Macquarie’s Green Investment Group (GIG) became the latest global offshore wind giant to signal its ambitions to develop large-scale floating wind off Norway.
GIG will link with local utility Agder Energi in a bid to develop a floating project in the 1.5GW Utsira Nord zone, one of two earmarked for tendering by the Norwegian government under its first large-scale awarding of seabed for wind power.
Norway announced last year that it would press ahead with tendering for a total of 4.5GW of offshore wind spanning floating wind at Utsira Nord off the country’s west and a second zone at Sorlige Nordsjo 2, which will spur fixed-bottom projects.
The tender has since attracted a roll-call of international interested parties including EDF, Iberdrola, TotalEnergies, RWE, Orsted, Shell, BP, Equinor, Fred Olsen Renewables, Statkraft and Aker Offshore Wind.
However, things have moved more slowly than the industry hoped, with Marte Mjøs Persen recently admitting there was impatience for the process to move ahead faster but claiming “the issues involved are complex and we must make sure we get it right.”
A spokesperson at the Norwegian Energy Ministry told Recharge it was currently working on the detailed framework for the tendering but did not comment further on timings.
For GIG the tilt at Norwegian floating adds to 4.5GW of other planned projects in the emerging sector off South Korea, Japan and France, as well as a significant fixed-bottom portfolio.
Edward Northam, GIG’s UK and Europe head, said: “Agder Energi’s Norwegian energy market expertise and regional presence combined with GIG’s global floating offshore wind and infrastructure experience make for a strong partnership that can drive forward the floating offshore wind sector and provide a launch pad for Norway’s supply chain to engage with the global floating offshore wind opportunity.”
GIG and Agder said last year they would join forces for a bid into Sorlige Nordsjo 2 with Vargronn, a joint venture formed between oil group Eni and Norway’s HitecVision.
