Wind energy – Norway
Ørsted joins consortium with Fred. Olsen Renewables and Hafslund Eco establishing a long-term partnership to develop offshore wind in Norway and to compete in Norway’s upcoming application round for offshore wind areas.
The three parties see the cooperation as the perfect fit for realising large-scale offshore wind projects in combination with an offshore grid.
The consortium has the aim to deliver both bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind power, while developing the Norwegian supply chain for the expected large-scale build-out of offshore wind in Norway and in Europe.
Ørsted, Hafslund Eco and Fred. Olsen Renewables will be equal partners in the consortium which will be applying for licenses in both areas appointed by the Norwegian government, Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II. The upcoming allocation round is expected to consist of up to 4.5GW across the two areas, with the technical potential being much higher.
Martin Neubert, Chief Commercial Officer and Deputy Group CEO at Ørsted, says: “This partnership is an important step for Ørsted, as we expand our footprint in the Nordics. At the same time, we have made the strategic choice to drive the commercialisation of floating offshore wind to unlock the massive potential of the technology around the world where Norway can become a key market in Europe.”
Hafslund Eco is a renewable energy and infrastructure group that is wholly owned by the City of Oslo. The company is the second largest power producer in Norway and owns and operates 80 hydropower plants, with an annual production of 21 TWh. The company also owns 50 % of Norway’s largest grid company through the ownership of Eidsiva Energi.