Norwegian energy giant Equinor and Vårgrønn, a renewable energy company established by HitecVision and Eni, have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly apply for offshore wind acreage to develop floating offshore wind at Utsira Nord in the Norwegian North Sea.
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy has opened Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II areas for offshore renewables, and the authorities are currently working on the licensing process for Norwegian offshore wind power projects.
“A floating offshore wind farm at Utsira Nord could be the next project at scale to drive industrialisation of floating offshore wind and create new opportunities for Norwegian industry,” said Pål Eitrheim executive vice president for new energy solutions in Equinor.
Norwegian energy entrepreneur and investor HitecVision and Italy’s energy major Eni have recently positioned renewables at the centre of their strategies to help accelerate the energy transition.
Equinor and Eni are partners in Dogger Bank currently under construction in the North Sea, which, once completed, will be the world’s biggest offshore wind farm.
Vårgrønn has set an ambitious goal to own and operate 1 GW installed capacity by 2030.
