Equinor has met with the supplier industry in Norway to discuss cost-effective solutions for floating offshore wind farms on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Equinor got together with Global Center of Expertise (GCE) NODE companies in Agder to talk about finding cost-optimal solutions related to designing floating foundations for turbines in the 10-15MW range.
Additionally, the meetings were focused on fabrication methods and logistics of floating substructures, innovative mooring systems, and installation and marine operations for floating wind.
”We welcome Equinor’s initiative to build a floating wind farm in deep offshore waters. This could kickstart a new industrial era based on technology and competence from the oil & gas and maritime industries,” said Anne-Grete Ellingsen , CEO of GCE NODE.
“We have 50 years of experience from the oil & gas industry and even more from the maritime sector. Now we are looking at an opportunity to take a leading position in what is a truly global market. If we succeed, floating wind could be a huge Norwegian export industry based on what we learn from projects on our continental shelf.”
To remind, Equinor operates the 30MW Hywind Scotland , the world’s only floating offshore wind farm, and is now planning to build Hywind Tampen, what will be the first offshore wind project on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
The 88MW Hywind Tampen will provide electrical power to the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas platforms in the Tampen area, becoming the first offshore wind farm of that kind.
According to GCE NODE, its companies MacGregor and Origo Solutions are well positioned to take part in Hywind Tampen as they were suppliers for Hywind Scotland.
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy is today submitting proposals to potentially open two areas for offshore wind development and to ask for input on whether to open a third area.