Offshore staff
STAVANGER, Norway – Enova has approved an application for funding of up to NOK2.3 billion ($256 million) for the Hywind Tampen project in the Norwegian North Sea.
According to operator Equinor, this would be the world’s first floating offshore wind farm supplying renewable power to offshore oil and gas installations.
The facility would provide electricity to the Gullfaks and Snorre field complexes.
“With this support we have taken an important step forward in realizing the project. Now it is up to the licensees to further mature the project towards a final investment decision this autumn,” said Pål Eitrheim, executive vice president for New Energy Solutions at Equinor.
Earlier the Business Sector’s NOx Fund had sanctioned an investment grant of up to NOK566 million ($63 million) for the project.
Olav-Bernt Haga, project director for Hywind Tampen, said the scheme would “contribute to further developing floating offshore wind technology and reducing the costs of future floating offshore wind farms, offering new industrial opportunities for Norway, the licenses and Norwegian supplier industry in a growing global offshore wind market.”
Equinor said the project would ensure profitable oil and gas production from Snorre and Gullfaks fields, potentially cutting their carbon dioxide emissions by more than 200,000 metric tons/yr (220,462 tons).
The offshore wind farm will comprise 11 wind turbines with a total capacity of 88 MW, sufficient to meet around 35% of the annual electricity needs of the Snorre A and B and Gullfaks A, B and C platforms.
However, during periods of strong wind, the percentage should be much higher.
The seven partners in the fields’ licences are planning to take a possible investment decision on the project in the fall.
08/23/2019
