Norway to Launch 1.5 GW Offshore Wind Tender in Late 2022

Norway will launch its first tender for offshore wind turbines in the southern North Sea later this year. The government has confirmed that the project will be bottom-fixed to develop 1.5 GW of electricity meant to power the Norwegian mainland.

The growth of Norway’s offshore wind industry would enable the country to transition from oil and gas to renewable energy to fulfil most of its energy needs. As a result, Norway’s technical expertise in green energy would be enhanced, allowing it to possibly lead the global renewable revolution that is already underway by most accounts.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere stated in a press conference that the first turbines could be completed by the end of the second half of this decade. He also said that the success of offshore wind projects might rely on governmental support by way of state subsidies. The second phase of the turbines’ development will be carried out in the same region of the southern North Sea. The Prime Minister said that even this phase would have the same capacity of 1.5 GW, but that it might also supply power to the wider European continent.

The government has also clarified that the first 1.5 GW phase could provide 7 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity, likely enough to satisfy the demand of as many as 460,000 households. Powering the rest of Europe, however, is a controversial proposal in Norway as it has the potential to impact domestic power prices. Like elsewhere in Europe, Norwegian consumers have had to cope with rising bills in recent months.

The renewable plan of Norway doesn’t stop with the North Sea project. The present government has also reiterated plans to allow the industry to develop floating wind turbines. But this project is expected to located in a different area of the North Sea, called Utsira North.

The administration claims to be committed to identifying more offshore acreage for wind turbine developments in other available seas. The task was begun by the country’s previous government, which selected the two North Sea areas for developing up to 4.5 GW of bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind plants. This move has garnered massive interest from domestic and international investors since its announcement.

Some of the major companies that have expressed their interest in developing offshore wind projects in Norway include Equinor, Orsted, Eni, Shell and BP. The tender process faced delays recently when there was an increase in electricity prices, domestic demand and debate over whether or not Norwegian offshore wind farms should be connected to other neighbouring markets.