The world’s population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, and with it, global energy demand is projected to rise by as much as 50%. But as society continues to grapple with the challenges of climate change, governments across the globe are looking to offshore energy to help meet these increasing energy demands while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting sustainable development.

A growing number of countries are setting ambitious targets for renewable energy production: The US for example, has set an offshore wind energy target off 30GW by 2030. And the UK government’s energy security strategy aims to achieve up to 50GW of offshore wind power by 2030, which is expected to deliver sufficient energy to power every home in the country. With this in mind, we recently brought together a panel of experts from across the Clarksons Group to discuss the current energy landscape. The panel shared their thoughts on the shifting global paradigm and the associated challenges and opportunities for those involved in the offshore energy industry. The participants: