The Nova Scotia Offshore Wind R&D Forum is convened by Net Zero Atlantic in partnership with Nova Scotia Department of Energy
Closing on August 1, 2025
Register Early to Maximize Your Opportunity
The Forum offers meaningful dialogue, the latest research findings, and clear, practical steps toward advancing real-world offshore wind development.
This is your chance to be part of the conversation and help shape the future of offshore wind. Don’t miss out.
"From Ambition to Action: Aligning Offshore Wind R&D with Real-World Outcomes"
The Nova Scotia Offshore Wind R&D Forum 2025 is a one-day, purpose-driven gathering of researchers, innovators, Indigenous and community leaders, policymakers, and industry professionals. Convened by Net Zero Atlantic in partnership with the Nova Scotia Department of Energy, the Forum aligns research with the practical, technical, and regulatory needs for Nova Scotia’s offshore wind development.
Date: Wednesday, September 24, 2025 (8:30AM - 7:00PM AT)
Location: The Westin Nova Scotian (1181 Hollis St, Halifax, NS B3H 2P6)
The development of offshore wind in Nova Scotia presents a generation-defining opportunity to build a sector that delivers sustainable economic growth, energy security, and climate resilience. As the Province moves toward issuing licences for up to 5 gigawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030, the focus is shifting from ambition to action.
As Nova Scotia prepares for its first offshore wind Call for Bids in 2025, the Forum builds on the momentum of the R&D Roundtable held in June 2025 and the Regional Assessment of Offshore Wind Development in Nova Scotia’s Final Report to take stock of progress, refine research priorities, and define what’s needed next. Together, we aim to translate insights into coordinated action, align efforts across sectors, and drive real-world outcomes through shared knowledge and innovation.
Why Attend?
- Shape the Future: Contribute to defining the research and partnerships needed to move projects from planning to production.
- Stay Ahead: Get the latest updates on offshore wind R&D in Nova Scotia and beyond, including what's emerging, what’s working, and where the gaps are.
- Make Connections: Build relationships across sectors, industry, academia, Indigenous leadership, communities, government, and NGOs.
- Advance Your Work: Align your research, policy, or investment priorities with Nova Scotia's offshore wind activities and initiatives.
- Collaborate for Real-World Outcomes: Be part of coordinated action that reduces duplication, supports better decision-making, and advance sustainable development.
Who Should Attend?
This forum is for anyone building the research foundation to advance offshore wind development in Nova Scotia.
- Industry: Understand where R&D can reduce risk and drive project success.
- Government: Align policy and investment with emerging research needs.
- Academia: Connect your expertise to real-world offshore wind challenges.
- Indigenous Communities: Ensure Indigenous knowledge and leadership guide development.
- NGOs: Help shape environmentally responsible and socially inclusive research.
- Fisheries: Share knowledge on environmental impacts and inform mitigation strategies.
Early Registration Discount Available
Register early to take full advantage of this important opportunity.
The Forum promises meaningful discussion, the latest research insights, and practical next steps toward real-world offshore wind development.
Don’t miss the chance to be part of the conversation—and the action.
REGISTER NOW
Delegate passes and fees*
As a delegate you will have access to the R&D Forum sessions, plenary and keynote, a networking reception, as well as breakfast, lunch, and refreshment breaks.
Private sector - $350 early, $390 regular
Non-profit, NGO, academic, and government - $225 early, $265 regular
Student - $50**
Student presenter - Free
Media pass - Free
If your organization would like to be invoiced for delegate passes, please email your request to events@netzeroatlantic.ca
Important notes: *Fees do not include taxes or EventBrite fees. **Proof of full-time student status is required to be eligible for the student rate. Proof can be in the form of student ID or other official documentation of enrollment.
Media accreditation
Media credential passes are available to qualified media. Media access includes access to forum sessions only.
For a media pass, please contact Kasia Morrison, Communications and Engagement Lead at kmorrison@netzeroatlantic.ca.
Cancellation policy
Refunds will be accepted up to 14 days prior to the event. After that period, no refunds will be accepted. Please note, that Eventbrite fees are non-refundable under any circumstances. We encourage you to instead transfer your registration to a colleague, guest or client rather than refund your ticket. Please email events@netzeroatlantic.ca to have a name changed on tickets being transferred.
Program
The program will feature panel sessions across three focused streams: Technical, Environmental, and Policy & Regulatory. Topics will include grid integration, permitting challenges, community engagement, and environmental impacts such as bird and bat interactions, as well as underwater acoustics.
Through presentations, panel discussions, and facilitated dialogue, the Forum will help define research priorities and practical next steps to support the development of offshore wind in Nova Scotia.
Latest updates: The call for abstracts closed and selection underway. The full program will be available soon.
Keynote Speakers
Peter J. M. Nicholson, Canadian Climate Institute
Peter Nicholson is originally from Halifax, educated in physics (BSc, MSc, Dalhousie University) and mathematics (PhD, Stanford). He has served in numerous posts in government, business, science, and higher education. His public service career included positions as Deputy Chief of Staff, Policy in the Office of the Prime Minister of Canada and as Special Advisor to the Secretary-general of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) in Paris. Dr. Nicholson's business career has included senior executive positions with Scotiabank in Toronto and telecom holding company, BCE Inc. in Montreal. He retired in 2010 as founding president of the Council of Canadian Academies, an organization that conducts expert panel studies of scientific issues related to public policy. He is currently the Chair of the Board of the Canadian Climate Institute. Dr. Nicholson is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Nova Scotia and is the recipient of six Honorary Degrees.
Next: The second and final keynote speaker will be announced soon, and presentation topics will be shared as well.
Program Themes and Key Topics
The following guidance was provided to potential speaker and poster presenter. Applicants were asked to address one or more of the topics, or proposal one of their own.
Technical
- Grid integration, pathways to market
- Weather impacts and icing
- Wind farm design and cabling
- Velocities of wind speed Wind velocity
- Enabling conditions and infrastructure
- Metocean conditions, local considerations, and data collection
- Floating offshore wind
- Emerging technologies
- Innovations in equipment and materials
- Site selection and investigation
- Geohazard assessment
- Geotechnical parameters and modelling for engineering and development
- Sediment dynamics
- Data acquisition and modelling
- Subsurface characterization for foundation design
- Marine environmental geoscience as it relates to marine spatial planning
- Insights from legacy offshore data
Environmental
- Case studies from other jurisdictions
- Underwater noise
- Bird / bat interactions (Aerofauna)
- Marine mammals, fish and, sea turtle interactions
- Benthic invertebrate interactions
- Effects from foundations, anchors, and cables
- Offshore wind impact on ocean circulation and mixing
- Cumulative effects
- Effects of climate change
- Avoidance, mitigation, and monitoring
Policy & Regulatory
- Wind resource assessment
- Legal and regulatory frameworks
- Permitting – lessons learned and pathways forward
- Co-existence
- Infrastructure
- Social and economic effects of offshore wind
- Interactions with ocean users
- Opportunities for Indigenous communities
- Supply chain and pathways to development
- Marine spatial planning
- Data management
- Cost modelling
Key Dates
- Call for abstracts released: June 26, 2025
- Submission deadline: July 24, 2025 (11:59PM A.T) **Closed**
- Peer review period: July 25 – August 6, 2025
- Notification of acceptance: August 7, 2025
- Revised abstract deadline: August 18, 2025
- Presentation submission deadline: September 12, 2025
Sponsorship Opportunities
As a sponsor, your brand will be positioned as a leader in shaping Atlantic Canada’s offshore wind future, gaining visibility among key decision-makers, industry innovators, and policy leaders driving the energy transition.
Review the sponsorship options available: Sponsorship Package
For inquiries, please contact: events@netzeroatlantic.ca
Download the Summary Report on the 2024 R&D Forum
Curious about last year’s R&D Forum experience? Wondering what key insights were gained from the speakers and panels? Explore the 2024 program guide to see the speakers, topics, and themes covered, and read the 2024 summary report to prepare for the coming Forum in November 2025.
You can also stay informed about upcoming announcements and forum updates by following @netzeroatlantic on LinkedIn and subscribing to our newsletter.