Canadian Wind Energy Association Operations & Maintenance Summit
CanWEA's fourth annual and largest-ever Operations and Maintenance Summit brought together over 230 wind energy professionals to discuss operational challenges and opportunities in Canada's wind energy sector. The event featured the inaugural presentation of two new industry awards recognizing excellence in health and safety and innovative O&M approaches.
The 2018 CanWEA Operations & Maintenance Summit represented a milestone gathering for Canada's wind energy industry, attracting owners, operators, manufacturers, and service providers to address critical operational challenges facing the country's 295 wind farms. The two-day event featured comprehensive programming covering workforce development, health and safety best practices, data-driven maintenance strategies, emerging technologies, and service offerings. Key technical sessions addressed electrical safety, fall arrest equipment, up-tower rescues, confined spaces, ergonomics, icing challenges, and repowering opportunities, reflecting the practical realities of operating in Canada's diverse climate conditions.
A significant highlight was the introduction of two new CanWEA awards program, with Cartier Énergie Éolienne receiving the inaugural Health and Safety Excellence Award and LiftWerx winning the first O&M Outstanding Achievement Award from a competitive field of 17 nominations. The summit also featured an expanded exhibition showcasing leading companies in Canada's growing wind energy O&M market, providing valuable networking and business development opportunities for industry participants.
The event's focus on grid integration and reliability services reflected the industry's strategic evolution beyond traditional energy generation. With Canada's O&M market expected to nearly double to $450 million in annual spending by 2020, the summit provided crucial insights into emerging opportunities and challenges. Industry leaders emphasized wind energy's role as the lowest-cost source of non-emitting generation in Canada and discussed how operational excellence can support broader electricity market transformation toward clean energy systems.
Sponsored by Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy as title sponsor, the summit demonstrated strong industry collaboration and commitment to operational excellence. The event's success, as the largest O&M gathering to date, underscored the growing importance of operations and maintenance in maximizing the value and reliability of Canada's substantial wind energy infrastructure, positioning the sector to meet future grid requirements while maintaining cost competitiveness and safety leadership.