Firms in Norway Team Up to Develop Low-cost Floating Wind Farms

Mainstream Renewable Power, Ocean Winds, and Statkraft have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Aker Solutions, to collaborate on offshore wind at the Utsira Nord license area in Norway.

Mainstream, Ocean Winds, and Statkraft are in a consortium to pursue an application to develop floating wind power at the Utsira Nord license area in 2023.

According to the companies, Utsira Nord, an area off the coast of Haugesund in western Norway, is known for having consistently strong winds.

The consortium and Aker Solutions plan to develop sustainable and cost-efficient technologies, which include design, construction, fabrication and installation initiatives, and other innovative solutions and new technology to lower costs.

The goal of the partnership is to develop the Norwegian supply chain and make Norway more competitive in the floating wind market.

"Combining Mainstream’s offshore wind development experience and five decades of North Sea expertise in offshore development, execution, and marine operations as a member of the Aker group of companies, the experience of Ocean Winds in developing, building, and operating bottom-fixed and floating offshore winds farms globally, and Statkraft´s deep expertise in renewable energy development, operations and management, the consortium covers the full value chain from development to delivery of offshore clean energy to market," the companies said in a statement Friday.

Tove Røskaft, Head of Offshore Wind at Mainstream, said: “The offshore wind journey is just getting started in Norway and innovative collaboration models are needed to ensure we position Norway competitively in offshore wind."

Stephen Bull, EVP Renewables, Aker Solutions, said: “Floating offshore wind is a huge industrial opportunity for the supply chain to collaborate and build on the decades of offshore expertise developed in the North Sea. Together with the consortium, we have the experience, innovation and cost-competitive models required to deliver the next full-scale floating offshore wind farm in Norway and take the industry to new, unexplored depths.