Energy – keeping busy

The Norwegian team in DNV GL Energy work intensively from home locations to keep wheels turning and orders to come in. Dedicated team members, new ways of staying social at distance and active use of digital marketing is our daily work.

The coffee chat in the renewables team goes lively, almost like usual in office, using teams

TEXST: ERIK DUGSTAD

Much of the services provided by Energy in the Nordics are desk top work and we can continue to deliver this efficiently as teams are good at electronic cooperation with the tools we have available. Site visits have been on hold for a period, with the last cross border site visit between Norway and Sweden just before the quarantine regulations came into operation. Now we are preparing for the gradual lifting of restrictions on travel, and the opportunity to plan forward for upcoming site visits on windfarms across the Nordics.

In project work and customer dialogue we have as other parts of DNV GL become experts in teams meetings. One reflection is that sometimes the calls with customers sitting in home in the same situation of Corona-related restrictions and uncertainties, has given some very good meetings. The dialogue has been even more open and direct than what we have experienced with the same customer in earlier physical meetings.

We have also worked on opportunities and partnerships as usual. One of the larger opportunities is a consortium bid for technical assistance in renewables integration to the power system, with an expected budget of over 50 MNOK. It will be a tough competition, but the corona situation is not hindering us from doing our best effort within DNV GL and also with our partners in other countries and locations.

Digital marketing has been key as we do not meet and have the chance to have informal talks with customers in events or topical working groups. Two customer cases has spread quickly in industry magazines and news websites, and our engagement and lead-generation from LinkedIn has increased. DNV GL certified the parts of the methods applied for the floating solar PV system of Ocean Sun, attracting attention outside of the industry and into main stream media. The support from DNV GL Energy to Lundin Energy for their acquisition of a wind farm in Finland was also getting headlines in energy and financial publications. Just now we are also preparing a case on our advisory role in EV charging infrastructure transaction, and expand DNV GLs profile on practical energy transition in Nordics even further.

Working from home in less than optimal home office set-ups can put strain on shoulders and backs, but is maybe the mental part of sitting and working from home that is the largest common strain. It has been great to see how teams are organising informal coffee chats, and also doing virtual birthday celebrations. It is amazing o see the creativity and spirit of DNV GL employees in dealing with the current situation, until we again will gather in our offices.