Vattenfall may seek partnerships to allow it to enter the floating wind sector, said its head of offshore wind.

Catrin Jung said the Swedish group – among the leaders in fixed-foundation offshore wind but so far inactive in floating – is “doing quite intensive technical due diligence” of the emerging sector, where unlike power industry peers such as EDPR and Engie it has yet to make any move via a pilot project or other investment.

Asked at the FOWT 2020 industry conference if its lack of experience would be a barrier to entry to the sector, Jung said: “We will also be open for partnerships in that area [floating wind] knowing that we bring benefits and experience in other areas, and try to match that with someone else that might be more advanced in [floating] than we are.”

However, Jung stressed that while floating is “a very interesting opportunity”, Vattenfall is still mulling how it best fits into the wider offshore wind sector, and predicted floating won’t be in a position to compete with fixed-bottom projects on a like-for-like basis for eight to ten years.

“Maybe we do not need to replace same with same,” said Jung, noting that floating will operate in deeper waters further out to sea. “Connecting oil platforms or hydrogen, [these] possibilities create a different kind of economics.”

DNV GL this week said the global floating wind fleet could approach 260GW by 2050, and the industry has already attracted big-name entrants from the oil and gas industry such as Total, Shell and sector pioneer Equinor.

The floating sector is preparing for its first tender opportunities, with auctions off France and Scotland lining up opportunities for development over the next few years.

Jung was named head of offshore wind at Vattenfall in March.

The utility is currently advancing its largest sea-based project to-date, the four-wind-farm Hollandse Kust South complex off the Netherlands, which is being brought online under a zero-subsidy development plan.

It is also backing green-hydrogen, 'fossil-free' industrial manufacturing of steel and cement, and floating PV, as part of an energy transition strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

Wind

Vattenfall 'open to partnerships' for floating wind debut: offshore chief