Building Australia's offshore wind supply chain: A marathon, not a sprint
Australia has a rare advantage as it builds its offshore wind industry: the opportunity to learn from markets that have gone before.
An image taken at sunrise on one of Marc’s training runs at Lakes Entrance
For Ørsted Australia's Lead Supply Chain Development Manager, Marc Adams, who has spent much of his career helping to develop offshore wind supply chains internationally, one lesson stands above the rest.
"Building a successful local supply chain is a marathon, not a sprint. Offshore wind projects take years to develop and supply chains mature over time,” Marc says.
“It’s about building capability progressively, in areas where Australia can deliver safely, competitively, and sustainably across multiple projects and decades.”
This is the subject of Marc's recent blog, which unpacks how Australia can draw on global experience while building a supply chain that reflects Australia’s existing strengths and opportunities.
In discussing this subject, Marc draws on parallels he sees in training for running marathons (his other area of expertise!) to unpack some key lessons he sees:
You can see Marc (and talk to him about supply chains or marathon running!) at the upcoming Gippsland New Energy Conference or read his blog post here.
"Building a successful local supply chain is a marathon, not a sprint. Offshore wind projects take years to develop and supply chains mature over time,” Marc says.
“It’s about building capability progressively, in areas where Australia can deliver safely, competitively, and sustainably across multiple projects and decades.”
This is the subject of Marc's recent blog, which unpacks how Australia can draw on global experience while building a supply chain that reflects Australia’s existing strengths and opportunities.
In discussing this subject, Marc draws on parallels he sees in training for running marathons (his other area of expertise!) to unpack some key lessons he sees:
- Early enthusiasm is important, but it is not enough - patience, preparation, and realistic expectations are crucial.
- Sustained demand and long‑term commitment - Australia can benefit from the learnings of established offshore wind regions in the UK, Europe, and Asia, where supply chains have developed alongside decades of project delivery.
- Choose your race wisely - the supply chain opportunity needs to be clearly defined - Australia can’t do everything at once.
- Consistency and collaboration, rather than speed, will be among the biggest determinants of success.
- Offshore wind won’t be measured by how fast we start but by how strong the industry looks 20 years from now.
You can see Marc (and talk to him about supply chains or marathon running!) at the upcoming Gippsland New Energy Conference or read his blog post here.