V. with:

Tania Moreira, Senior Vice President, Technical and Innovation, Masdar

Catrin Jung, VP Global Wind, Vattenfall

Trine Borum Boysen, VP Global Offshore Wind, Equinor

17:00
17:40
"Cross Border Supply Chain"

Panel discussion moderated by Jörg Singer:
Stefan Kapferer, CEO, 50Hertz
Horatio Evers, CEO, Ming Yang Europe
Josche Muth, Managing Director, Orsted Germany
Dr. Johannes Kammer, Head of Engineering, TenneT Germany

17:40
17:55
Coffee break
17:55
18:25
Fireside chat with:

Werner Gatzer, former State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Finance & Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Deutsche Bahn

18:25
18:45
New Auction Concept in Germany
(Experimental Results), Prof. Dr. Martin Ehrhart
19:15
19:30
Evening reception at the beach restaurant “Onkel Johnny”
in Wenningstedt, with a welcome address by Dr. Falk Lüddecke (JBO)
19:30
22:30
"Captain's Dinner" and networking at the
Beach Restaurant “Onkel Johnny”, Wenningstedt
28. August 2026
August 28, 2026
09:30
10:20
Offshore wind maritime logistics: Ahead or behind the expansion?"

Panel discussion moderated by Stefan Wenzel, former State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Economics, featuring:

  • Maurits den Broeder, MD, Offshore Energy & Executive Committee, Van Oord
  • Jan Van Rossum, General Manager, Offshore, DEME Management
  • Claas Pinkenburg, Managing Director, Buss Energy Ports
  • Wilke Briese, CEO of Briese Schiffahrts GmbH & Co. KG
10:20
10:40
Coffee break
10:40
10:55
“News from the World Forum on Offshore Wind”

Gunnar Herzig, Managing Director of WFO

10:55
11:30
"Offshore Wind to Hydrogen in Europe"

Dr. Christoph von dem Bussche,
CEO, Gascade & President ENNOH

11:30
12:00
"The True Story About the Gennaker"

Adam Thomsen, CDO of Skyborn Renewables

12:00
12:20
Dr. Dennis Kruse, Managing Director, Deutsche WindGuard

Award ceremony:
"Best offshore wind power plant
in operation 2025 & HSE Award

13:00
13:45
Lunch at the golf club
from 13:45
Post conference activities on Sylt (optional) with:
16:00
18:00
Return journey to the mainland