The draft presented to Parliament sets up technical details for applying for concessions, setting up, operating and closing installations.

No wind farms habe been developed in the last four years off Norway, due to the lack of a stable incentive system for new renewable energies, but energy minister Terje Riis-Johansen says the country aims to make offshore wind an important player in the European power system over the next 10-15 years.

"Offshore wind energy may become the next adventure for the Norwegian industry and energy sector," Oil and Energy Minister Riis-Johansen says.

"The proposal creates a framework for ensuring that energy infrastructure is planned, constructed and operated with due concern for energy supply, environment, security, fisheries, sea transport and other interests," Riis-Johansen says.

A more detailed strategy will be presented for the Parliament by 2012, he adds.

Norway has still not established renewable targets along the same lines as EU member states, but is also now in talks to implement a renewables directive in Norwegian law. Because of its abundant hydro-electrical resources, Norway has a far higher renewable-share than other European countries.

The idea of developing big offshore wind farms is mainly to produce power for export to the European continent. Riis-Johansen hopes European countries without the energy resources possessed by Norway will be willing to pay for some of the development costs.

In the meantime, one of the main targets will be to reduce costs.

“Today the technology is immature. We will have to get costs down by improving the technology”, Riis-Johansen says.

Norway’s oil giant StatoilHydro will start testing the world’s first full-scale floating wind turbine in September this year, outside Karmøy North of Stavanger.