Oceantic Network

Oceantic Network is the premier member-based organization dedicated to growing the offshore wind and other ocean renewable industries and their supply chains.

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Ventus Awards

Nominations are closed. Finalists will be announced February 2025

The Ventus Awards are Oceantic Network’s highest level of professional recognition, celebrating the trailblazing people, companies, organizations, and work worldwide ushering in the global adoption of offshore wind and other ocean renewables.   

New in 2025, Oceantic Network has broadened nominations for select Ventus Award categories to reflect the evolution of Oceantic Network’s mission, vision, and membership. The Ventus Awards will continue to shine a spotlight on those who are making a difference in the world through their talent, drive, and commitment to advance offshore wind and, now, other ocean renewables as well as improve the environment.  

Presented in eleven categories designed to honor all contributions and facets of the ocean renewables industry on a global scale, the awards now fall under two groups:   

Open to all Ocean Renewables  

  • Advancement in Project Siting and Development  
  • HSE Program of the Year 
  • Innovation of the Year 
  • Next Wave Leadership 
  • Talent Management Leadership 
  • Viterna Award for Engineering Excellence 

Awards Specific to Offshore Wind  

  • Offshore Wind Leadership 
  • Offshore Wind Trailblazer 
  • Supply Chain Advancement – Private Sector  
  • Supply Chain Advancement – Public Sector 
  • Heronemus Award for Outstanding Leadership in Offshore Wind

Why Participate?

Ventus Award recipients represent the best of the global offshore wind and other ocean renewables professions leading the industry and spearheading innovation. Award winners demonstrate the importance of ocean renewable energy that will improve outcomes for a new industry, people, and the planet. Oceantic Network works to share the stories of each award winner on how their work advances the industry.

Benefits for Ventus Award winners:

  • Opportunity to showcase your company’s innovations in the ocean renewables industry
  • Further your credibility as a subject matter expert
  • Demonstrate the importance of an ocean renewable energy that will improve outcomes for a new industry, people, and the planet
  • 11 awards categories offer flexibility to submit nominations for a wide range of work
  • Opportunity to submit nominations in more than one category
  • Earn national media recognition
  • Invitations to speaking opportunities at leading Oceantic Network programs
  • Invitation to Ventus Gala
  • Exclusive recognition at the annual International Partnering Forum

How It Works

Nominations: All Ventus Awards are open to nominations with the exception of the Heronemus Award for Outstanding Achievement in Offshore Wind. Eligible nominees can apply through the online portal by November 10, 2024. Self-nominations are welcome.  Entering more than one category is allowed, however, we ask that a single nomination only be submitted once per category. Multiple entries for a single nomination to a category will be disqualified.

Jury: All completed applications will be reviewed by a jury representing the breadth of the offshore wind and other ocean renewable industries. The jury will judge all applicants solely on their submitted materials.

Eligibility: Each of the Ventus Award categories has a distinct set of eligibility and criteria. Please review the detailed information carefully.

Award Categories

  • Advancement in Project Siting & Development

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Given to an individual, team, or company that has developed a technology or process, or demonstrated immense effort and collaboration to advance or reduce an offshore wind or other ocean renewables project development risk, cycle, or timeline.

  • HSE Program of the Year

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Recognizes an organization’s successful implementation of policies and/or training programs that prevent workplace accidents and injuries, increase safety awareness, and meet the requirements of environmental and occupational health and safety laws and requirements.

     

  • Innovation of the Year

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Recognizes an individual or company whose singular innovation has or will contribute to the acceleration of offshore wind in areas such as LCOE, health and safety, and supply chain process improvement.

     

  • Next Wave Leadership

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Recognizes a professional who is 35-years old or younger and has been in the industry less than ten years. This individual embodies the leadership qualities needed to advance the ocean renewables industry into the next generation.

  • Offshore Wind Leadership

    Given to a company or public entity that exhibits outstanding leadership, benefiting industry growth, development, and market maturation. The winner’s actions exhibit the highest standards of integrity, responsibility, transparency, inclusiveness, cooperation, and coordination among industry peers and external stakeholders in order to advance the offshore wind industry.

     

  • Offshore Wind Trailblazer

    Given to an individual who exhibits outstanding leadership proven through their ability to instigate/bring about industry growth, development, and market maturation. The person’s strategic actions demonstrate the highest standards of cooperation, consensus building, inclusivity, integrity, responsibility, transparency, and a keen ability to coordinate among industry peers and external stakeholders in order to advance the offshore wind industry.

  • Supply Chain Advancement - Public Sector

    Open Only to Offshore Wind

    Recognizes a public sector entity that is making a lasting contribution to the advancement of the offshore wind energy supply chain.

  • Supply Chain Advancement - Private Sector

    Open Only to Offshore Wind

    Recognizes a company that is making a lasting contribution to the advancement of the offshore wind energy supply chain.

  • Talent Management Leadership

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Honors those who nurture and develop a new generation of leaders. They recruit bright new minds and find creative ways to build an innovative, engaged, and diverse workforce for the future.

  • Viterna Award for Engineering Excellence

    Open to All Ocean Renewables

    Recognizes excellence in engineering that advances offshore wind and other ocean renewable energy industries. Given to an individual or team, it is named after NASA scientist Larry Viterna who, with fellow scientist Bob Corrigan, developed the Viterna Method, which is the most widely used method to predict wind turbine performance and increase the efficiency of turbine output.

     

  • Heronemus Award for Outstanding Achievement in Offshore Wind

    Honors an individual who has contributed significantly to the expansion of offshore wind energy. Named in honor of William Edward Heronemus (1920 – 2002), the “father of modern wind power,” it recognizes an individual’s leadership, dedication, and unwavering perseverance to accelerate the offshore wind industry. This award category is CLOSED TO SUBMISSIONS.

The Ventus Award

The Ventus Award

The Ventus award represents the intertwining of elements to create a harmonious balance of elegance and strength. It is the swirling gusts and the rolling tides—a culmination of the natural cyclical process. A reminder that only by the combination of efforts can we effect the change we wish to see. Each award is created from handblown glass by artist Tim McFadden in his Baltimore studio.

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