Two winners for Utsira offshore floaters
Norway has approved bid from Equinor/Eni and EDF/Deep Wind Offshore in its tender for the first commercial floating offshore wind farms of up to 500MW at the Utsira Nord site off its south-west coast.
"Both applicants met the qualification requirements and provided good responses to the qualitative criteria – as a result, each will be awarded one project area," a press release from the ministry of energy said.
The tender was launched in May and by September it had attracted the two bids, one from Equinor and Eni's Vaargronn, and the other comprising Deep Wind Offshore and EDF Renewables.
The selected participants now have two years to work on the projects before competing in an auction for subsidies in 2028–29, to be provided as a direct grant to one successful bidder.
Siri Espedal Kindrem, head of Equinor's Norwegian renewable energy business, said in September that there is as yet no financial commitment from the partners in its consortium, and that profitability remains a key prerequisite for realising the project. Deep Wind Offshore is owned by Knutsen Group, Haugaland Kraft, Sunnhordland Kraftlag and Octopus Energy.
Norway has agreed to cap subsidies at Utsira Nord at NKr35bn (US$3.37bn) in 2025 value, reflecting the technology's relative immaturity. If both groups apply for subsidies, one will receive support based on requiring the least state aid to develop its project, the ministry said.
PFI previously reported a long list of potential bidders for the project including: Statkraft; Iberdrola/TotalEnergies/Norsk Havvind; A Energi/Macquarie’s Corio Generation; Aker Offshore Wind; Magnora’s/TechnipFMC via JV Magnora Floating Wind; and Hafslund/Fred Olsen.
