Refusing to wait: Norwegian Offshore Wind moves forward

The Norwegian offshore wind sector recently felt a tremor when parliament decided to initiate an external quality assurance program regarding state support for the floating wind project at Utsira Nord. While some feared this could stall progress, recent updates suggest a more agile response.

Knut Vassbotn, CEO of Deep Wind Offshore, noted on LinkedIn recently that the Ministry of Energy has moved swiftly to design the assessment program, with industry partners already actively contributing. With bipartisan support in parliament to prioritize speed, there is growing optimism that the process will be wrapped up in time for the autumn budget, avoiding the dreaded one-year delay.

Still, navigating these political waves requires resilience.

"Every month of delay adds risk. The Ministry of Energy must work at high speed to initiate and complete this external quality assurance as quickly and predictably as possible," says Arvid Nesse, CEO of Norwegian Offshore Wind.

However, Nesse is quick to point out the inherent strength of the industry: 

If there is one defining characteristic of the offshore wind industry, it is endurance. This supply chain does not walk away when the wind changes direction; we adapt and find ways to deliver.

Post-battle positivism

Even without this recent turn of events regarding external quality assurance, the progress of the Norwegian offshore wind initiative has been more sluggish than we could have hoped and expected, tracing all the way back to the introduction of the Ocean Energy Act (Havenergilova) in 2010. Yet, if the parliamentary decision process in June demonstrated anything, it was the robust support from the business community and coastal societies. Although there was disagreement on the 'medicine' and the specific decision, the process clearly highlighted that offshore wind in Norway, both bottom-fixed and floating, rests on a broad parliamentary foundation. 

We expect that the timeline for further development, which the Minister of Energy is set to present this autumn, will receive positive backing in Parliament, paving the way for not only the first two full-scale commercial offshore wind projects but also a predictable schedule for further projects to plan against.

Looking outward for "contacts and contracts"

While the industry actively works to establish this domestic predictability, immediate progress cannot wait. To mitigate domestic delays, Norwegian Offshore Wind, as an industrial cluster representing around 300 member companies, has sharpened its focus. The cluster’s newly minted five-year strategy (will be launched soon) places heavy emphasis on helping Norwegian developers and suppliers secure international contracts. When progress at home experiences a temporary lull, Norwegian companies must look to European and global markets to build experience, secure references, and keep their workforces active.

Fortunately, the global appetite for wind energy is massive, and Norwegian expertise is highly sought after.

But even as eyes turn abroad, significant milestones are being reached in Norwegian waters. At the Marine Energy Test Centre (METCentre) off Karmøy, the pioneering TetraSpar Demonstrator floating wind turbine is preparing for decommissioning after nearly five years of highly successful test operations.

The contract for this historic project was awarded to two prominent Norwegian Offshore Wind members: Global Maritime is managing the offshore campaign, while Semco Maritime has secured the onshore decommissioning contract.

Semco Maritime: Gearing up at Hanøytangen

For Semco Maritime, a Denmark-headquartered engineering company with a strong Norwegian presence on the west coast for the past 15 years, this project represents a vital milestone. Historically focused on oil and gas in Norway, the company has heavily invested in preparing its yard at Hanøytangen for the green transition.

"We need something to replace oil and gas. The yard industry is clearly noticing that there are fewer rigs in activity," says Thor Andre Askildsen, Director of Business Development & Improvements at Semco Maritime. 

We have used considerable resources to gear up for offshore wind. That’s why political speed bumps like the recent parliamentary decision are frustrating. We have an enormous pool of competence, but to retain these skilled people, we need a steady pipeline of work.

While bottom-fixed wind projects keep Semco's yards in Denmark and Germany busy servicing markets worldwide, from the North Sea to Vietnam and the US, floating wind represents Norway's unique opportunity to take a global lead.

"Norway is a specialist in marine operations. We must use the competence we already have," Askildsen asserts.

"The green transition starts here"

In August or September, the TetraSpar floating turbine will be towed to Hanøytangen. For Askildsen and his team, this is more than just a dismantling job.

"The TetraSpar project is extremely important for us as a reference project. While we operate internationally, having a reference project on home soil holds massive value. It truly puts us on the map," Askildsen says. 

In many ways, this project marks the day when the green transition starts here.

To prepare for the task, Semco has invested in a massive new crane capable of lowering the turbine's nacelle. Once the turbine arrives, the team faces 8 to 10 weeks of intense, structured dismantling. "It’s massive steel, so there will be plenty of material to process," Askildsen notes.

The decommissioning will showcase Hanøytangen’s unique deep-water capabilities, featuring quay depths down to 90 meters and Northern Europe’s largest dry dock. Crucially, the project will also highlight the site's circular industrial symbiosis. Semco Maritime will collaborate with Norscrap West, onsite specialists in sustainable recycling, ensuring that the dismantled turbine components are responsibly recycled and recovered in accordance with the strictest environmental standards.

The value of showing up

How did Semco Maritime secure this milestone contract? According to Askildsen, the breakthrough didn't happen behind a desk, but rather through face-to-face networking.

"The way this contract found its way to us is worth mentioning. It started with a casual conversation at an offshore wind gathering. We made a connection, kept in touch, and eventually, the contract landed." 

It proves just how vital it is to be present in arenas where networking and B2B matchmaking happen. We are entirely dependent on meeting the decision-makers.

This is precisely where industrial clusters like Norwegian Offshore Wind deliver their greatest value: creating the meeting places where handshakes turn into contracts.

Ultimately, Askildsen believes the industry must work together to change the narrative surrounding offshore wind in Norway.

"We need to help the public and politicians understand that offshore wind is an investment in our future, not a form of government waste. It is not some distant pipe dream. This is already an active industry generating 60 billion NOK in annual turnover. The technology is still evolving, and we will do things differently in ten or twenty years, but we have to start building now."

If we spend all our time waiting or debating long-term alternatives like nuclear power, we will face an energy deficit long before those solutions are ever realized.

By pushing forward with landmark projects like the TetraSpar decommissioning, the Norwegian supply chain is proving that it is ready, capable, and already building the future.