Aug 26 | 2019
World First Floating Offshore Wind Farm
Norwegian climate agency Enova has approved plans to develop the world’s first floating offshore wind farm designed to power offshore oil and gas installations.
The pioneering Hywind Tampen project will receive up to NOK 2.3 billion to construct a landmark offshore system that is expected to lay the groundwork for wider rollout of the technology worldwide, driving a new source of breakbulk demand.
“The Hywind Tampen project will contribute to further developing floating offshore wind technology and reducing the costs of future floating offshore wind farms, offering new industrial opportunities for Norway, the licences and Norwegian supplier industry in a growing global offshore wind market,” Olav-Bernt Haga, project director for Hywind Tampen, said.
Gullfaks and Snorre Fields
State-run Enova is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and is tasked with reducing developing clean energy solutions via a program for full-scale climate measures.
The project will be manged by Norewegian energy firm Equinor and partners and will see renewable energy supplied to oil and gas platforms in the Gullfaks and Snorre fields.
“The support that the licences have received for the Hywind Tampen project demonstrates the will of Norwegian authorities to invest in and develop floating offshore wind farms and renewable energy supplies. With this support we have taken an important step forward in realising the project. Now it is up to the licences to further mature the project towards a final investment decision this autumn,” said Pål Eitrheim, executive vice president for new energy solutions in Equinor.
35% Annual Demand
The approval from Enova follows an earlier investment grant of up to NOK 566 million from Norway’s NOx Fund. Once complete, the Hywind Tampen project will feature 11 wind turbines with a total capacity of 88 megawatts.
As well as marking a world first for the technology, Equinor predicts that it will pave the way for cleaner, more profitable oil and gas production.
“The project may reduce CO2 emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to emissions from 100,000 private cars... The wind farm will be able to meet around 35 percent of the annual demand for electricity of the five platforms: Snorre A and B and Gullfaks A, B and C. In periods of strong wind, the percentage will be much higher,” a spokesperson for Equinor said.
The pioneering Hywind Tampen project will receive up to NOK 2.3 billion to construct a landmark offshore system that is expected to lay the groundwork for wider rollout of the technology worldwide, driving a new source of breakbulk demand.
“The Hywind Tampen project will contribute to further developing floating offshore wind technology and reducing the costs of future floating offshore wind farms, offering new industrial opportunities for Norway, the licences and Norwegian supplier industry in a growing global offshore wind market,” Olav-Bernt Haga, project director for Hywind Tampen, said.
Gullfaks and Snorre Fields
State-run Enova is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, and is tasked with reducing developing clean energy solutions via a program for full-scale climate measures.
The project will be manged by Norewegian energy firm Equinor and partners and will see renewable energy supplied to oil and gas platforms in the Gullfaks and Snorre fields.
“The support that the licences have received for the Hywind Tampen project demonstrates the will of Norwegian authorities to invest in and develop floating offshore wind farms and renewable energy supplies. With this support we have taken an important step forward in realising the project. Now it is up to the licences to further mature the project towards a final investment decision this autumn,” said Pål Eitrheim, executive vice president for new energy solutions in Equinor.
35% Annual Demand
The approval from Enova follows an earlier investment grant of up to NOK 566 million from Norway’s NOx Fund. Once complete, the Hywind Tampen project will feature 11 wind turbines with a total capacity of 88 megawatts.
As well as marking a world first for the technology, Equinor predicts that it will pave the way for cleaner, more profitable oil and gas production.
“The project may reduce CO2 emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes per year, equivalent to emissions from 100,000 private cars... The wind farm will be able to meet around 35 percent of the annual demand for electricity of the five platforms: Snorre A and B and Gullfaks A, B and C. In periods of strong wind, the percentage will be much higher,” a spokesperson for Equinor said.
