Today, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre himself got to see parts of Equinor’s offshore wind investment, when he visited Sløvåg in Gulen. In September, the Equinor installations Snorre and Gullfaks outside Florø will receive power from 11 wind turbines in the sea. Hywind Tampen is a floating wind power project with a capacity of 95 MW, which according to the plan will supply the field operations on Snorre and Gullfaks in the North Sea with electric power. This will be the first floating wind farm in the world to supply electricity to offshore oil and gas platforms. NEW PROJECT: Hywind Tampen is a floating wind power project with a capacity of 95 MW. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news At the same time, the Prime Minister presented five points for further development of the Norwegian offshore wind industry. Norway will become one of the world’s leading nations in offshore wind. The offshore wind industry will be developed according to the Norwegian model, ie arrange wage and working conditions. The offshore wind industry will contribute to more jobs at sea and in the supplier industry. The offshore wind industry will contribute with power that enables new green industry on land. The offshore wind industry must be sustainable and built in good coexistence with other offshore industries. – We are now framing a new future industry, says Støre to news. The goal is that over time, offshore wind power will also be exported out of the country. – We will produce more than we need in Norway. Then we can connect with two-way cables to what will be a North Sea network. This will be a major European charity event, says Støre. SUBMIT PLAN: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre on Tuesday presented a five-point plan for the development of Norwegian offshore wind. Here with NHO chief Ole Erik Amlid and LO leader Peggy Hessen Følsvik. Photo: Oddgeir Øystese / news Concerned about lack of investment The government announced earlier this year that they will facilitate a new investment in offshore wind. The plans for Norway now are that 1,500 turbines will be set up by 2040, and that the production of electricity could be 30 GW. This corresponds to the current from almost all Norwegian hydropower. But when the plans were presented, the government was criticized for the plans being too complicated. Both SV, MDG and Høgre clearly stated that the pace must pick up, where it was shown that other countries have a much larger investment in gong. Many also today express that the plans are too lax and too little concrete. – Purely rhetorically, it is a very large investment. What is a pity is that it does not follow much beyond the rhetoric, says Terje Halleland (FrP). Photo: Even Lusæter / news MDG leader Une Bastholm says the Government’s deadline is too vague. – It is good that Støre wants to be a world leader, but then one must set goals that are closer in time than 2040 and the government has so far not wanted that. Photo: Eirik Pessl-Kleiven / news According to DN on Tuesday, Denmark wanted Norway to participate in a collaboration on offshore wind in the North Sea, but the Norwegian government hesitated. An internal Foreign Ministry note warns that Norway may be left behind. Norwegian Oil and Gas says it is good to have a principle for the development of the Norwegian offshore wind industry, but that “it is urgent to get going”. – Several countries see the same opportunities for developing an offshore wind industry and have come further than Norway, says Hildegunn T. Blindheim, CEO of Norwegian Oil and Gas. She points out that floating offshore wind is a relatively immature technology, but that large reductions in costs are expected in the next decade so that the technology will be profitable. That is why it is important to establish support schemes for the first projects, says Blindheim. ANNOUNCES INVESTMENT: The goal of the government is to set up 1500 turbines by 2040, and that the production of electricity could be 30 GW. Photo: Øyvind Gravås / Equinor / NTB Requests a faster pace The Storting has now asked the government to introduce specific deadlines for offshore wind initiatives and for when new areas for offshore wind development will be announced. On 2 June, the Energy and Environment Committee in the Storting submitted its joint recommendation to the Solberg Government’s energy report from last year and the Støre Government’s additional report from April this year. The committee asks the government to ensure that both the announcement and allocation of area for offshore wind development on Utsira North and Southern North Sea II takes place as early as next year, and that the next announcement and allocation of new areas takes place no later than 2025. is highlighted in red. The Storting is asking for a faster pace in offshore wind efforts. Graphics: Equinor / RWE / Hydro The government should then implement equal allocations of new area so that Norway can achieve the goal of allocating area for 30 GW of offshore wind by 2040. – It is particularly positive that the parliamentary majority asks for specific deadlines for the Norwegian offshore wind investment and agree that we need offshore wind to accelerate the energy transition, says Knut Kroepelien, CEO of Energy Norway. The industry organization Norwegian offshore wind cluster supports the government’s initiative. – It is positive that the government is now focusing on building up the supplier industry in Norway. At the same time, we also want a clear deadline for announcements, so that we can get started, says leader Arvid Nesse.
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This is how Norway will become a world leader – news Vestland
