Collaboration across all stakeholders will be key in helping the offshore wind industry meet ambitious growth targets. So how can brands in this space use communications to achieve this common goal?
Offshore wind has the potential to play even more of a key role in the energy transition. The latest roadmap from the International Energy Agency requires that annual offshore wind installations grow to 80GW by 2030, with a further 70GW to be deployed each year from 2031 to 2050.
But after a decade of rapid expansion and strong profitability, a range of issues are now stifling the offshore wind sector’s progress. There are many factors at play, but it’s clear that one of the most pressing is the need for continued and improved collaboration across the supply chain.
It’s good to talk
Offshore wind installations are becoming increasingly complex, with larger turbines, deeper water locations, technological advances, complex supply chains, and changing regulatory systems, to name a few.
Innovation to meet these challenges is positive, but when it occurs in silos it can create problems. For example, some OEMs have developed turbines that are too large for existing vessels to carry and install. This adds cost and causes delays to a project, which is exactly what the market seeks to avoid.
In fact, delays and cost overruns on multiple offshore projects could be blamed in part on poor communication and coordination between developers, manufacturers and logistics providers. All of which highlights the urgent need for improved communication between key industry players.
Broadening your communication strategy
To enhance collaboration, companies in the offshore wind sector need to ensure their communication strategies target all stakeholders, not just customers and investors. Suppliers, partners, employees, regulators, local communities and NGOs must all be seen as vital stakeholders in the process.
Effective communication with these groups will help address challenges and support new opportunities for cooperative innovation.
Speak your audience’s language
Effective communication starts with an in-depth understanding of your audience, which is why audience segmentation is a vital process for any company looking to connect with its different stakeholders. This involves identifying all relevant groups, then building a deep understanding of what motivates or concerns them.
It’s then about crafting engaging, relevant messaging that resonates with each group. Communication with suppliers, for example might focus on long-term partnership and mutual growth, whereas local communities will be more concerned with job creation, infrastructure improvements, and environmental stewardship. Technology providers might prioritise communication that helps develop a clearer, shared technology roadmap to ensure that innovation is aligned to drive collective industry growth.
As discussed in our recent Re:energise your story article, emotions play a bigger role in B2B communication than you might think. Simplifying and humanising your messaging is crucial in engaging your audience to enable the more crucial detailed and rational conversations needed to effect change in the sector.
Connection is the way forward
Collaboration, underpinned by effective communication, will be key if offshore wind is to meet its ambitious growth targets. The future may be complex, but having the right communication strategy in place will enable companies to better connect with all stakeholders and work together to address the challenges ahead.
Get in touch today to discover how we could help to re:energise your brand and build a communication strategy that fosters greater collaboration with all stakeholders.
