One of Norway’s largest oil supply bases, Fjord Base in Florø, is looking for more legs to stand on in the green shift. Now the supply base with 700 employees will install offshore wind turbines. The nearly 300-metre windmills will not be standing permanently, but will be clearly visible from the town of Florø for long periods. It has caused many to see red. Claims all the enthusiasm is lost One of them is Stein Malkenes. The former MDG politician has become a leader of the opposition to offshore wind installation. Last week, he drew a full house when he and his supporters invited a public meeting. – The offshore wind turbines will destroy all the housing in Florø town and on the surrounding islands. We cannot deprive the community of its fjord area and the view in this way, says the coastal resident. Stein Malkenes believes that the offshore wind turbines will destroy all the housing in Florø. Photo: Bård Siem / news Stein Malkenes wants to have the wind turbines right in the field of vision from the farm he owns nearby. He believes that the supporters are trying to frighten by saying that jobs will be lost and that they are obscuring the realities of the case. – All practice from other areas shows that the turbines will become idle. Not just for a little while to then be towed out to sea. New turbines will continue to be installed and the storage will last for years, he says. Group CEO Ole Schanke Eikum in the Fjord Base group hopes the installation of offshore wind turbines will become the new core activity at the base in Florø. Photo: Bård Siem / news Prepare for the post-oil era For the Fjord Base company, it’s about preparing for a time after the oil age. – There will be an end date for oil and gas on the Norwegian continental shelf. It will seriously affect the supply base if we don’t have more legs to stand on, says CEO Ole Schanke Eikum at Fjord Base. He cannot answer how many wind turbines there may be, or how long they will be standing in Florø. The CEO says the aim is to get them to sea as quickly as possible. Kenneth Ytreland and Geir Fester are positive that Florø can become a base for the assembly and storage of large offshore wind turbines. Photo: Bård Siem / news In the main street in Florø we meet Geir Fester and Kenneth Ytreland. Both are positive about the plans. – All development is good development. We need industry and we need jobs, says Fester. Ytreland nods. – We need jobs and development in the city. But I feel sorry for those who get the windmills close to where they live. They should receive proper financial compensation, he says. It is up to the politicians in Kinn municipal council to decide whether the supply base will be allowed to invest in offshore wind. For now, there are different opinions also among the parties. – It is a bit difficult to decide on the plans. We currently know too little, says mayor Ola Teigen (Ap). The plan is for the offshore wind turbines to be mounted on Naustholmen, directly to the right of the big white tanks. Photo: Bård Siem / news A few may receive financial compensation CEO Ole Schanke Eikum says that financial compensation will not be given to everyone who gets a reduced view, but that it may be appropriate to give it to a few. – If we have to anchor to land, it will be natural to discuss a financial compensation for that, says the CEO. The matter will be decided by the Kinn municipal council sometime in the coming election period. If given the green light, the first offshore wind turbines can be installed in 2030.
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Quarrels about the installation of offshore wind turbines – news Vestland
