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World’s largest floating wind farm opened in Norway by Equinor
LONDON, UK, August 23, 2023/EINPresswire.com/ -- Norway’s state-owned energy operator Equinor has, alongside a consortium of partners, opened the world’s largest floating offshore wind farm. Officially inaugurated on Wednesday, the farm will supply power to nearby oil and gas platforms, helping them to cut their greenhouse gas emissions.
Hywind Tampen began producing in November last year, and achieved full output at the beginning of August. The consortium behind the project includes other oil producers such as OMV and Vaar Energi, which is majority owned by Italian multinational energy company Eni.
The total capacity, which has been recorded at 88 megawatts, will provide for around 35% of the annual energy needs of five North Sea platforms grouped around the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas fields, roughly 140 km from the country’s west coast.
Kjetil Hove, EVP Exploration & Production Norway, spoke to Reuters while on board the platform: “We have a clear ambition in Norway with respect to CO2 emissions, to reduce them (by) 50% (by) 2030... To do that we need power. It is also about building a new industry that is going to be important to create more power in Norway."
Annual CO2 emission reductions of 200,000 tonnes are expected to be achieved thanks to the operation of the Hywind Tampen wind farm, accounting for 0.4% of total Norwegian carbon output in 2022.
According to some environmentalists, the move is a step in the wrong direction as they hold that the country’s efforts should be focused on ceasing oil and gas production, while others have welcomed the drop in carbon emissions.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the opening as a "historic day", adding that the country would be able to cut its CO2 emissions as a result of the initiative. The energy transition, he noted, did not mean putting an abrupt halt to oil and gas production.
Eleven wind turbines comprising Hywind Tampen are fixed to a floating base, which is anchored to the sea floor rather than being fixed to the ocean bed. This is a new solution which experts believe could be deployed in deeper offshore waters where Equinor has development aspirations.
The initial costs of 5.2 billion kroner ($491 million) based on 2020 estimates have now risen to 7.4 billion ($698 million), as a result of delays in raw material supplies, QA issues, inflation and currency impacts.
The project remains well financed however, with Equinor making the case that there has been a positive effect from increased CO2 taxation and higher gas prices. Hywind has also received almost 2.9 billion kroner ($274 million) in subsidies.
Norway aims to produce 30 gigawatts in offshore wind power by 2024, doubling the current total power output. The government is set to tender its first commercial wind farms – including three floating farms – in autumn 2023.
Additional partners on the project include Wintershall Dea, INPEX Idemitsu Norge (IIN), a subsidiary of leading Japanese energy company INPEX Corporation, and Norway's Petoro.
German group BASF owns 72.7% of Wintershall Dea with remainder is held by Russian investors Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/equinor-inaugurates-worlds-largest-floating-wind-power-farm-norway-2023-08-23/
Hywind Tampen began producing in November last year, and achieved full output at the beginning of August. The consortium behind the project includes other oil producers such as OMV and Vaar Energi, which is majority owned by Italian multinational energy company Eni.
The total capacity, which has been recorded at 88 megawatts, will provide for around 35% of the annual energy needs of five North Sea platforms grouped around the Snorre and Gullfaks oil and gas fields, roughly 140 km from the country’s west coast.
Kjetil Hove, EVP Exploration & Production Norway, spoke to Reuters while on board the platform: “We have a clear ambition in Norway with respect to CO2 emissions, to reduce them (by) 50% (by) 2030... To do that we need power. It is also about building a new industry that is going to be important to create more power in Norway."
Annual CO2 emission reductions of 200,000 tonnes are expected to be achieved thanks to the operation of the Hywind Tampen wind farm, accounting for 0.4% of total Norwegian carbon output in 2022.
According to some environmentalists, the move is a step in the wrong direction as they hold that the country’s efforts should be focused on ceasing oil and gas production, while others have welcomed the drop in carbon emissions.
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre described the opening as a "historic day", adding that the country would be able to cut its CO2 emissions as a result of the initiative. The energy transition, he noted, did not mean putting an abrupt halt to oil and gas production.
Eleven wind turbines comprising Hywind Tampen are fixed to a floating base, which is anchored to the sea floor rather than being fixed to the ocean bed. This is a new solution which experts believe could be deployed in deeper offshore waters where Equinor has development aspirations.
The initial costs of 5.2 billion kroner ($491 million) based on 2020 estimates have now risen to 7.4 billion ($698 million), as a result of delays in raw material supplies, QA issues, inflation and currency impacts.
The project remains well financed however, with Equinor making the case that there has been a positive effect from increased CO2 taxation and higher gas prices. Hywind has also received almost 2.9 billion kroner ($274 million) in subsidies.
Norway aims to produce 30 gigawatts in offshore wind power by 2024, doubling the current total power output. The government is set to tender its first commercial wind farms – including three floating farms – in autumn 2023.
Additional partners on the project include Wintershall Dea, INPEX Idemitsu Norge (IIN), a subsidiary of leading Japanese energy company INPEX Corporation, and Norway's Petoro.
German group BASF owns 72.7% of Wintershall Dea with remainder is held by Russian investors Mikhail Fridman, Petr Aven and German Khan.
https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/equinor-inaugurates-worlds-largest-floating-wind-power-farm-norway-2023-08-23/
Shamir Atif
DI PR
+44 20 7454 5111
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