Eni’s energy transition unit Plenitude and HitecVision have agreed to expand their Norwegian renewable energy company, Vårgrønn.
The partners’ joint ambition is to build Vårgrønn into a material full-cycle offshore wind player, targeting 5 GW of installed and sanctioned offshore wind capacity by 2030, with a focus on key Northern European markets.
”With this agreement, Plenitude strengthens its footprint in the offshore wind space consistently with its target of reaching 15 GW of renewable capacity by 2030,” Stefano Goberti , CEO of Plenitude, said.
”Our long-term partnership with HitecVision has proven able to create significant value. By expanding Vårgrønn, we aim to raise a focused and financially independent development platform with a diversified portfolio of assets in the Northern Europe and with the capacity to rapidly build scale in the offshore wind market that is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years.”
As part of the agreement, Vårgrønn will acquire Plenitude’s 20 per cent interest in the Dogger Bank wind farm off the UK, as well as Plenitude’s other early-stage initiatives in Vårgrønn’s key markets.
Moreover, HitecVision will increase its ownership share in Vårgrønn from 30.4 per cent to 35 per cent through the transaction, while Plenitude will retain the remaining 65 per cent.
Once completed in 2026, Dogger Bank will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm. The three phases of the project will have a combined installed capacity of 3.6 GW, generating enough renewable energy to power six million homes.
Through this transaction, Vårgrønn will invest into the most mature area for offshore wind globally, adding 720 MW net to its portfolio, Eni said.
”This is a strategic transaction for HitecVision, expanding our relationship with our long-term partner Eni by creating an international offshore wind player in line with our strategy of building successful companies to support the transition to net zero,” Erlend Basmo Ellingsen , Senior Partner and Head of Investment Team in HitecVision, said.
”Through the transaction, Vårgrønn will enter the UK offshore wind market through the ownership in the strategic asset Dogger Bank, located at the core of the North Sea basin with strong partners in Equinor and SSE.”
Vårgrønn was established by Eni and HitecVision in 2020 to actively participate in the energy transition, building on their long-term partnership from jointly developing Vår Energi to become a value accretive cooperation and one of the largest companies on the Norwegian Continental Shelf.
Today, Vårgrønn is positioned in the Norwegian offshore wind market, being part of consortiums for each of the upcoming license rounds for the Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II areas. At Utsira Nord, Vårgrønn has entered into a collaboration agreement with Equinor.
At Sørlige Nordsjø II, Vårgrønn has entered into a collaboration agreement with Corio Generation, formerly Green Investment Group, and the Norwegian utility company Agder Energi.
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Olav Hetland , CEO of Vårgrønn, said: ”We look forward to building our portfolio and to joining this world class partnership with Equinor and SSE towards first production from Dogger Bank. We appreciate the trust from our shareholders to focus their European offshore wind efforts through the expansion of Vårgrønn.”