Seven applications to participate in the auction for offshore wind in Southern North Sea II
Norway's drive for offshore wind development gains momentum with seven applicants for Southern North Sea II during a period when high costs pose a challenge.
The Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy announced this Wednesday that it has received seven applications from prominent consortiums and companies to participate in the auction for the project area for offshore wind at Southern North Sea II. This development marks a significant step forward in Norway's commitment to expanding its offshore wind capacity on the continental shelf.
In a press release, the ministry expressed satisfaction with the high level of interest, especially considering the challenges posed by high costs and the complexity of making projects profitable in the current economic climate.
The consortiums and companies that have submitted applications are:
- Aker Offshore Wind, bp, and Statkraft
- Equinor and RWE
- HYDROELECTRIC CORPORATION
- Mingyang Smart Energy
- Norseman Wind AS
- Parkwind and Ingka Group
- Shell, Lyse, and Eviny
We are happy to see seven potential applicants in a time where high costs are a backdrop, and it is complicated to get projects profitable. Now, we must also make sure to get speedy progress with ESA for Utsira North so that we can start our floating flagship projects. Norway must be the pioneer in industrialising floating wind
Arvid Nesse, General Manager of Norwegian Offshore Wind
The ministry will now begin the process of evaluating the applicants and will announce which ones are qualified to participate in the auction. The evaluation will focus on ensuring that the applicants meet the minimum criteria for sustainability and positive impacts. Additionally, the department will assess the implementation capabilities of the applicants. The tentative auction date is set for February 2024.
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