Aker Offshore Wind, Ocean Winds, and Statkraft Target Floating Wind Offshore Norway

Aker Offshore Wind, Ocean Winds, and Statkraft have signed a collaboration agreement to bid for, develop, construct, and operate a floating offshore wind farm and associated infrastructure for the Utsira Nord license area in Norway.

The equal partnership will submit an application to the Norwegian authorities for the development of a commercial-scale floating offshore wind farm in the Utsira Nord license area in the Norwegian North Sea.

As previously reported, Aker Offshore Wind and partners will propose to build the 500 MW Vestavindar floating wind farm at Utsira Nord.

Utsira Nord, an area off the coast of Haugesund in western Norway, is known for having consistently strong winds, the partnership said. Offshore wind is a rapidly maturing renewable energy technology that is poised to play an important role in future energy system and the partners are ready to pursue the possibilities in the Utsira Nord license area.

”Together with Ocean Winds and Statkraft, we have formed a partnership of experienced developers and operators to push the boundaries for offshore floating wind and develop new value chains for Norwegian industry. Aker Offshore Wind brings the capabilities and experience from five decades in the offshore industry to scale and industrialize floating wind in a sustainable way. At Utsira Nord, the ambition is to further develop and industrialize technology based on Principle Power’s market-leading floating substructure technology,” Kristian Røkke, Chairman of Aker Offshore Wind and CEO of Aker Horizons, said.

Aker Offshore Wind and Ocean Winds have partnered on other projects in California, USA, South Korea, and most recently in Scotland.

”Our aim is to deploy all the know-how, experience and technology of Ocean Winds, especially the one acquired at Windfloat Atlantic, the world’s first semi-submersible floating wind farm in operation since last year, to contribute the best to the new Utsira Nord project,” Spyridon Martinis, Chief Executive Officer of Ocean Winds, said.

”Our strong portfolio includes projects in operation such as Windfloat Atlantic (Portugal) and Seamade (Belgium), as well as Moray East (becoming Scotland’s largest offshore windfarm), which has recently produced its first power before the end of the construction phase. We have a track record of using our strength as global leaders in the emerging offshore wind sector to create opportunities in the local communities in which we have a presence, and we hope to generate a positive impact on the Norwegian industry.”

Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind have already established a partnership for the Sørlige Nordsjø II area in Norway.

The Sørlige Nordsjø II area could potentially be the site of the 1.2 GW Sønnavindar project, located in water depths ranging from 50 to 70 metres.

Christian Rynning-Tønnesen, Chief Executive Officer of Statkraft, said: ”As Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy, Statkraft’s competence in wind farm development and operations, and expertise in energy management provide a good foundation for success. By entering today’s cooperation, we are expanding our offshore wind exploration in Norway to floating technologies. As a result of promising developments, cost reductions, increasing electrification, rising demand for renewable energy and favorable regulatory frameworks, Statkraft views this market opportunity as a long-term value creative addition to our portfolio.”