Ocean Winds signs new partnership to enter floating offshore wind in Norway

The Ocean Winds consortium, which brings together EDP and Engie, Mainstream Renewable Power, an Aker Horizons company, and Statkraft announced this Friday the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Aker Solutions, in Norway, to collaborate on offshore wind energy projects in Utsira Nord, in the North Sea.

Together, the three companies have created a consortium to bid to develop floating wind power projects in the Utsira Nord area off Norway by 2023. The new memorandum of understanding signed now with Aker Solutions aims to develop new sustainable technologies that include design, manufacturing, construction and installation of innovative solutions that will significantly lower project costs.

This collaboration "aims to further develop capabilities across the Norwegian value and supply chain and strengthen Norway's competitiveness in floating wind power," the companies said in a joint statement.

Read Also WavEC and the focus on new sectors of the blue economy Currently, Mainstream and Ocean Winds are developing two projects with an estimated 3 GW of floating offshore wind power capacity in the UK and South Korea. Statkraft and Mainstream, meanwhile, have a partnership to develop offshore wind power in Norway.

"Offshore wind energy is just beginning in Norway and innovative collaboration models are needed to ensure we position the country competitively.Bringing together the strengths of Aker Group, with our partners at Ocean Winds and Statkraft, will position the Utsira Nord region at the forefront of the floating wind industry globally, with new jobs, new technologies and new green energy for Norway," said Tove Røskaft, head of offshore wind energy at Mainstream.

"As a pioneer in the floating offshore wind sector with over 10 years of experience from development to operations, Ocean Winds is looking forward to working together with Norwegian partners and suppliers to build a successful value and supply chain and create opportunities," said Oscar Diaz, head of Ocean Winds. Read also EDP Renováveis' joint venture gets second license in South Korea Miguel Viana: "Offshore wind energy will be a core technology" EDPR joint venture wins two offshore wind lots in Scotland EDP among winners of first offshore wind auction on US West Coast